Chapter 21
CHAPTER 21
J oey’s surgery lasted about two hours, followed by another hour in recovery. Now, he was back inside his own room with only her and King. They were waiting for his dinner since he had been given the green light to eat something light.
Slade assured them the procedure had gone exceptionally well, though she found it odd that the surgeon hadn’t spoken to them personally. Still, she trusted Slade’s word. Joey, still groggy from the anesthesia, was hilarious. His usual humor elevated to an entirely new level. She laughed at first, but her smile faded as her thoughts took a darker turn.
Watching him and King talk, she wasn’t really listening. Her mind spiraled into fears she couldn’t shake. At first, she had only been afraid of losing Joey as she watched him lay in the hospital bed. But now, a new fear gripped her heart. Was she the real danger to Joey? By staying close to him, was she putting him at risk? The thought made her physically nauseous.
“What am I going to do now that my dad is dead?” Joey’s question pulled her from her thoughts. Looking up, she saw him watching her, his gaze steady but filled with uncertainty.
“I’m waiting for the funeral home director to call me back,” Amara replied, then frowned when Joey shook his head. “What?”
“I mean, what is going to happen to me?” His gaze shifted away for a second before locking back onto hers. “I’m not eighteen. Will I have to go into foster care?”
“Joey,” Amara sighed, stunned he would even think that. “Do you really think I would allow you to go into foster care?”
“Listen, I’m not dumb,” Joey replied, shrugging. “I mean, why would you want to be saddled with a kid? Plus, you travel so much, and I’d get in the way. I know after Mom left, Dad couldn’t do a lot of stuff because of me. I just don’t want to do that to you.”
Amara’s heart sank. She loved her brother, but hearing Joey question his own worth shattered her. She knew where it came from...Lee. His father had made Joey feel like a burden more times than she could count. She had witnessed it and stepped in when she could, but the damage had already been done. Joey had learned to believe he was in the way, an inconvenience, and now, even in the wake of his father’s death, that belief still lingered.
She reached for his hand, squeezing it tightly. “You’re my family. That means you stay with me, no matter what.” Amara smiled at him. “And if I need to travel for work, we will do it when you’re out of school...together.”
Joey studied her for a long moment as if searching for any hint of hesitation. Finally, he nodded, but the doubt in his eyes didn’t entirely fade. That broke her heart even more. She would prove to him that he wasn’t unwanted, that he wasn’t an obligation. He was her nephew, and she would fight for him, no matter what it took.
“Do you know what happened to your dad?” King asked, breaking the silence. “I talked to a few of your friends, and they said you were afraid of something.”
Amara’s chest tightened with unease. She wasn’t sure Joey was ready for this conversation, not yet. The boy had just come out of surgery, his mind still foggy, his emotions raw. But King, ever the protector, didn’t hesitate. He was steady and patient. She knew what he was doing. He needed answers. They all did.
She wanted to stop him, to tell him it was too soon, that Joey needed rest, not an interrogation. But before she could say anything, Joey spoke.
“I knew something was wrong,” he admitted quietly, his fingers gripping the blanket. “Dad was acting weird. More paranoid than usual.” Joey swallowed hard, his voice thick with emotion. “I asked him what was wrong. He wouldn’t tell me what, though. Told me to mind my business and stay out of his.”
Amara’s stomach twisted. She had known Lee wasn’t the best father, but this? This was something else entirely. She exchanged a glance with King, who remained unreadable, but she could see the tension in his jaw.
Joey exhaled shakily. “The night he died, he got a call. I didn’t hear everything, just bits and pieces. He was yelling, saying he didn’t know where you were and that he was trying to find out. They weren’t giving him enough time or something like that.” His voice wavered, and he shook his head. “I don’t know who he was talking to, but he sounded scared. I’ve never heard my dad scared like that.”
A chill crawled down Amara’s spine. “He said my name?”
“No,” Joey glanced at her. “He said, my sister.”
Amara swallowed hard, the lump in her throat growing. This had been about her. Someone was trying to find her and using Lee to do that. She was the reason her brother had been killed. There was no doubt about that now.
King leaned forward, his voice calm but firm. “Did he say any names? Anything that could tell us who he was dealing with?”
Joey hesitated, his brows drawing together as he searched his memory. “No names. But before he left the house, he told me to stay inside, lock the doors, and not answer it for anyone. Then he looked at me, like really looked at me as if he was trying to memorize my face or something and said, ‘I’m sorry.’” His voice cracked on the last word, and he quickly looked away.
Amara’s heart broke. She squeezed his hand again, offering comfort she wasn’t sure he could accept right now. “Joey…”
“I don’t know what he was sorry for,” Joey whispered. “For being a crap dad? For leaving me? For whatever mess he got himself into?” He shook his head, blinking rapidly. “I don’t know. But something bad happened that night, and I think… I think he knew he wasn’t coming back.”
Silence hung in the room, thick and heavy.
