Bad Wolf (Wild Men 4)

“Fuck you, Fen. I’ll find him for you, just to show you I can, but don’t expect any more favors.”

As if I’d ever expect anything from him.

I hang up and stare out the window at the waking city, still unable to believe Seb said he’d help me. I’d called him because I couldn’t think of anybody else to call, anybody else who’d step in and help me.

And that’s just fucking sad, right? Fucking pitiful.

So I close my eyes and pretend it doesn’t matter.

I arrive at Gigi’s house to find her at the door, her eyes red-rimmed. I haul her into my arms without a word, and she shakes against me.

“I don’t know why I’m so scared,” she whispers. “But Matt sounded concerned, and Mom is upset she can’t go, and I just… panicked, I guess.”

“It’s okay.” I kiss the top of her blond head. “It’s understandable. Too many things at once to worry over. How’s your mom?”

“Unhappy. Her ankle is the size of a melon. She should have it x-rayed, but right now she just wants to be with Octavia, and I can’t even help her walk.”

“I’ll help her. She can have the x-ray at the hospital where your sister is. I’ll get h

er outside, you ask for the Uber, and we’ll take her together.”

Her eyes are wet when she looks up at me, but her mouth curves into a smile. “I love you, Rett.”

And those words change everything.

They let me see what matters most.

And break me to fucking pieces.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Gigi

The doctors are good. They know what they’re doing. Octavia is in good hands.

That’s what I keep telling myself as I wait for the Uber to arrive, standing at the door, in the cold of dawn.

They’ll make sure my sister and her baby are okay. But I know I won’t rest until I’m there, close to her, to both of them.

“Ready,” Jarett says from behind me, and I turn to find him with my mom held in his arms. Her eyes are wide, and she’s holding on to him like she’s afraid he’ll drop her, but his face barely shows any strain.

The sight makes me smile through my fear. “Okay, Mom?”

She nods frantically. “Jarett says we’re going to your sister?”

“Yes.”

Right on cue, the Uber arrives, and we pile inside, Jarett carefully placing my mom in the back seat and climbing in beside the driver.

And we’re off to the hospital, at last.

Mom grips my hand and squeezes. I squeeze back, and we smile shakily at each other.

We both turn to look at Jarett’s dark head.

“Told you he’s a good boy,” Mom stage-whispers to me. “Didn’t I?”

He’s the best guy in the world. I can’t even express how much his coming to my rescue means to me, can’t say how deeply it touched me.