He exhales and rubs a hand across his mouth, thinking it through. “I’ve done plenty of evaluations on Hudson, and he’s never indicated any thoughts of self-harm. But, those assessments only work if the person’s being completely honest.”
“Dad, I’m scared. He told me he wasn’t okay, but I think it’s worse than that.”
He speeds up, understanding why I’m so terrified. We round the corner onto Hudson’s street, his house just ahead. My dad pulls to the curb, but I’m out of the truck before it comes to a full stop. I hear him say something behind me, but I’m already moving too fast to ask what he said.
Hudson’s Bronco isn’t here, but Hadley’s car is.
I'm up the steps in two strides and don’t bother knocking. I shove the front door open, relieved it’s unlocked.
Hadley rushes around the corner, alarm on her face from the noise I made. When she sees it’s me, her expression hardens. “Geez, Cullen. Ever heard of knocking?” she snarks, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “You look like hell, by the way.”
I ignore her. “Where’s Hudson?” Panic is clawing at me, the need to find him becoming more urgent with each passing second.
She frowns as my dad steps up beside me. Hadley looks between the two of us, her expression growing more confused. “How should I know? He was here when I left for the drugstore an hour ago, but he was gone when I got back.”
“How was he acting when you saw him last?” Dad asks.
“Like he’d just woken up from hibernation, which he kinda did, the lazy asshole.” She rolls her eyes. “I told him about your little dust-up, and he looked freaked out. I left right after that.”
My teeth clench. I really want to put her in her place, but it’ll have to wait until after I find Hud. I spin and storm back down the front steps, my rib begging me to slow down. Dad follows, Hadley jogging after us.
“Is something going on, Cullen?” she calls. She grabs my arm, but I yank it away.
“Like you care,” I snap. I throw her own words back at her, similar to the ones she said to Hudson in the cafeteria.
“If my brother’s in trouble, I have a right to know.”
I come to a halt and pivot, chest heaving. I don’t have time for this, but she needs to hear the truth.
“I think your brother is suicidal.” My voice is shaking, the reality of what I think we are facing sinking in. “That’s what’s wrong. And I know part of what’s driving him there is the way you’ve been treating him.”
She goes still. “Hudson’s not—he wouldn’t… he wouldn’t do something like that.”
“You don’t know anything, Hadley.” My voice cracks. “Now I have to go find my boyfriend and pray to God he hasn’t made a decision he can’t come back from. You’d better start praying, too.”
I don’t look back, just get in the truck and dial Hudson again.
Still nothing.
My hands shake as I scroll to Ella’s name and hit call.
It rings once.
“Cullen? Why are you—”
“Is Hudson with you?” I snap. Fuck pleasantries.
“No. I haven’t seen him since the park. Why?”
I hang up. She gave me all the answer I need.
Dad gets behind the wheel. “Where to?”
“This would be a nice place to die.”
“The river,” I gasp, his words from a week ago now haunting me.
He pulls away from the curb and floors it.
