Page 94 of Don't Leave Me Behind
Please come back and talk.
Just…at least tell me where you’re going. Please Leni.
I know I fucked up. I need to know you’re okay.
Baby. Please tell me where you are.
I love you.
I stare at my phone,willing a text from Leni to come through. Even if it was just her telling me to fuck off, I need to know that she’s okay. I’ve been waiting for something from her all night. I haven’t slept. She should have made it to Benson by now, if that’s where she was headed. The more time that passes, the more anxious I can feel myself growing.
I don’t know if she’s okay or if something has happened to her. It downpoured half the night, meaning driving wasn’t exactly safe. If she had been crying, she could have driven off the road. Or worse, crashed. She could be outthere, somewhere, sleeping in her car. I don’t fucking know, and it’s killing me.
It’s almost nine a.m. when I decide to stop rotting in my dirty clothes and head for the shower. It’s the fastest shower I’ve taken since being out of the military, too worried that I’d miss a call from her. I rush back to my phone, catching it on the last ring of a call from Brooks. I set the phone back down, a heavy sigh echoing through the empty loft. Barely a second passes before he calls back again.
“Hello?” I sigh, the exhaustion weighing me down as I wonder who all Mercer might have told by now. I can’t think of another reason why Brooks would be calling me this early.
“Where the hell are you?”
“Huh?” I sit up straighter, clutching the phone to my face, fear stirring in my chest. If Brooks is looking to fight me, I won’t stop him. Nothing could hurt as badly as watching her leave,again.
“Leni is in the ICU in Benson, and you’re not here. Why the fuck not?”
“What happened?” I launch myself off the bed, fumbling around for clothes as Brooks barks into the phone.
“Miya texted us,fuck. I forgot. I saw her jeep in the trees; no one else knew she was home. No one knew to call you.” I hear him murmuring something in the background. I knew he’d figure out she was home. Brooks and Orson Kane know everything that happens on their ranch, but Mercer…he didn’t call me. Not even a single fucking text. I knew I’d lose them all eventually, but part of me always hoped it wouldn’t happen. I don’t know who I am without these guys.
“Brooks!” I shout into my phone. Whatever he’s doing on the other end is taking too long. “What the fuck happened?”
“She was in a car accident. They had tolife flight her here. Get here, Clay, she’s…” Brooks pauses, his swallow audible over the line. “She’s hurt bad, brother.”
“Fuck.” I don’t bother saying goodbye, slamming my phone into my back pocket, I rush to my truck, spitting gravel at the cabin as I tear out of the driveway. “Fuck!” I scream into the cab, ramming my hands into the steering wheel.
I checked my phone a couple of times throughout the drive, expecting notifications in the family group chat to keep everyone updated on Leni’s condition. But there’s nothing, at least not on my end. Lead drops into my stomach as I realize they must have started a new group chat. One that doesn’t include me.
I provide my ID to the nurse at the ER check-in, and she gives me a visitor pass before pointing me in the direction of the ICU waiting room. I look wrecked, with big, dark bags under my eyes, hair no longer curly, some spots sticking straight up where I’ve run my hands through it too many times. I haven’t heard back from Brooks, and I don’t have Miya’s number to call and try to get more information.
The gal who checked me in wouldn’t give me any information either. Only that I can sit in the waiting room and get my updates from actual family members.
She might as well have stabbed me in the chest with those words. The way I haven’t been able to breathe, wondering if she’s okay, praying she’s still alive. That I still have time to make things right.
I make it to the waiting room and find absolute chaos. There are Kanes everywhere. The whole room seems to have been turned into a camping area. Half the brothers are passed out in chairs; hospital blankets pulled up to their chins. A perky blonde girl is lying on a blanket next to the baby Brooks sent a photo of, making faces at her phone while Brooks’ baby staresblankly at her. Brooks is watching them, only glancing up when I clear my throat.
“Finally.” He gets up to make his way toward me, drawing the attention of the family members who are awake. Ma and Pa both link hands and walk toward me. They look exhausted. Ma’s eyes are puffy from crying.
I’m about to bump my fists to the one Brooks offers when I’m ripped backward. Landing on my ass, I skid out of the waiting room, slamming into the wall. Mercer stands over me, his face a mix of exhaustion and rage.
“Get up,” he spits. His fists ball up at his sides. It’s stupid, I know exactly what is going to happen if I stand, and yet, I do it anyway. I don’t even try to stop him when he swings, his knuckles splitting open my lip as my head whips back. Another fist lands a blow to my ribs, knocking the breath from me before he’s being pulled back. Brooks pins Mercer’s arms behind him as Mercer tries to lunge for me again.
I slump against the wall, wiping blood from my lip.“Mercer, what the fuck?” Toby comes to help Brooks manhandle Mercer back into the waiting room. Pa makes his way over and offers me a hand. I shake my head, leaning back against the cool concrete.
“You can walk in there on your own, or with my help, son. But you’re coming in. I don’t know what that was about, but I intend to.”
I peek an eye at the man who raised me, the only true father I’ve ever known, and I wonder if I’m about to lose him too. I nod, pushing myself off the wall. I square my shoulders and follow him into the room.
“He knew that whole time.” Mercer’s voice is gravelly, like it might be on the verge of becoming hoarse.
“Is that true?” Ethan turns to me, his fingers dancing at his side, itching to crack his knucklesor maybe to punch me.
