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I chuckle as I step inside and shut the door, waiting for the beep. When it sounds, I leave a message I’m not even sure he’s going to listen to.
“Hey, H. Listen, I’d really rather not talk about this through your voicemail. It’s an in-person conversation. But I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I swear, I wouldneverhave left like that if I realized the connection beforehand. Hurting you was the last thing I wanted to do. You have to know that. You have to know that I wouldn’t intentionally rip you apart like that. I lo—”
Just before the words I haven’t said since the night before I left come out of my mouth, the room erupts in chaos. Someone stands outside my motel room, smashing all the windows on the corner unit and sending glass flying into the room. And the last thing the phone records is the sound of me screaming.
I’m walkingout of the nursing home after seeing my mom, when I notice I have a missed call from Laiken.And a voicemail.It’s pathetic that I already plan on keeping it, regardless of what it says. If she ever decides to leave again, at least I’ll have something else I can listen to and hear her voice.
Everything from last night runs through my head, just like it has been all day.God, I hate fighting with her, but lately, that’s all I seem to be able to do. I’m still so fucking mad at her for leaving the way that she did. Not only did she create a new wound when she left—she ripped an old one wide open again.
I think the hardest part to deal with is that sheknew. She was one of few people who knew how not okay I really was after everything. One of few people I didn’t feel like I needed to fake it around. So, to have her walk out on me the same way he did, it fucking wrecked me.
Getting into my truck, I start it up and play the voicemail. Laiken’s voice comes through the speaker and my whole body goes warm. Because that’s the thing. No matter how livid I am, or how much she hurt me, she’s still the girl who stole my heart right out of my chest without giving me a chance at stopping her.
“…Hurting you was the last thing I wanted to do. You have to know that. You have to know that I wouldn’t intentionally rip you apart like that. I lo—”
My breath hitches as I wait to hear those words, not even realizing how badly I need them, but instead, I get chaos. The sound of glass shattering rings out through the phone and Laiken lets out a blood curdling scream before the voicemail ends.
No.
Fuck! No!
Panic rushes through me as I scramble to open the app we all downloaded so we could share our locations with each other. My hands shake while I wait for it to load, and the minute I see Laiken is at her motel, I press the gas pedal to the floor.
BLUE AND RED LIGHTSfill the street as my truck screeches to a halt in front of her motel. There are cop cars, fire trucks, and an ambulance making it so I can’t get any closer. I throw the truck into park right there in the middle of the street and jump out.
I frantically look around for Laiken, but I don’t see her anywhere. There are two officers coming out of the room on the corner, and that’s when I see all the windows are smashed.
That explains the glass breaking.
My feet carry me in that direction, until the sound of Cam calling my name stops me. I spin around to find him standing at the back of an ambulance, and when the paramedic steps to the side, I’ve never felt so relieved. Laiken is sitting there, with a decent sized gash on her forehead, but that’s so much better than all the horrible things I imagined on my way over.
“What the fuck happened?” I ask as soon as I’m close enough.
Cam looks at Laiken, but she’s clearly too shaken up to answer. “Someone busted all the windows in the room while she was inside. Glass went everywhere, and a piece of it managed to slice her head pretty good.”
I exhale, turning to Laiken, but before I can say anything to her at all, Mali pushes past me and wraps her arms around her.
“Oh, thank God,” she sighs. “Are you insane? What part ofdon’t go to your motel alonedid you not understand?”
Laiken rolls her eyes and tips her head at Cam. “Thanks, Mom, but I already got the lecture from Dad.”
There’s something a little weird about her referring to Cam and Mali, but it might be something I can get on board with. Right now, however, I’m only focused on one thing.
“Wait, how the fuck did both of you know to be here?” I ask.
“She called me,” Cam says simply. “And I called Mali on my way over.”
“And you didn’t think to fucking call me?”
He glances at Mali, looking unsure. “After last night, we weren’t sure you wanted to be.”
“Ialwaysfucking want to be called when it comes to her!” I roar.
I probably shouldn’t admit that, especially not in front of Laiken, but fuck it. Rules don’t apply anymore, as far as I’m concerned. And Cam should’ve known to at least shoot me a text about it.
“I think it’s safe to say there will be no more motels for you,” Mali tells Laiken. “They’re not safe enough.”
Cam shakes his head. “It’s fine. She’ll come stay with me for now.”
