AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Damn, Spitfire. This is club business. I can’t tell you what you want to know.”
“Fine,” I snapped. “Then show me instead.”
Micah blinked. “I’m not taking you to that shel,” he began, then stopped. “Fuck. You tricked me.”
“Shel?” I frowned, trying to figure out what word he almost said. Shell like gasoline? A gas station? No. Shel ... shelter? A homeless shelter?
Oh. My. God.
Country didn’t have a place to live?
My eyes burned with unshed tears. “He’s homeless?”
“Fuck,” Micah cursed. “Heath, it’s not as bad as you think.”
“Then where is he? Huh? Why didn’t he come to school today? Did someone hurt him?”
Micah pulled me into his embrace. “I don’t know.”
“Why does he live in a shelter, Micah? Why didn’t he tell me?”
“He probably felt ashamed. I found him on the porch the other night. He didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
My eyes closed as my heart ached, the pain swelling in my chest as a sob escaped. “I would never want him living on the street. It’s not okay.”
“I know, Heath. I agree. That was why I talked to Grim.”
Sniffling, I lifted my head to stare into deep blue eyes the same shade as my own—a Sturges family trait.
“You did?”
“Yeah. He just needs a sponsor.”
Wraith cleared his throat behind us. “I’ll be his sponsor. I like the kid. He’s got grit. Already spoke to Grim about it.”
“Country has what it takes to be Royal,” Micah added. “I told Grim yesterday.”
Wow. I didn’t know what to say. Me, the loud, bossy girl, was at a loss for words. Unreal.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I reached for it, swiping across the screen, when I saw my dad’s name. “I’m here.”
“We found Spook.” My father cleared his throat. A sign he tried to hide his emotions. “He’s in bad shape, Sweet Pea. I’ll have Micah drive you to Mt. Grant.”
A hospital. Oh, no. No. No. No.
“Daddy?”
“It’s gonna be fine, Sweet Pea. You hold it together until you see me. Okay? I’ll be waiting.”
I wasn’t sure if I replied out loud before I heard the call end.
“Micah?” I asked, raising my voice to hear over the sudden ringing in my ears.
“Hey, Heath. We’re taking a cage. Come with me.”
My head felt funny as I nodded, too light and bubbly as I followed Micah outside.
Terrified about what I would find when I saw Country, I didn’t speak the entire ride to the hospital. When I saw him, I knew my cowboy held dark secrets, and through the tears that fell unchecked down my face, I didn’t know if I could handle the horrors that awaited.
