Page 185 of Make Me Trust Again
Kyle’s lip wobbles, the fear clear on his face. “You’re not mad at me? I told him I didn’t want to leave. That I wanted to stay, but he grabbed my hand really hard?—”
Oh, my poor little boy.
If John was here, I would strangle him with my bare hands for putting Kyle through this. For hurting him like he did.
“You did good, Ky,” Chase says softly. “This isn’t your fault.”
“I didn’t want to go. I want to be with you and Mom.”
Extending my free hand, I wrap it around Kyle and pull him to me, pressing my lips against the top of his head. “You’re not going anywhere. I love you so much.”
“Oh my God…” Rebecca gasps as she stops by our side, her eyes growing wide as she spots her brother lying on the ground.
“I’m fine,” Chase croaks, but I can see the strain this took on him. The tiny droplets of sweat are clinging to his forehead. Gritted teeth. Pale face.
“Nico called for an ambulance.” Rebecca places her hand on Chase’s leg. “Help is on the way.”
Extending my hand to Chase’s, I cup his right cheek. “You hear that? Help is on the way. Just hold on for me, baby, okay? Just hold on.”
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
CHASE
“Wait for me,” Rose says decisively, her eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror.
I look down pointedly before glancing up at her. “Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t move.”
Something dark passes in Rose’s eyes for a split second before she blinks it away. “Good.”
She unbuckles from the driver’s seat and slips out of the car, gently closing it so she doesn’t wake up Kyle, who’s sitting next to me. Or better said, sleeping on me. Rose tried to get him to sit in his booster seat, but he refused, so instead of fighting a losing battle, I just held him close with my good arm all the way home. He was so tired he crashed within a handful of minutes, but still, he wouldn’t let go of me.
Shadow rests her head on my knee, snapping me out of my thoughts. She’s been watching me like a hawk, refusing to leave my side the whole evening.
“I’m fine,” I tell her, but she just lets out a huff.
Just then, Rose pulls open my door and gives me a pointed look. “Even she calls bullshit on that one.”
I lean my head on the back seat, the events of the day finally catching up with me.
Rose shakes her head softly, her hand cupping my cheek, neither of us saying anything for a moment until Kyle stirs next to me but doesn’t wake.
“The poor guy’s been through the wringer tonight.”
Rose hums softly, gently brushing a strand of hair out of Kyle’s face. “Yeah, I don’t think he’ll forget what happened anytime soon. I need to call my lawyer, see if there is anything that can be done about John. I don’t want him anywhere near Kyle after the shit he’s just pulled.”
Her lips press into a tight line, her shoulders turning stiff at the mention of her ex.
“Any news on him?”
Rose shakes her head. “Nope. He’s still missing. Is it wrong of me to wish he would stay that way?”
“You can feel whichever way you want to feel, sweetheart.”
Apparently, Deputy Rivera called in backup after John ran away to let them know what happened, while he stayed with us until the paramedics arrived. Although I insisted it was just a scratch, they wouldn’t budge when it came to taking me to the hospital. I tried protesting; the hospital was the last place I wanted to go, but then they brought up their guilt card—Kyle. He also needed to be checked out since he gained some scrapes and bruises, so of course, I gave in. There was no way I was letting either him or Rose out of my sight while John was running rampant only God knows where.
In the end, the bullet sliced clear through my upper arm, so they just had to clean and stitch me up. Nico Rivera took our statements before the doctor told him to let us be so we could rest, but before leaving, he promised there were people looking for John, and he’d keep us updated.
I shift, my shoulder bumping into the seat, and a jab of pain spreads through my arm, making me curse softly.
