I rejoin Dee and get settled again, lying behind her and wrapping my arm round her waist as she restarts the movie.
We did good with our kid, Lils.
I imagine if she could talk to me, she’d be rolling her eyes right now and saying ‘Stop talking to me and enjoy your night.’
“You okay?” Dee asks, snuggling in deeper.
I nuzzle my lips into her neck, my hands starting to roam her front. “Mmm hmm . . .” I try to ignore the niggling bad feeling in my gut and focus on Dee.
“Are we gonna make out like teenagers on the couch?” There’s no missing the humor in her voice.
When I push myself up and brace myself over her, she rolls onto her back and pulls me on top of her. My eyes roam her face, and again I’m hit with just how lucky I am to love and be loved by this woman. “Yep.”
Her lips curve into a salacious grin. “Excellent. ’Cause Dad won’t be home for hours.”
And that’s how I end up laughing and kissing her at the same time . . . and missing the rest of the movie, because with Dee in my arms and an empty house, there was no fucking chance I was ever gonna concentrate.
We must’ve dozed off on the couch, because the next thing I know my phone is buzzing on the floor.
Dee stirs and burrows deeper into my chest. “What time is it?” she mumbles.
“Dunno. Could be Jake calling though. Haven’t heard him come home.”
“Hmm,” she hums as I reach over her and pick up my cell, frowning when I realize it’s nearly midnight and Cohen is calling.
“Hey, Co,” I say, my voice still thick with sleep.
“Rhodes. It’s Jake. He’s been in a MVA. He got clipped by a car running a red.”
My entire body goes still, and Dee must feel it ’cause she quickly sits up, her hand resting on my chest as she watches me.
“Is he okay?”
“Yeah. I’m here for the other driver, but I checked with the other crew when I recognized Jake’s truck. He’s bashed around and probably has broken ribs from the impact and seat belt, but he’s fucking lucky, man. They’re cutting him out ’cause his door was smashed shut.
I can barely breathe as my heart thumps against my chest like a battering ram trying to crush me. “Where are they taking him?”
“Northwestern. ETA twenty once they get him out.”
“I . . . shit, man. I can’t . . .” I can’t speak. I can’t think other than to go straight to the worst-case scenario.
Dee eases the phone from my hand and puts it to her ear. “Co? It’s Dee. I’ve got him. We’ll meet you there. And hey, can you give Marco a heads up.” She looks my way as I stand, my body finally reacting. Jake. My boy. Fucking late for curfew and some asshole crashes into him. I wanna throttle him and lock him in the house till he’s thirty all at once.
“Yep. We’re leaving now. And thanks, Co. See you soon.” Dee immediately takes control—grabbing our coats, getting me into the car, and driving us toward the hospital. The whole time she’s taking calls and making them. She calls my Dad on my phone and asks him to call Connor to let him know.
All I can do is sit there and stare out the window, struggling to even comprehend that my boy was hurt and I wasn’t there for him.
Dee reaches over and squeezes my knee. “It’s gonna be alright, honey. Cohen said Jake was conscious and coherent, just a bit shaken and scared. As soon as he sees you, he’ll be fine. Don is coming too, and Marco and Renee have already left.”
I nod and cover her hand with mine, but I can’t talk. The words won’t come. Until Jake’s in front of me and I can see with my own eyes that he’s in one piece, I won’t be able to breathe easy.
Look after our boy till I get there, Lils.
We’re unable to see Jake when we arrive, and although they say he’s stable, I’m told I won’t be able to see him while they’re checking him over. I even tried to pull some strings with some of the ER staff I recognize, but rules are rules. Co comes and sees me before he has to leave as he’s still on duty and explains they’re sending Jake for a CT to check for internal bleeding and clear him of anything serious. As far as I’m concerned, they can give him the works as long as it means he’s okay.
Mom and Dad arrive about fifteen minutes after we do, and we all sit in the family waiting room for what seems like hours.
Marco, Renee, and Gio come too, G updating me on the details of the accident that he’s learned so far. Apparently the other driver failed a field sobriety test on the scene and walked away with scrapes and bruises. He’s been checked out by a doctor and was discharged into police custody. Jake’s truck, however, is wrecked.
Dee has not left my side except to get us coffee refills. She’s been my anchor in the storm, and I’m not even sure I would’ve gotten here without her taking charge.
We’ve been here for three hours, and it’s after three in the morning. I hold Dee in my arms and she rests her eyes on my shoulder.
“You okay?” Marco asks, having sent Renee home with Gio.
“No,” I reply honestly. “Shouldn’t have let him go out tonight.”
“You can’t keep him locked up. He’s a good kid. What happened tonight wasn’t his fault.”
I nod once. “Yeah. But I could’ve taken note of the bad feeling I had in my gut. Something felt off, and I
