Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 83786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“Fuck,” I whispered, using my sweatshirt sleeve to press against the wound between my eyebrows.
Chapter 11
Sebastian
“Hey, it’s Bas,” I said when Leo answered. “Harper’s okay—”
“What happened?” he asked, cutting me off.
“We’re about a mile and a half from your place. She was in a car accident drivin’ home.” Reaching into my saddlebag, I pulled out the pistol I always carried, checked the magazine, and started back toward Harper.
“Fuck,” he barked. “Get dressed, Dandelion. Harper was in an accident.”
“What?” Lily’s voice came from further away.
“Bas says she’s okay,” he replied. Then his voice was clearer. “We’ll be there in five.”
He hung up without a word, and I found Gray in my contacts.
“What’s up, Bas?” he answered.
“She’s fine, just banged up, but your sister was in an accident about a mile and a half from your parents’ house. We were headed back from my place.”
“Shit,” Gray replied.
“She says someone rear-ended her,” I told him, scanning the trees and road. “Your parents are on their way, but—”
“I’ll be there soon,” he replied. “You armed?”
“Of course.”
“Good.” He hung up just as I reached Harper.
“How you doin’, baby?” I asked, crouching down in front of her. “Dizzy?”
“No, but this hurts like hell.”
“I bet,” I murmured, reaching forward to push her arm away from her face. “Your eyes okay? Where are your glasses?”
“I think they came off in the crash,” she said, squinting. “They’re probably broken.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Looks like you smacked your face where they rest on your nose.”
“Dammit,” she said with a sigh. “Are my parents coming?”
“Should be here any minute,” I assured her.
“I can’t believe they hit me,” she said in disbelief. “I wasn’t going that slow. You know I wasn’t going that slow because you didn’t even catch up to me.”
“I know,” I replied, because it seemed important to her. “Come on, let’s get a little closer to the road.”
I helped her to her feet and walked her slowly up the small hill.
“Hey Bas,” she said, leaning against my side.
“What’s up, sweetheart?” I asked, scanning the road as we got closer.
“Where did the pistol come from?” she asked distractedly. “And why is it in your hand?”
“Just bein’ careful,” I answered, stiffening as headlights cut through the night. I didn’t relax again until the car pulled over and familiar shapes shot out.
“Harper?” Lily called.
I tucked my pistol into the back waistband of my jeans.
“Hey, Ma,” Harper called back, beginning to cry again. “I wrecked Dad’s truck.”
“Who gives a shit,” Lily replied as she reached us.
“Knew I shouldn’t have let you borrow it,” Leo joked at the same time.
“I’m sorry,” Harper hiccupped.
“You okay, Harpy?” he asked gently, tipping her head back as Lily held her steady, hands wrapped around Harper’s biceps. “What happened?”
I kept scanning the night around us.
“I was driving home,” Harper rasped. “Bas was following me on his bike, but I left a little before he did. Some asshole was tailgating me for a while with his brights on, so I slowed down, thinking he’d go around me, you know? But he didn’t. He just rammed into the back of the truck!”
“You see what they were drivin’?” Leo asked as Gray’s pickup came to a stop behind my bike.
“No,” Harper replied. “But it was tall. I remember that because the lights were coming in the back window.”
“So, not a car,” Leo said.
“Not a car,” Harper agreed. She sniffled and then groaned in pain. “It had to be a truck or an SUV. They completely smashed your tailgate and bumper.”
“Don’t worry about the truck,” Leo ordered.
“You okay, sis?” Gray asked as he reached us, Frankie with him.
Harper turned her head toward him and smiled. There was blood in her teeth. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Ouch,” Gray said, leaning forward a little to get a better look at her forehead.
“What the hell happened?” Frankie asked me.
“Someone rear-ended her,” I replied.
“Seriously?” She looked over at the truck.
“They hit her hard,” I said grimly.
“So, not an accident,” she said under her breath. “What the fuck?”
“We need to get you inside and get a look at that cut,” Lily said firmly. “Key still in the truck?”
“I didn’t touch them,” Harper said.
“Here,” I handed Leo the truck keys. I’d turned the truck off and pocketed them while Harper was checking out the damage.
“I’ll drive Harp home,” Lily said. “You bring the truck?”
Leo nodded. “Gray, follow Mom back to the house.”
“Yep,” Gray replied.
I watched as Lily and Gray walked Harper to Lily’s car and didn’t look away until she was safely inside.
“Gray’ll make sure they get back to the house safe,” Leo said as we walked toward the truck. “You didn’t see anything?”
“No,” I replied, ashamed. “When I came around the corner, I saw her here. She’d already come to a stop.”
“Motherfucker,” Leo said as he saw the damage. “She got hit hard.”
“Looks like it,” I agreed.
He looked around the truck and then glanced across the road.