AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It may have been part of the assignment, Easton Hawthorne, but don’t think I missed the looks you gave her. How gentle you were,” she says, before digging her nails into his cheeks and pressing his lips to hers. He growls, before kissing her harder.
Bile rises in my throat, and I think I may be sick. “That tape was a moment shared between us that was never supposed to be seen. You ruined one of the best nights of my life all because you're a spoiled rotten bitch.” She pulls away from East and spins, giving me a giant smile as if what I just said was a compliment. She’s certifiable. I need to get the fuck out of here and track down Lay. Salvage at least some part of my relationships.
“Now give me the tapes. Everything from that night and the ones you have of Cara. I’m done with you and your psycho ass,” I tell her, not surprised when her hand swings, slapping me across the face. I just smile, licking the blood from the corner of my lip. I glance at my brother and laugh. The matching red handprint on his cheek, and the hard dick he’s not bothering to hide. I give him a once over, not disguising the disgust on my face, and nod. He at least has the brain cells to wince, but then looks off to the side avoiding my gaze.
“Yeah, I’m done with you too, man. You guys deserve each other.” This may have started off as a way to play Penny, but he clearly wasn’t completely faking it. Penny stomps off, and East still refuses to meet my eyes.Whatever, I'm out of here.I need to find Layton before he hurts himself…Again… Fuck, I really need to find him.
I shove past Ella as she tries to block my way from leaving. Her screeches pierce my ears, but I ignore them, pulling my phone out of my pocket. I call Lay repeatedly, but all it does is ring. Jogging back to our house, I’m relieved to see the lights on, however, no one seems to be in there. I run through and check the rooms just in case. The back door has been left wide open.
His bike is gone, so I guess he's still out riding his anger away. Wasted.Fucking great.“Ah,” I scream, but nobody hears me. Lucky bastards out enjoying their own Valentine’s dates and the multiple parties going on. I should be having the night of my life. Why did this have to happen? Why couldn’t we just catch a break? I know this is all on me. I should’ve stopped her. I should have told Penny to fuck off the minute I met the angel who changed everything.
I turn and punch the kitchen wall, before closing my eyes and resting my forehead against the cold plaster. I think back to earlier today. I should have stopped this.
“We need to talk. Do not walk away from me, Jase Hawthorne.” I stop and spin, looking at a red-faced cobra waiting to strike. She places a sinister smile on her face.
“There, now was that so hard?” she says.
“What do you want, Penny? I have somewhere to be,” I state impatiently, jingling keys in my pocket.
“Yes, well about that. You boys have had your fun, but playtime is over.”
My heart starts to instantly race, panic overtaking me. No, she can't be doing this right now.
“Penny, I thought we were done with this. You haven't bothered us in two months,” I say slowly, masking my oncoming panic attack.
“Ha, fooled ya, didn't I? End it, Jase, or I'll have to show that little tape you recorded of her first time.” I freeze, opening my mouth and closing it. Sweat beads on my brow and I may actually throw up. The room spins, and I feel my heart breaking. She moves closer to me, kissing me on the forehead. “Don’t worry, Jase, when this is all done and over with, you will still have Lay,” she says before walking away with a pep in her step. I lean against the wall, before sliding down to the ground.
That’s the issue. I don’t think I will. I’m going to lose them both.
And now I have.How could I have been so stupid?Should’ve realized she was serious. Now everything is fucked. I open my eyes and move away from the wall, before walking out the back door. A bottle of vodka is laying on the chaise with more than three quarters drained.Fuck.I run to the shed that holds our bikes and grab mine. I need to try and find him. Where did he go? Lay has always been a bit predictable, but I don’t think he would go to the beach. If we were back home, I would find him at the school football field, or his old house, but here…he could be anywhere.
I throw my leg over the seat and turn the key before kicking down the lever. The motor rumbles and some smoke kicks out the tailpipe. I don’t remember the last time Lay and I used these. I’d much rather find him in my truck, but if he's on his bike then he could be on smaller trails or roads, so my best bet is to follow his lead. I forgo the helmet and race down the sidewalk towards the woods, passing a fuming Ella and Penny who seem to be screaming at each other. I speed by East who is on his phone, flipping him off as I go. I can only imagine who he’s trying to call. It’s pointless though. We’ve lost her.
