Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 72196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
“Yes, you did,” I confirmed, somehow keeping myself calm. “When did you start drinking?”
I’d half-assed listened to one of the cops trying to get Allegra to talk, but with the state she was in, they didn’t know how to handle her.
They were terse with her. Too abrupt, and they didn’t sound like they were caring about her state of being, but somebody else’s.
I gave her my complete attention, and was acting like she hadn’t done anything wrong, when in actuality she’d done a whole lot more than that.
“I didn’t,” she lied, seeing the trap. “What are you talking about?”
My gaze moved to the officer. “What’s her alcohol level?”
“Point two one,” he answered. “Almost triple the legal limit.”
I turned my attention back to Allegra. “Your daddy won’t get you out of this one.”
She pursed up her lips and tried to stand, but the officer refused to let her do that.
“Move again and I’ll cuff you.”
“You can’t cuff me!” she declared loudly.
I wanted to yell at her. Scream that she’d fucked up so royally that she’d never see her child again—if our child made it.
However, I held my composure, and looked away. It was one of the hardest things I’d ever done.
I wanted to yell. I wanted to scream. I wanted to tell her she was the worst parent in the world.
The sound of a helicopter brought my attention away from the woman looking like I’d hurt her feelings, and I gazed up to see the Life Flight helicopter coming closer and closer to the ground.
It circled at one point about a half mile away, and slowly started to descend.
I watched, even when it disappeared into the trees.
“Come on, brother.” Baylor was suddenly at my side. “They’re taking Alex to Children’s an hour and a half away.”
An hour and a half.
That was going to be the longest drive in the history of drives.
I started to walk to the car, but stopped when something white caught my eye.
A bear.
Alex’s bear.
The one I’d bought her years ago that she took everywhere with her. The one thing that had given me hope that maybe she didn’t hate me as much as she said she did.
“Travis?”
That was Michael.
He’d fallen in step beside me, but when I stopped, he did, too.
“One second,” I said, jogging over to the patch of grass where the bear lay haphazardly.
The moment I had it in my hand, I jogged back to the truck where Baylor was already waiting and slid inside.
Luckily, we were in my actual truck, which had a backseat.
That way, Michael was able to go, too.
Thankfully, Nikki had stayed with the kids.
“Let’s go,” I ordered. “I want to be there in less than an hour.”
Baylor opened his mouth to protest, but Michael beat him to it.
“We’ll get there at a respectable time, but if you want to speed, I have a feeling they wouldn’t ticket you.”
I laughed humorlessly.
“Don’t think this day could get any worse.”
How wrong I was.
Chapter 16
Sometimes I question my sanity, but the voices in my head tell me I’m fine.
-Coffee Cup
Hannah
Riding in the helicopter wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I thought it’d be. In all actuality, had the circumstances been different, I would’ve definitely gotten a lot more out of it—enjoyed it even.
However, I hadn’t enjoyed it even a little bit.
Not with Alex moaning every time the helicopter jolted.
She nearly slept through the whole flight, and probably would have the entire flight, but the man in the front seat who was controlling the big bird we were in had a very deep voice like her father’s.
Hearing that, Alex had opened her eyes and said, “Daddy?”
My stomach felt like it was tied in knots.
“Just me for now, honey bun.” I leaned forward and smiled when Alex’s eyes met mine. “You in any pain?”
She shook her head.
That was good. The moment we’d gotten in here, the paramedic and registered nurse, a man in his late twenties or early thirties, had assessed that she needed more meds to make this flight as comfortable as possible.
Wanting her not to be in any pain, I didn’t say a word as I watched the man administer the meds, and then monitor her vitals.
Nobody spoke, and I found that I was okay with that. I had a lot of shit swirling around in my brain, and I wanted time to unravel it before we got to the hospital and I had to put the mask back on—the one that reflected cool, calm, and collected.
But staring into Travis’ little girl’s eyes, the eyes that looked so much like her father, I found it hard to do anything.
“No. Where am I?”
I sat back and pointed to the window. “We’re in a helicopter. You were in an accident.”
Her brows raised. “Really?”
Her voice was faint, but I could hear what was being said. Barely.
“Yeah, sweetheart. Really.” I grinned, even though the smile didn’t meet my eyes. “Have you ever broken your arm before?”