Finding the Light (Whitsborough Chronicles Book 3)

takes a sip of her drink and closes her eyes. "I was always really confused about that night, I had never blacked out before but that night I did. I've drank more on different occasions and I always wondered if I had been slipped something that night. I blacked out but I can still remember snippets of the night. I remember dancing with Rebecca and then everything is black, next thing I remember is being over someone's shoulder but I was too heavy to move or talk. Then I remember very little after except for blurred faces over mine. I was a virgin." Her mouth begins to twitch, "I woke up the next morning with a soreness between my legs and some blood. I knew what had happened and when I questioned Robert, he told me I had begged for it."

Vin has his eyes closed and he's breathing really heavy, "you believed him?" He asks.

"Yes." She nods, "I was already in love with him at that point."

"Where was Rebecca during all of this?" I ask her.

"I'm not sure," she shakes her head. "She woke up in the back of Halbert's pickup truck."

I wonder if maybe the same thing happened to Rebecca that night as well? "Did she act any different afterward?"

"Why?" She looks at me with a frown.

"She was also a part of the information I received."

"No!" She says on an exhale while covering her mouth.

"Could it have been that night as well?" I ask her.

"Yes," she nods, "she acted very strange after. She didn't speak to Halbert again and she just about hated the whole group of them. She tolerated Robert for my sake but she rarely spoke to him."

"She may have remembered more than you." I nod.

"She left with Ray not too long after that." She begins to cry.

"Why wouldn't she tell you?" Vin asks.

"Probably because I was so in love and she was worried I wouldn't believe her. To be honest, I'm not really sure if I would've at the time."

"Thank you for telling us, Ms. Germaine."

"Oh baby," she reaches her hand out and puts it on my cheek. "Call me Sharla, heck call me Ma but no one in this family calls me Ms. Germaine."

"Thank you." I say quietly as I try to hide the quake in my voice.

"Why don't you stay here for a bit?" She suggests, "get out of that house."

"Thank you for the offer Ms... Sharla, but I've been staying with Ember the last few weeks. My mother hasn't been well." I might as well lay the ground work for her suicide.

"Yeah," Vin adds, "she kicked him out of the house. Threw his clothes all over the driveway."

"What?" Sharla shakes her head. "That's terrible."

"She's been grieving hard for him." I roll my eyes, "Ember has been kind to let me stay there."

"Well, my house is open to you, too." She nods.

"I should get Travis back. It's getting late."

"Yes, you have school tomorrow." She stands up and pulls me in for a hug. "You're loved Travis. Thank you for never giving up on him."

I hug her back and force myself to keep my feelings in control. I've never had people care this much before.

I watch as Vin walks into Ember’s room and shuts the door. I’m glad we somehow found a way to overcome our past and become the brothers we were meant to be. I need to give thanks where it’s due and it’s due to Ember. The girl who revels in another’s blood and loves to use her fists to make a point. She’s violent, turbulent and I am convinced an angel sent straight from the hottest depths of Hell. But she loves so fucking hard, and once she’s decided she loves you, there is no end to what she will do for you. I’m so happy she deemed me one of those people, even if I don’t deserve it.

I turn away from their closed door and mumbling-he’s probably telling her everything we learned from his mother-and I step into my room.

“Can we make a new rule?” My head snaps up at his voice and I find Emmett laying across my bed in only a pair of black boxers. “Can you start texting me when you don’t come home?”

“Uhh…” I’m still shocked to find him in my bed… nearly naked.

“You never had to do that before right? I get it.” He slides his hands up and behind his head, his muscles flexing. “You have people who care about you now, some more than others.”

“Okay.” I nod, finding my voice.

“Good talk.” He gets up from the bed and stalks towards me. His hands come out and his fingers sink into the hair at the back of my head, dragging me forward and into a crushing hug. “I care about you… a lot.” He then kisses the side of my head and releases me from his hold. “Goodnight.” He says as he makes his way across the hall and into his room.

“Goodnight.” I say to his retreating back.

“Oh,” he turns and smirks. “Call Adri please. She needs to hear from you.”

“Okay.” I nod.

He closes his bedroom door and I instantly feel the cold slithering tendrils of loneliness curl itself around my heart. It’s not a new feeling, I just wish it would stop making an appearance. Both of the people who made me feel that constantly are now dead, thanks to Ember. So, shouldn’t this feeling die with them?

I lay on my bed and pull out my cell phone. I have a few missed calls and texts from both Adri and Emmett. I see a missed call from Vin in there, too. Seeing that makes those cold tendrils shrink back in fear. I do have people who care, and I’m no longer alone. I press on Adri’s name and listen to the ringing. She finally picks up.

“Travis?” Her voice sounds sad and hoarse, like she’s been crying all day.

“Hey.”

“What’s going on? Emmett was here earlier.”

“I know, babe. He told me