Page 75 of Bleed Me

“Babe.”

Silence.

Her voice sounded tight with nerves. “James?”

“Yeah. It’s me.”

Justice sounded like she was on the verge of a breakdown. “Art—”

“I’m getting’ him to ya now.”

She whispered, so full of fear and gratitude. “Thank you.”

In the hotel parking lot, Justice was pacing next to my bike. She nervously bit at her finger. Her long hair was in a disheveled ponytail, her blue tips blowing in the wind. The last words we had spoken—or at least the ones I remember—came crashing into my heart all over again. The pain was severe. I could feel the need to run, but Justice was already so upset. How could I bail on her again? Yes, Dagger was with her. So were Torque and Vice. But that didn’t give me the right to put her through one more moment of torture and worry. So, I stayed, mentally and physically, for her.

I understood why there weren’t more brothers with her. Only Officers and Saint knew of my fake identity, and we had club business happening back in Austin. Lynx, Crow, and Meatball must have stayed back to tend to it.

Only three bikes were with mine. Justice’s was not present.

I had no idea if she would hate me for whatever I had done, but I should’ve known better. The crazy bitch loved me. As soon as I opened the passenger car door, I stepped out, apologizing, “Justice—”

Her arms were around my neck before I could even finish. She quietly begged, “Please just hold me so I can feel that you’re okay.” Not able to speak a word, because holding her was all I wanted, I nodded, hiding my face in her neck. She pulled my hoody back so she could intertwine her fingers in the back of my hair. “Giver.” I nodded again, not brave enough to face her yet. “I love you… Jenny did, too.”

That was my breaking point because the love I had for my little sister could no longer be set aside. Up to this point, I had done a stellar job of ignoring it. I never even searched for her, because deep down, I knew what I would learn.

I cried into the crook of Justice’s neck. “Is she dead?”

That strong woman held me so tight while fighting her own sobs. “Yes, you beautiful-hearted man. You never see her older in your memories or nightmares because she was so young when she passed.”

I was wrapped around Justice so tightly, her body was part of mine. So, we both shook as grief rattled me. “I failed her, didn’t I?”

“No. The adults in your life failed you both.”

Grown men were clearing their throats as they struggled with what they were hearing.

Pain consumed me. “I don’t want to be this way, babe.”

She kissed the part of my face she could reach since I was still hiding. “I know. I know.”

I could no longer hold in all the anguish that had made my life so miserable. “I want to open my veins and bleed out the poison that won’t leave me alone.”

Her chest heaved as she cried with me. “I know. Shh, baby. I know.”

“Bleed me, Justice. Bleed me clean.”

I could feel her tears smearing on my cheek. “I will find a way. You hear me?” As I felt my brothers patting my back, she swore, “We—Your family will find a way.”

Just as I had offered support to Saint, my brothers were giving to Giver.

Walls came tumbling down all at once. “I think I had to tell her to talk to someone about what I’d done.”

Justice, so supportive, nodded her face against mine. “Delilah should. You’re right.”

The truth was now clear. “Justice, I think I may need to talk, too.”

“Okay. We’ll talk. You and me. Let it rain, remember?”

To honor and acknowledge her wise words, I kissed her neck. “You and me, together, can withstand any storm.”