Johnny smiles.
“Sorry, I’ll come back,” I say.
Colt looks up, his eyes wide and glassy, and he’s blinking rapidly. The sight makes me crumble.He’s high. Not that I’msurprised. There was so much powder on his lips and under his nose that he would have to be.
“No, let’s go. I need you, Dee,” he says, his voice rough, almost desperate. He stands, reaching for my hand, his grip firm, unsteady.
I look up, meeting his gaze—his pupils are blown wide, a stark contrast against the turmoil in his eyes.
Johnny catches my eye, his expression tight as he mouths,Are you okay?
I have no choice but to nod, though uncertainty coils in my stomach. Then, barely perceptible, I shrug one shoulder.
Colt says nothing, just wraps his arm around me, holding me close as we walk back to our suite. The silence between us is heavy, the night’s events clinging to us like a stain that won’t wash away.
The high may not have been his choice, but the fallout? That’s still coming.
And I don’t know if either of us is ready for it.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Instead of telling Colt I heard him and Johnny talking, I cuddle into his side, and he holds me so tightly it hurts. He feels bad enough right now—no need to make it worse.
“I’m sorry, Dee,” he whispers into my hair.
“You have nothing to be sorry about.”
“I shouldn’t have hit Hux in front of you again.”
I scoff. “The one in the wrong was Hux. Throwing that shit in your face… honestly, he is a selfish prick,” I say without thinking.
“You don’t like him much, do you?”
“It’s not that I don’t like him. What I don’t like is him trying to force a lifestyle on you that you’re trying to forget. You’re better than that, and I know how hard it was for you to let go of that lifestyle. If you need me to help, use me, Colt. I’m here for you. I’ll always want what’s best for you. And drugs? They are definitelynotwhat’s best for youoryour brother. Maybe you need to contact your mum and see if she can help get him back into rehab?”
“Mum can’t know he’s using again. It will kill her. After all the effort she put into getting us both clean when Dad died, I don’t think she could do it again.”
“Okay, I get it. Well, know that I’m here for you, and if you are struggling, please talk to me.”
“Do you know how much I need you, Dee?”
“About as much as I need you.”
Then we cuddle and head to bed.
I need him to sleep it off.
I am restless, and it’s not long before my cell phone ringing startles me awake.
Colt turns on the side light while I pick up my cell.
“Who is it?” Colt asks while rubbing his eyes.
I try to focus on my phone.“It’s Mummy,” I say with a shrug.
Mummy never calls.
“It’s really early,” I mumble, squinting at the clock glowing 4:13 a.m.
