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Just thinking his name sends a fresh wave of pain through me.
“There’s something happening here… something I want to explore.”
“Styx made it clear he won’t share me,” I whisper, “and even if he would… I’m still mad at you.”
“So you keep saying.” He smirks again, mischief dancing in his eyes.
“I really need to get back in there.”
“Yeah, okay.” He steps back and I slip out from around him. “Wait, Kat.” Ryder snags my wrist. “If you need anything…”
“I need to be with my family right now.”
It’s the truth.
“I know.”
“But you should know, I don’t give up that easily. When you’re ready to forgive me, I’ll be waiting.”
The words land like a challenge.
One I don’t know if I want to take.
“Bye, Ryder.” I wave him off as I slip back into the hall.
Giving myself a second to catch my breath, I linger down the hall from Mom’s room. I need to run damage control with Aunt Cassie.
I don’t think she’ll tell anyone but the last thing I need is her slipping it out to Diesel.
He’ll never trust me again.
But when I step back into the room again, it’s too late.
Diesel eyes fixate on mine. “Where have you been?”
“I…” I glance at Aunt Cassie.
“Told her to go get some fresh air,” she says without missing a beat. “It’s not healthy being cooped up in these places for too long.”
His eyes narrow as if he’s trying to see the cracks in my alibi.
“The doctor is coming by soon,” he adds. “They’re going to wake Mom and then we need to talk about next steps.”
“N-next steps?” I ask, already knowing what’s coming.
“Yeah.” He runs a hand down his face. “It’s time, Kat. I’m not around enough and it’s too much for Cassie to—”
“I can help. I’ll help more. I’ll drop out of school and read up on stuff so I can make her more comfortable. I’ll—”
“Stop, just stop.” His expression gutters. “We can’t give her the right care at home. The disease is too advanced. The doctor agrees that a residential home will be more equipped to support her.”
“You’ve already decided.” My heart splinters in my chest.
“Kat, come on. You knew one day it might come to this. You knew—”
Panic strikes me in the chest. A hard swift blow that shatters me and sends my fight or flight response into overdrive.
“I-I can’t… I have to go.”
