Chapter 20
—Reed—
“Who are you?”
Those three words tore my heart in two, plunged it into my stomach acid, shook it around, then forced it up my throat, leaving a bitter burn behind.
I felt my face freeze then my expression become unnatural. I forced myself to remain rooted to the spot despite every cell in my body screaming at me to gather her into my arms and refuse to let go.
My pulse and blood pressure shot through the roof, causing my balance to waiver. Swallowing down the rising bile, I dashed an uneasy look at Banks and Simone, then shifted on my feet. I kept a hold of Kasey’s hand while forcing my tone to not reveal the hurt my soul had just sustained.
“Babe…” I paused, then gently said, “I’m your partner, darlin’.” When her brows knotted in confusion, it took every ounce of strength to keep my emotions in check. “I’m Reed,” I added quietly.
Kasey side-eyed me while withdrawing her hand from mine, and fuck if my heart didn’t stop completely.
She rolled her head toward Simone. “Simmy?”
Simone clasped both her hands and nodded. “It’s okay, babe. It’s true.”
Kasey’s eyes narrowed on me, and I couldn’t help but rub my chest. My worst fear was coming true. I didn’t want to lose her. Especially like this.
Kase then turned her glare on Banks. “Sims… Where are Reagan and Tyler?”
My gut bottomed out, and judging by Simone’s paling face and Banks’s carefully masked shock, I wasn’t the only one whose reality suddenly became a whole lot more fragile. The burning within my ribcage increased to near unbearable levels.
“Uh…” Simone shot me an uneasy look. She took a second to inhale, and her voice came with a tremor. “Kase, Reagan passed away a couple of years ago. I’m with Banks now. And you haven’t dated Tyler for quite some time. He wasn’t good to you.”
Kasey’s eyebrows bunched in the center. “But he was.”
Simone shook her head. “No, babe. He wasn’t.”
My girl’s brown eyes then landed on me again. “We’re dating?”
My breath snagged for a second. Gently touching her elbow and unable to stop my thumb from rubbing over the angle, I swallowed thickly and nodded. “We’ve been seeing each other for the last year. Long distance between Denver and Gatlin Falls.”
She frowned harder and visibly summoned energy to reply. “Gatlin Falls?”
Simone gently chipped in. “Idaho, babe. That’s where I live now, with Banks.”
Kase closed her eyes and slowly shook her head, obviously overwhelmed with the information. She brushed a hand down her face and yelped in pain.
I cursed and claimed her hand. “Careful, darlin’. You were in a car accident and are badly bruised up.”
“Do you remember anything?” Simone asked.
“No,” she whispered, closing her eyes again.
Her breathing slowed, and her fingers relaxed within my hold as she slowly slipped from us once more.
Releasing her limp hand, I gripped the bedsheets on either side of me and hung my head. Heaviness took hold and the voice of unease spoke louder than it ever had.
As I rallied to pull myself together, Banks cleared his throat, drawing my attention his way. Despite holding up his hands and declaring that this kind of reaction when waking after a head trauma was completely normal, I saw the worry in his eyes. And that spoke louder than words ever could.