27. Oscar
Oscar
T hey’re breaking. All of them.
Theo’s face is blank as he watches Jake shattering his wrist against the ground, his knuckles breaking under the force of his blows. Max drop down beside him, pain written across every inch of his face.
And I—
I have to focus. I have to get them together. All of them, even as my heart shatters into jagged, broken pieces in my chest.
Mate. My mate. Ours.
God, we’ve failed her so badly.
I push it aside and breathe. I reach for the anger instead. Let it fill me up, running into every split in my soul and giving me the push I need to go to Jake and crouch in front of him.
“She’s still here.” I snarl it into his face as I stare at him blankly. “She’s still fucking here. Our mate is up in that trailer. And we’re going to get her, right now. So get the fuck up, Jake. Now.”
If Rick tries to stop me, I’ll tear him apart.
Theo stirs behind me. “She didn’t want—,”
Yes, anger is easier. He doesn’t move as I get to my feet, spinning. My hand grips his throat enough to shake him – to try and shake him out of the ennui he’s been in since he pulled up. “Then we’ll fucking carry her. She doesn’t do this alone. Not for a single hour more.”
I will fix this.
You can do anything , she told me once. Wonder in her eyes, as she watched me work, watched my pen moving over the page as I calculated numbers none of them could understand. Possibilities that spread out across my mind as easily as the pages of a book already written.
And I felt like I could do anything when Kennedy was watching me. She found the scholarship paperwork, helped me fill it out. Helped me see a future when I couldn’t work out where to go next.
I should have gone to her.
I will fix this, Kenny.
“Get in the truck,” I say grimly. “You’re not there in thirty seconds, we’re leaving without you. Max, you’ll drive.”
He’s already on his feet, dragging Jake up with him.
I will fix this.