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"Nothing." I lifted my head just long enough to say, "He doesn't know."
"Oh, Raelyn." There was no missing the sound of disappointment in her voice. "You haven't told him anything?"
"I know, I know, it’s terrible. I'm an awful human being." I looked back up at her and said, "I should tell him, but I’m not sure how."
“Well, first, you aren’t an awful human being,” Elizabeth replied. “But if you care about Conor like you say you do, you’ll have to find a way to talk to him."
"But what if it ruins everything, and he doesn’t want to see me anymore?"
"It’s a chance you have to take. I know that’s not the answer you want.”
“No, it’s not.” I couldn’t face her as I said, “Maybe I can just wait a little while and see how it goes.”
“Yeah, you could do that, but I'll tell you this, being in a relationship with no trust is like driving a car with no gas. You can sit there and turn the key a hundred times, but you'll never go anywhere."
Her words stung, but only because I knew they were true.
I'd really made a mess of things.
I just didn't know what to do about it.
I could feel myself becoming emotional. "You're right. I'll talk to him."
"I think you’ll feel better about things once you do." She wrote something down on her notepad, then looked back at me. "How about your family and friends? Have you discussed your condition with them?"
"Oh, no. They don't know about it either. I don't see the point in worrying them until I have no choice."
"I see." She scribbled another note, then looked over at her clock. "Well, I'm afraid our time is up for today. Maybe we can discuss your family a little further during your next appointment."
"Sure." I stood up and collected my things. "Friday at ten, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Great. I'll see you then."
As I started for the door, I realized how much better I felt after our session. Dr. Holt hadn't been judgmental or harsh like I feared she'd be, and I genuinely enjoyed my time with her.
Before stepping into the hall, I turned around and said, "You know, I think my dad might've been right about this whole counseling thing. It was nice to talk about this stuff with you."
"I'm glad you think so. Hopefully, you'll continue to enjoy it."
"I'm sure I will. See you Friday."
I felt pretty good as I left her office and headed out to the parking lot, but sadly, it didn't last long. As soon as I got in my car, I checked my phone and saw that I had three missed calls from Tara, my project manager. My stomach sank when I realized I was late for our weekly meeting.
I had to get to the office before she blew a gasket, so I tossed my phone in the passenger seat, started my car, and sped out of the parking lot. I was about to cross the first intersection when I spotted a black truck running the red light and barreling straight toward me.
Before I even had time to react, the truck plowed into me, and suddenly, everything turned black.
LYNCH
The hours that followed Sophie’s kidnapping were brutal.
Jagger was a fucking mess, and even though we all tried, nothing any of us said would console him.
I got it.
I would’ve been the same way if someone had taken Rae, and we didn’t have the kind of time under our belts that Jagger and Sophie had. He’d tried to hold it together, but the mere thought of something happening to his woman had him spinning out of control. “I can’t stand much more of this! We gotta do something.”
“Menace and Shotgun are working on it,” Viper assured him. “It’s gonna take some time to check the footage from all those security cameras.”
“But that’s just it. We’re running out of time!” Jagger argued. “Sophie is out there with God knows who, and no telling what the fuck they’re doing to her.”
“Thinking like that isn’t helping anyone.” Viper stepped over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder. “You gotta keep a level head, son. It’s the only way we’ll get Sophie back.”
“And if this was Rebecca?” Jagger snapped. “Would you be able to keep a level head?”
Brothers rarely ever tangled words with Viper. Be it out of respect, genuine fear, or both, it simply wasn’t done, so it wasn’t a surprise when the entire room fell silent. All eyes immediately turned to Viper as we waited for his response. His voice remained calm and steady as he replied, “I would trust my brothers to bring her back to me—because when the heat is on, they’ve always come through, and I trust that they’ll do it again with Sophie. You gotta believe the same.”
It took a moment for Viper’s words to sink in, but eventually, Jagger took a breath and nodded. “You’re right, Prez. You’re absolutely right.”
