The Harder You Fall (Rixon Raiders 3)

“She’ll come through this, Ash.”

“Yeah, maybe.” I could feel the darkness edging into my thoughts. I wanted to be positive; to listen when the doctors said it was the best-case scenario right now. But it was so fucking hard when she was just lying there, unmoving. Motionless.

Lifeless.

“The team all send their thoughts. They all want to come show their support, but Coach told them to hold off until you’re ready.”

“I’m not,” I rushed out. “I appreciate it, I do, but I’m not ready for them to be here. You and Jase are different, but not the rest of the team, not yet.”

“I get it. But just know she’s in everyone’s thoughts. You both are.”

“Thanks, man.”

“How’s your dad handling it?”

“You’d have to ask him,” I grumbled.

“That bad, huh?”

“We haven’t exactly talked much. He blames me.”

“Come on, Ash, that’s… It wasn’t your fault.”

“No?” My brow rose. “If I hadn’t gotten with Mya, Jermaine would never have—”

“You can’t think like that, and you can’t change the past.” He gave me a pointed look but I couldn’t bear his sympathy. The pity in his eyes. “Have you spoken to her?” he asked.

“She texted me a few times but honestly, she is the least of my worries right now.”

“Asher,” he let out a heavy sigh. “That isn’t fair and you know it.”

“Fair?” I scoffed, making a strangled sound in my throat. “None of this is fucking fair. My mom was innocent, Cam. She shouldn’t be the one lying there.”

“No one should be lying there,” he said calmly. “And I’m so sorry it happened, I am. But you love her, man. What happened doesn’t change that.”

“Doesn’t it?”

“Mya loves you and she’s holed up at her aunt’s, hiding…” he hesitated, letting his words trail off.

“Hiding?”

“It’s nothing, forget it.” Cam rubbed his face, but I saw the flash of guilt in his eyes. “You need to focus on your mom. We can handle the rest.”

“Handle what?” I levelled him with a hard look. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Seriously, man, I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s nothing.”

“Cameron…”

He blew out an exasperated breath. “It’s just you know how people can be around here. They close rank, and your mom and dad are like Rixon celebrities.”

“Cam, what the fuck happened?” A growl rumbled in my chest.

“Felicity and Hailee took Mya for ice cream at Ice-T’s. There was an incident.”

“With Mya?” My chest tightened and I rubbed my breastbone.

“A couple of girls gave her shit. It got ugly. Tim didn’t want any trouble, so he asked Mya to leave.”