“Then what happened?” King finally asked, his voice steady but laced with something unreadable. He held Amara’s gaze for a long moment before returning his attention back to Joey.
Joey let out a slow breath, his fingers twisting in the blanket as he stared past King, lost in the memory. “I hopped on my bike and tried to keep up with him,” he admitted, a deep frown settling on his face. “I couldn’t match his speed and lost him. I stopped and was going to call you.”
Amara’s chest ached as she watched King’s eyes widen slightly at the admission. He said nothing, letting Joey tell his story in his own way, but she knew what he was thinking. Joey had been out there, alone, chasing after his dad toward a now-known dangerous situation. The thought made her sick.
Joey sighed, his voice lower now, tinged with regret. “I should have told someone before that, but I didn’t know if Dad was into something that could get him in trouble. I didn’t want to get him in trouble.” His words carried a weight that broke Amara’s heart.
He swallowed hard, blinking rapidly before continuing. “But when he told me he was sorry before he left, I knew something really bad was going on.”
Amara reached for his hand again, gripping it tightly. “Joey, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
He shook his head. “Didn’t I? If I had told someone sooner… maybe?—”
“No.” King’s voice was firm, cutting through Joey’s self-blame like a blade. “Your father made his choices. You are not responsible for them.”
Finally, he gave a slight nod, though Amara could see the doubt lingering in his eyes. He might have heard King’s words, but believing them was another matter entirely.
“I was about to turn around and head back home when a car stopped on the road behind me,” Joey said, his voice quieter now, as if saying it out loud made it more real. “Its headlights were so bright I could barely see. At first, it just sat there… watching me.” He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Then it started moving, slow at first like it was just following me. But then… it sped up.”
Amara felt a shudder run through her, her stomach twisting into knots. She glanced at King, whose focus was locked on Joey.
Joey exhaled shakily. “I tried to lose it, but it was fast. Too fast. I cut through side streets and tried to jump a curb, but it kept coming. Then… it hit me.” His voice wavered, and for the first time since he started talking. His fingers curled into fists, gripping the blanket like a lifeline. “That’s all I remember.”
Silence hung in the room, thick and suffocating.
Amara felt her chest tighten, fury and fear swirling inside her like a storm. Someone had tried to kill him. This wasn’t an accident, and it damn sure wasn’t random.
Amara’s grip tightened on his hand. “We’re going to figure out who did this,” she vowed, her voice thick with emotion. “And we’re going to make damn sure they don’t get another chance.”
“They made a huge mistake,” King said, his gaze dark and unreadable.
“Why’s that?” Joey asked, his voice a little shaky.
“They have me coming for them.” His voice was cold, lethal. “And Joey, if you ever feel the need to call me, you make damn sure you call me. You understand?”
“Yes,” Joey nodded, then yawned.
“You need to get some rest,” Amara said, frowning as Joey yawned again, his eyelids growing heavier by the second.
“How long am I going to have to stay here?” he asked, forcing them open again as he looked at her.
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out,” she promised with a grin. “But I will warn you I won’t be the best nurse. You might want to enjoy all this attention while it lasts.”
Joey chuckled, but the laughter quickly faded as his brow furrowed. His gaze sharpened, locking onto her face. “What’s going on with your eye?” He pushed himself up slightly, staring at her with open curiosity. “It’s… different.”
Amara’s stomach dropped. She had hoped he wouldn’t notice, not yet, at least. But Joey was observant, especially now that he wasn’t in too much pain. And now, she was stuck, unsure how to explain it without unraveling a truth she wasn’t ready for him to hear. She glanced at King, silently pleading for help.
“We’re going to explain everything to you as soon as you’re out of here,” King said, his voice calm but firm. “But not right now. Just know that Amara is fine, and you’re both safe.”
For a moment, Joey didn’t look convinced. His frown deepened, hesitation flickering across his face. “Promise?” He turned his gaze first to Amara, then back to King. “Dad kept a lot from me, and it’s not cool. I want to know what’s going on.”
“I said it,” King replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. “And when I say something, I mean it.”
Joey studied him, searching for any sign of dishonesty. Then, finally, he nodded, his exhaustion winning out. His eyes fluttered shut, but just before sleep claimed him, a slow, mischievous smile tugged at his lips. “Just know… I remember everything you and Jake taught me about fighting. I’d hate to kick your butt.”
King huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head. Amara exhaled, relief and unease mixing inside her. Joey might be sleeping, but the questions weren’t going away. And soon, she’d have to find a way to give him the answers he deserved.
Amara stretched, rolling the tension from her shoulders as her phone buzzed in her pocket. The sound was sharp in the quiet room. Slipping it out, she glanced at the screen, her stomach twisting when she recognized the number from the funeral home.
A heavy breath escaped her as she pushed to her feet, careful not to disturb Joey. She moved toward the door, each step feeling heavier than the last. She wasn’t sure she was ready for this conversation, but ready or not, it was happening. Steeling herself, she stepped into the hallway and answered, bracing for the weight of what came next.