Page 37 of Hallow’s Eve
Thorn’s bed was made. I called him and relayed the news. “Fuck, man.”
“I’m going to the hospital. You coming?”
“No. I just met that girl. I never planned to have anything else to do with the chic. Sorry, man. Give my condolences to your girl though.”
I understood, but I didn’t feel the same way about Eve. My heart ached for her. I couldn’t mount my Harley fast enough.
Chapter 9
Eve
Hallow walked into the waiting room, and I’d never been so happy to see anyone in my life. I’d slept in an uncomfortable chair on and off, when I wasn’t crying with Donette’s family who had gathered in the waiting room with me. After I called the police and relayed the news about Ford and Jasper, I called Donette’s mom and woke her. My best friend had to have surgery, and I wasn’t authorized to make those types of decisions. It being an emergency, the surgery was on way before Donette’s family got here. We never expected her not to make it through. The cops were here questioning me just as the doctor came out and told us Donette had died. He said she expired or something, and I lost it. The officers told me to come into Nashville Monday to give my statement. They took the keys to Ford’s truck. Although Donette had died, she was in a room where the family could be with her before the funeral home picked her up. Exhaustion was my only comfort, numbing the pain of losing a true friend. However, guilt festered adding to my sorrow.
But now, Hallow hugged me to him. The smell of leather flooded my senses as I wrapped my arms under his motorcycle vest. He was warm and alive. I wanted to get out of here. I hadn’t gone in to say goodbye to Donette. I couldn’t. Not even saying goodbye to her family, I tugged Hallow out of the hospital. He straddled his motorcycle, and I was about to climb on.
“Where to?” he asked.
I thought about going home and crashing in my bed at Gran’s before I remembered the scene there. Mine and Donette’s apartment was out of the question too.
“I don’t know. Anywhere but here.”
“My place?”
I shook my head. I certainly didn’t want to go to Royal Road.
“I know somewhere,” Hallow said, offering his hand.
Climbing behind him, I pressed my face into his leather and draped my arms around his middle locking my hands together. The roar and the wind took me away. Lost on the drive, I didn’t care where we went as long as Hallow was with me.
We rode for about an hour before we crossed a wooden bridge and went up a steep driveway to a small cabin in the woods.
“I’ll have to be in Nashville tomorrow.”
“We’re in Scottsboro, near Back Creek,” Hallow explained.
I didn’t know where that was and said as much.
“We’re still in Nashville, only in the forest. Only about fifteen minutes away from Broadway.” Hallow unlocked the door, clarifying, “I was looking at this place. Told you my room at Royal Road was temporary. I still had the key.”
“What about the owners?” I asked, stepping inside.
“Kingpin owns it, and I haven’t told him if I want the place, yet. It’s furnished, but no one lives here. No one will be out here. It’s just us.”
Just us, those words comforted me. Hallow stepped in close, sheltering me in his large arms again. My hands ran up his vest, up his muscular back. I rested my head on his chest. His hand cupped my head. “Want to get some rest?”
“Yes,” I breathed against his t-shirt, but I didn’t want to move.
Hallow scooped me up and carried me to the bedroom, laying me on the bed. He joined me, flopping down beside me. I crashed into his side, laying my head in the crook of his arm. That arm tugged me close. I closed my eyes and cried myself to sleep.
When I woke, my head laid on a pillow. Hallow was gone. I felt cold. Pulling the covers up and over me, I shivered. A single bedside lamp lit the room. Sitting up, I saw it was also dark outside. How long had I slept? I heard a door creak open. Hallow stepped into the room in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair wet, he’d been in the shower. He looked as delicious as always, but his concerned expression warmed my heart.
Smiling, he regarded me. “You’re up. You hungry?”
With a pout, I swayed my head. I couldn’t eat. Feeling a bit sick to my stomach, I was still in shock from everything that had happened. Hallow sat on the side of the bed noticing I had the covers over me.
“You cold? I can crawl back in bed with you,” he joked.
“Please,” I choked out.