I follow the tree line and am about to turn around and check the beach after all, when the acrid smell of smoke hits my nose.Oh no, please, god, no.Up ahead there is a body on the ground, but it’s not moving. Increasing my speed I hit the brake hard, squealing my tires and skidding to a stop. I jump off, not caring about the damage to my bike, and rush over to Lay. He’s on his back, eyes closed, not moving. He has a small smile on his lips and if I didn’t know any better I would think he was sleeping peacefully. I drop to my knees, afraid to touch him. My hand shakes as I move under his chin to check his pulse...Where is his fucking pulse? Nothing. Oh God, why can't I feel his pulse! Please, fuck... I take a wracking breath in and exhale with a shudder, before pushing my shaking fingers harder against his neck. A small flutter pulses back and I choke down a sob. He has a pulse. Barely, but it’s there now.
I pant, hardly taking enough breaths in, my vision blurring from the tears and lack of oxygen. I think I’m going to be sick. I shake out my hands, placing them on the cold asphalt, and climb to my feet, tugging on my hair. The sharp pain helps my thoughts calm a little so I can think. I reach in my pocket for my phone and call 911. I can barely manage to get the words out, but they say someone is on the way. I hang up even when they tell me not to.
I need to call Cara. I know the way things ended tonight were catastrophic, but I need her… Lay needs her. I plop down beside my guy and carefully move him to my lap, removing his helmet. Blood drips down his forehead as I bend down to press a kiss to his temple. I gaze up at the starry sky and say a wordless prayer, before punching in her number and waiting. It rings which is a good sign. She hasn’t blocked me yet.
“Please answer, Cara. Please. We need you. I need you,” I mutter out loud as the phone keeps up a steady ring. I reach her voicemail and the sound of her sweet tone makes the tears fall harder.
“Cara, I know you don’t want to hear from me right now, but something has happened. I need you.” I bite my lips to hold back my sobs and hang up. I try again, but this time I get a, “This number is no longer in service,” message.
“Fuck!” I roar to the empty road. I cradle Lay closer, rocking him in my arms, as I rest my face against his neck. His body is so still, and his breaths are labored. Tears stream down my face while I hold one of my soulmates as he dies. “Don’t you dare leave me, Layton Willis. We've been to hell and back before. You do not get to leave me now.”
I close my eyes and pray to a god that I don’t know exists.Please don’t take him from me.This brings memories back of before—holding his body in my arms as we waited for the ambulance to arrive.
I call his phone once more as I turn the corner to his street. Lay never misses practice. He is always out on the field throwing passes with me before the rest of the team is even done changing. So where is he? I walk up the rickety steps of his run-down home, shuffling toward the buzzer. My finger is just about to press when something crashes inside, followed by a small whimper. I don’t think; I just act. Racing down the steps and around the side to the kitchen door, I throw it open and pause in horror. Red. Blood. So much blood.
The sirens pull me from that horrid day. I thought I was going to lose him for good. That bastard took things too far. Sixteen stitches, three broken ribs, and a nasty concussion that laid him up in bed for the rest of our football season. But I didn’t care because he was still here on this Earth with me. I need him. He may think that he needs me, but I need him just as much.
An ambulance comes to an immediate halt, and two doors swing open. Footsteps pound on the pavement as they rush towards us. “Sir, you need to release him so we can get to work.” One of the EMT’s tells me, while giving me eyes full of pity. I shake my head no and continue to rock his still body. Another EMT races around the ambulance and drops a board to the cold asphalt.
“The police are on their way to file a report, but we need to get him to the hospital now.” The lady tries again to gently pull me from him and I know she’s right. The only way to get him help is to let go. I look up into her green eyes and blink. I can’t let him go. What if these are my last moments with him? What if I never get to hold him in my arms? She yanks on my arm again. “Sir, please let us help him!” She shouts in a panic, looking at her partner. From the corner of my eye I see him moving closer, preparing for a fight. I shake my head of the fog.Whatthe fuck am I doing?!?
They are here to help him. I nod, slowly releasing the tight hold I have on him. Relief fills her eyes as she leans down to help her partner remove him from me.
“He’s my everything,” I choke out in a whisper. She pauses, resting a hand on my arm and giving me a small squeeze, before they place him flat on his back and start to prep him for transport. I watch in a haze as the love of my life fights for his life.
