The betrayal. The pain. The devastation.
Vic was leaving on a mission tomorrow, and he’d be gone for weeks, maybe months or years. It was good. It was better that way.
The thought sent a sharp pain through my chest, and I bit down hard on the insides of my cheeks. He’d be gone. He might never come back.
“Drink this.” Ethan held out a tumbler of amber liquid.
I grasped it and tipped it back, chugging it in one swallow. The liquid burned all the way down my throat and into my chest, and I wanted it to singe the memories.
I handed the glass back, and heard the clink as he reached for the decanter. I heard a steady stream, and the scent of the scotch filled the air. He handed the glass back, having filled it to the rim this time.
I’d never been a drinker, but I quickly tipped it back and swallowed, barely feeling anything as I emptied the glass.
“Another,” I said, passing it back.
Ethan took the glass. “Mac…,” he began and then decided against it and shut up, filling the glass for a third time.
I repeated the process, then dropped the glass on the floor before leaning my forehead against the windowpane and closing my eyes.
I wanted the numbness to take me away. To stop the hurt. The betrayal. The emptiness.
The tires skidded, and the engine groaned as the back of the SUV fishtailed, struggling to make it up the incline. I shut everything out. The snow. The sound of the engine. The smell of scotch and leather.
I just wanted everything to fade away.
The SUV rolled to a stop, and the tinted window slowly lowered between the front and the back.
“Boss, is there a code?”
Ethan rambled off five numbers, and the window closed again. After a few seconds, we were moving again. I kept my eyes closed, my head fuzzy and heavy from the alcohol.
The car rolled to a stop again, and the door opened.
I didn’t move. I had no idea where we were. And I didn’t care.
The leather seats creaked as Ethan climbed out. There were muffled voices, and then the crunch of snow.
“I’ll go around the other side.” The car door shut, and I was surrounded in silence again. I liked the silence.
But it didn’t last long. The door I had my forehead plastered to slowly opened, and I was forced to sit up.
“Mac, let’s get inside and warmed up. You’re shivering.”
I was? I didn’t feel like I was shivering.
“You have to help me, sis.” Ethan grasped my arms and gently tried to urge me from the car.
But I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to move. I wanted to stay here and sleep for a while.
“Sir, if I may.”
“Carter, it’s fine. I’ll do it. Can you grab a bag of her clothes? And bring it in with that rodent.” I felt an arm slide under my butt, and another around my back, and then I was being lifted.
My head bobbed against his shoulder as he carried me somewhere. There were so many sounds intermingling, doors opening and closing, strange voices and numerous footsteps. The scent was strange though. It was earthy with something else I recognized but couldn’t place. At least not when my head was swimming in a murky fog.
We went through another door, and then I was being lowered onto something soft that smelled like lavender and chocolate peppermints. I sighed, curling into a ball on my side and tucking my hands under my cheek.
I just wanted everyone to leave me alone… to sleep and forget.