Page 61 of Won't Let Go
I’m so sorry.
So. So. Sorry.
WHITE BOY
“White Boy!” Bink screams as she races into the clubhouse. “White Boy!”
Her eyes are rimmed in red, tears dripping down her cheeks, as she tries to reach me, but Big gets to her first. Scooping her into his arms, he wraps her legs around his waist as she sobs into his neck. Without her saying anything, I know this is about Jade. Something happened.
“Where is she?” I demand, as I finish setting another chair up for our wedding.
Bink peeks at me over Big’s shoulder. “At Kit’s,” she blubbers.
Nodding my thanks to her, I race through the clubhouse halls and out the back door. I make it through the grass into our attached estate and up Gunz’s steps in record time, to find my woman cowering on the couch, lost in her own nightmare, as the sisters and my mom stand back, watching in horror with tear-filled eyes.
Gunz barrels into the house a moment later, and we damn near crash into each other. Pixie points my brother to the bathroom down the hall, where Kit must be, as I drop to my knees and crawl across the floor to my beautifully broken woman.
“Babe. I’m here,” I whisper, so she knows where I am.
Snot rolls down Jade’s face as she stares off into the distance. Sweat dots her brow as she trembles uncontrollably.
Reaching the edge of the sofa, I sit back on my knees and reach for her—slowly. I rest my hand on the top of her thigh and leave it there. “It’s me. I’m here.”
“I…I feel like I’m dying,” she whimpers, teeth chattering.
“I know, babe. I know. But those men can’t hurt you anymore.”
“I…I love you, Josh. I don’t like this. I’m scared. My chest hurts.” Jade clutches her heart and rubs there, and my own breaks, watching her live through this nightmare again.
Emotions clog my throat, and I swallow that shit down along with my urge to cry as I rub her leg and hope like hell I can fix this. “I love you too, so much. So. So. Much. We’ve got this. Together. Okay. Just listen to my voice. They aren’t here. This isn’t real. You’re having a panic attack. You’re not dying. I need you to breathe with me.” In through my nose, I inhale andinstruct Jade to do the same. I hold it, then blow out. She follows my lead, listening to my voice, gentle and sure. Which is fucking miracle, when I’m dying inside, right alongside her.
When Jade finally quits trembling, she blinks out of her fog, looks down at me, and launches herself into my arms. We fall onto the floor in a mess of limbs, with her on top. A surprised laugh tumbles free as I crush her against my chest.
“I’m so sorry,” she sobs.
“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” I reassure her and slide my fingers through her soft, silky hair.
“I don’t understand what happened.”
The front door swings open, and Bink returns with Big right on her tail. He stops just inside the entrance as she approaches us. “Is she okay?” she asks me, still distraught by what happened, which I understand. The sisters haven’t been around Jade much since the warehouse. A lot has changed.
I kiss my woman’s head. “Yep. We’ve done this before.”
Tucking her hands into her front jean pockets, Bink rocks back on her boot heels. “I didn’t mean to overwhelm her.”
“You couldn’t have known.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Maybe get your old man.” I flick my eyes to Big. “Hunter, and the sisters to the clubhouse, so I can marry the love of my life?” I suggest, liking the sound of that far more than I should, given our current floor situation.
On a watery laugh, Jade nips my shoulder and slaps me in the pec. “Josh.”
I pat the back of her head. “Shhh. Don’t fight it. We’re getting married today.” She’s not getting out of this. No way. No fucking how.
“No. Josh. I can’t,” Jade grumbles against my chest. Her hot breath bleeds through the cotton of my shirt.
“Oh. We’re doin’ this.”
