Page 8 of Bullet
“Yeah, and she claims that when she graduates, she’s leaving and never coming back.”
“She can’t do that. It would kill Honk,” Chap says.
I scoff, not bothering to hide the bitterness from my voice. “Trust me, Honk spends so much time at the bottom of a fucking bottle he wouldn’t notice. She doesn’t think…” I stop myself from oversharing.
I might be willing to do a lot of things in her honor, but I won’t break her trust. They don’t need to know that she doesn’t think she’s loved.
Reaper runs his hand over his face. “I was afraid of this.”
“Honk is a fucking mess. It’s honestly impressive he hasn’t drank himself to death yet,” Trigger says.
“Dude, don’t even put that kind of shit out there,” Wrath tells him, shaking his head.
Reaper raises his hand, cutting them off before they can start to bicker.
“We should have stepped in a long time ago. This has gone on long enough. We thought we were doing the right thing by letting him grieve, but clearly we were wrong,” Reaper tells us.
“So what do we do?” Midnight asks.
“He needs to get clean. Either here or some rehab,” I tell them.
“You can force someone to sober up, but you can’t force them to stay clean. They have to want it,” Colt says.
“Do you think it would work if we told him if he doesn’t, he will lose Harlee?” Wrath asks, looking at me.
I shrug. “I don’t know. You guys have known him longer than I have.”
“Yeah, but you know Harlee,” Colt points out.
“That doesn’t mean shit.”
Reaper drums his fingers on the arm of his chair as he stares at me. “Are you prepared to lose her?”
The thought of losing her slices me deep. I hate the thought of her leaving, but I’ve already resigned myself to the fact it’s going to happen. If she has her way, nothing will keep her here.
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes. As long as she’s happy, then that’s all that matters.”
Even if it kills me.
“All right, then let’s see what we can do,” Reaper says.
“I’ll start pulling up options and the financials,” Trigger tells him.
Leaning back in my chair, I tune out.
I hope I did the right thing by coming to them.
Today is supposed to be a monumental day. The day I graduate from high school and finally go out into the world as a full-grown adult. I mean, minus the fact that I just turned nineteen and have been on my own since I was seventeen. I was supposed to graduate last year, but after the death of my mom, I just stopped trying. I skipped school more than I went. I couldn’t be bothered to study or turn in assignments.
Bullet is the only reason I am standing here today. He refused to let me drop out, but instead asked the school to hold me back a year. Then he forced me to study and do homework. For the past year, he has been the only thing holding me together.
I look out to the crowd and see him along with several other brothers in the crowd. That’s not what surprises me, though. No, seeing my dad standing in the back of the room, leaning against the wall, is what has my mouth falling open.
I want to run to him. Hug him. Tell him I love him.
For the first time in two years, he showed up. I feel like things might be okay.
I take my seat and listen as the speeches drone on and on. Then they start to call names.
