CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Reid
Once again, the wallsof the hospital waiting room close in on me.The antiseptic scent wafts into the waiting room, mingling with sweat, vomit and a faint smell of faeces.It brings back a ray of emotions, ones I would rather forget.The only difference from this visit to the last one is that I’m more coherent.
Along with our last visit, it will be forever burnt in my memory.Growing up, Jaxon has lost his shit more times than I care to admit.Mostly at me, if I’m being honest.Today he lost his shit in a way I have never witnessed before.So much so, he scared me.His phone had rung whilst we were reversing the second van onto the drive.He stepped away to take the call, and not long after, Lily’s name was being roared.His voice echoed down the street we were working on.I will never forget the sound for as long as I live.We had all frozen, our gazes snapping in his direction.A second it took him to get it together.A split second to move.None of us had time to question him before he was in one of the trucks.We didn’t hesitate before we were jumping in after him, leaving the boys to finish the job.It wasn’t until the van was moving that I could hear her.My heart had been in my throat as we listened to her cries.I saw a strength in my brother during that moment that I knew I’d never be able to replicate or accurately understand.She wasn’t my wife, and I could barely keep my shit together.How he managed to drive had been beyond anything I would have been capable of in that moment.All of us followed the orders he threw at us.We called Granddad, called Landon to call Drew or whoever was the fucking closest to Lily’s.We called everyone we could think of whilst Wyatt sent out a message warning our family to check in, to stay at the farm until he called back to say it was safe.
Then all we could do was wait and listen to the agonising whimpers and cries coming through the line whilst Jaxon broke every speed limit and ran every red light to get to his wife.
“Reid,” Summer calls, and I look up to see her running over to me.“Is Lily okay?Is your granddad okay?”
I stand, wrapping my arms around her, so fucking grateful for this woman.“It’s bad.She looked...”Fuck, I can’t describe Lily’s injuries.I don’t want someone to ask the question we’ve all been thinking since we saw her torn clothes and her...“Granddad is being stitched up.He has a concussion and a few bruised ribs.”
“Where the fuck is she?”Maddox roars, and the chatter in the waiting room quietens down.“Where the fuck is Lily?”
Malik quickly gets to his feet, stopping Maddox before he can start kicking down doors.“Calm down.”
“Don’t fucking tell me to calm down!”he yells, pushing his dad out of the way.“Where the fuck is she?”
“Maddox,” Amelia calls softly, racing in behind him.
Maverick slides in front of his nephew, placing his hands on his shoulders to hold him back.“She’s still being looked over by the doctors.Jaxon is with her.”
Maddox shoves Maverick’s hands off him, his lip curling up.“You lefthimwith her?He’s the fucking reason she’s in here.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I bark, lunging for him, but Summer pulls me back.“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
“Don’t,” Summer whispers, placing the palm of her hand on my chest.“He’s worried and scared right now.”
I focus on her blue eyes, letting them ground me, before tugging her head to my chest and pressing my lips to the top of her head.
“Maddox, stop.This isn’t Jaxon’s fault,” Charlotte tells him, still holding Rose.I feel sick at the blood on the baby-grow Rose is wearing, knowing it’s from her mum.
“No?Pretty sure Black only went after her because of Jaxon,” he snaps.“Seriously?You are meant to be fucking family.”
“Don’t fucking speak to her like that,” Drew growls as Landon gets to his feet, both glaring at Maddox.
Wyatt stands, his hands clenching into fists.“I get you’re worried about Lily, but you should really fucking stop talking.Now.You don’t know fuck all about what we’ve been dealing with.”
“I know your brother could have fucking protected her,” Maddox taunts.“Did he even try?”
“Fuck you,” Wyatt bites out, lunging for Maddox.Malik pulls his son back whilst Myles keeps Wyatt back.Wyatt narrows his gaze on Maddox.“If you think I’m going to stand here listening to you badmouth my brother, you are dead fucking wrong.I won’t hesitate to put you on the fucking floor.We didn’t ask for this.We didn’t look for it.We’ve tried to fucking de-escalate the situation and it got us nowhere.So don’t pretend to know what you’re talking about.You’ve got no fucking clue.Standing there preaching to us when you’ve never been in this situation.You’re so fucking lucky I know this is out of fear and grief and we’re surrounded by fucking people.”
“Fuck you, Wyatt.Fuck you!You’re right, I don’t know, because it would have already been dealt with if it was me,” he roars, shoving his dad off him again.“She’s my family, my best friend, and she’s in the fucking hospital.So don’t tell me to shut the fuck up.”
“I’mtelling you to shut the fuck up,” Landon growls, getting to his feet.“I fucking get you’re scared.She’s family.But she’s their fucking family too, Madz.You need someone to yell at; I get it.But, bro, you are yelling at the wrong people.You think Jaxon isn’t in some way blaming himself in there?Do you think he’s not wishing it was him lying in that bed?I live there.I’ve seen how they are handling it.I’ve seen the strain it’s putting on them.I love you, and I get your anger, but I’m not going to let this fucking wanker put a wedge between our families.I won’t.Lily will need all of us.Don’t let her wake up to this.I mean it.This isn’t you.You aren’t thinking with a right frame of mind.”
Maddox’s face crumbles as a sob breaks through, and Amelia rushes to his side, hugging him.Between her and Malik, they manage to lower him into a chair.“I’m sorry.Fucking hell, I’m so sorry.I just...She must have been so scared.”
“She was brave,” Charlotte whispers, lowering Rose into the pushchair.
“Charlotte?”Hayden calls.“What do you mean?”
Drew places his arm around Charlotte as she talks.“I don’t know what happened in that house but it was bad.The hallway is destroyed.There’s blood everywhere.Plasterboard is dented.Furniture broken.I got there and followed blood up the stairs.”A tear slips down my cheek when she struggles to take a breath.I don’t care how it makes me look.No one deserves what happened in that house, especially Lily.I’ve never met anyone like her.I used to think the Carters were overprotective, weird and controlling when it came to Lily.She had been a mystery, one the Carters never let anyone near or let get to know.Now that I know her, seen the pain of her past that she carries, and the pure love she has inside of her, I get it.I have the same protective instincts when it comes to Lily Hayes.She’s another sister to all of us.She’s family.And any one of us would happily take her place.
“Charlotte,” Drew whispers, rubbing a hand down her back.
She shakes her head, wiping at the tears streaming down her cheeks.“I walked into Rose’s room to the most horrific scene I’ve ever witnessed.Yet I didn’t see weakness in Lily.I saw so much strength.So much it took me a minute to catch my breath.”
