“Even!” Lacey spun around. “That’s enough.”
He leveled a look at his wife that made Keeley push back in her bed. “We’ll talk when we get home.”
“The hell we’ll wait. Start talking now!” Lacey did not back down as she went toe to toe with her formidable husband.
He moved fast as lightning and tossed Lacey over his shoulder. E placed his wife outside of her sister’s room and shut the door in her beautiful, furious face. With a turn of the lock, all they heard was Lacey’s angry voice. “Even Strand, so help me.”
A ghost of a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. Keeley didn’t miss it when those quicksilver eyes lit on her. Oh, he was pissed. “I know you’re going through hell. I get your dealing with a lot of shit. I understand the battle you’re in with those fucking demons. But you listen to me…” He got right in her face and continued, “You ever scare the shit out of me or your beloved sister like that again, I’ll have you locked up and throw away the key. We clear?”
Keeley registered what was wrong. E was afraid for her. The dam broke. She began to sob uncontrollably, reaching for the brother she’d come to love. He held her close. His voice tight as he confessed, “I didn’t know how to save you. You are my sister. And I had no clue how to help you.”
A perturbed nurse stood inside the room, key in hand. “Sir, please refrain from locking the door and disrupting this floor.” She turned on her heel and marched out, leaving Lacey in her wake.
Lacey took in the scene before her. Every ounce of anger drained in an instant. What she saw was family. She joined her husband and sister while they cried together with relief, gratitude. But something more was there, an unspoken love that bound them together.
Tar knew Keeley was in the best hands possible when he peeked into the room. His gut told him he should just go and not say anything to Keeley. He turned, his steps eating up the hallway.
Always trust your gut.
Mitch didn’t agree with Tar’s decision and let him know so. “Keeley deserves an explanation.”
“Better this way,” came the gruff reply.
“My ass! You took the pussy’s way out and you know it.”
That earned him an up close and personal. Tar growled, “Don’t you even pretend to understand how I’m feeling right now. I did what I felt was best for her recovery.”
Mitch wasn’t backing down. His best friend was wrong—so, so wrong. “You broke her fucking heart in that street. She barely made it out ALIVE!” he roared back. “Now you go and do it to her again. Hell, I don’t know why I bother,” shoving Tar out of his way, “she’ll succeed in killing herself this time. Mark my words!”
Tar moved back in his face. “What ‘bout my pain? Or am I not supposed to feel anything? My heart shouldn’t be ripped to shreds? Oh, I see, I should just excuse her actions and forget how she betrayed my love for her,” he growled through a clenched jaw.
Mitch shouldered him out of the way. “Is this about Keeley? Or Lisa?” he snarled.
“Fuck you!”
The aircraft began to move, forcing both men to take their seats. Tar was swallowing down his anger at Mitch. He was heartbroken over what Keeley did and not completely sure he could move past it. But he still loved her. There was the crux. He sat there in deep contemplation as Mitch’s words began to rattle around in his head. Would Keeley take her own life? He knew the answer to that. “Stop the plane!” he frantically howled out while undoing his seatbelt.
One of the pilots called back, “Sorry, man, we’ve been cleared for takeoff.”
“Mitch?” Tar stared at the only man who could force them to abort.
Mitch gave the command but was shocked when told, “Sorry, Sir. We’re under orders. Sit down and buckle up. Now.”
Tar barely got his ass in the seat before the plane began to rumble down the runway. What did he do? How could he have done this to the woman he loved? He’d never forgive himself if she succeeded at killing herself. Good God, he’d taken an already screwed situation and sent it into clusterfuck. Reality slammed his gut like a wrecking ball. He barely opened the airsickness bag in time before vomiting.
Mitch was already on the air phone trying to get answers. He got his ass chewed out for questioning orders. When all was said and done, he understood the why’s…but damn. He scrubbed his face, once he ended the call, and went to tell Tar. “I’m sorry,” he offered with a clasp to his friend’s shoulder.
The haunted gaze that met his buckled his knees. “I’ve not only failed her, Mitch. I signed her death certificate.” A panged moan followed those last five words.