Page 113 of After All The Wreckage

Gage

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU

Performed by U2

Riverand I had calmed Monte the best we could, but his eyes were as red-rimmed as Rory’s had been earlier. My stomach was full of knots that would be impossible to work out. I called her phone several times, and she didn’t pick up. Just like earlier, I didn’t know if that meant she was actually sleeping, if the FBI was questioning her, or if she was ignoring me to take matters into her own hands.

I paced River’s living room while three sets of eyes watched.

The need to get in my car, drive over to her nan’s cottage, and pound on the door competed with my need to stay right where I was. To remain here and be another line of defense between the murdering assholes and the people I loved most.

Except, I loved Rory too.

And out of all the people in my life, she was the one putting herself in direct danger. She wasn’t just going to sit on her handsafter what they’d done to her mom. She wasn’t going to just let the police and some FBI agent try to take these people down without doing everything in her power to help them.

I understood. When they’d taken Monte, when I’d seen the bruises on his body, I’d wanted to strangle them with my own hands.

If they’d killed him… I couldn’t even fathom it. I couldn’t even begin to understand the depths of Rory’s feelings at the moment.

“You need to stop her, Gage,” Monte said, drawing my eyes back to him. “She’s there because of us…” His voice cracked. “Rory got involved because of us.”

I pulled him up from the couch and into my arms. “She’s also involved because of her mom, Monte. This isn’t all on us.”

Even though I knew it was the truth, it didn’t feel like it. Our lives had been woven together because of decisions we’d all made.

“Look,” River said. “We’ve got the police outside our door. I’ve got plenty of instruments in the studio that I can use as weapons. I promise you, they aren’t getting to Ivy and Monte. If you need to go with Rory and stop this, then go.”

Audrey stood, sliding her arm around River’s waist and meeting my gaze with serious eyes. “I’ve got a blowtorch and a nail gun that will do some serious damage if anyone tries to get in here.”

Monte pushed away from me, locking me with his blue eyes. “It’s not us in my vision, Gage. You and I both know if something was going to happen to Ivy or me or you, I’d see it. What’s happening right now, it’s Rory and Demi.” He rubbed his chest. “In here, I feel like… We have to be there.”

“There’s no we, Monte. You’re not going anywhere near this.” Monte’s jaw tightened, unhappy at my words, and I tried to soften them by adding, “If you want me to go with Rory and tryto find a way to keep them both safe, I’ll do that. But if you’re with me, I’m going to be worried about you first and foremost.”

We argued with our eyes for a long moment, and then finally, Monte caved with a reluctant nod. “Fine.”

I hugged him tightly to me. I wanted to go kiss Ivy and hug her as well, but she was the only one of us actually sleeping. There was no way I’d wake her just to satisfy some panicked need to hold her. Like Monte said, I wasn’t the one with a death threat hanging over me. Neither were my siblings.

I grabbed my jacket, phone, and keys, and headed for the door.

“Call me if you see anything else.”

River followed, reaching out to grab my arm before I was fully outside. “Just because Monte doesn’t see something doesn’t mean you have some damned protective bubble around you. You can still get hurt. You can still get dead.”

I swallowed hard and met my friend’s eyes. Emotions welled through me. “I know. I promise to be careful. I promise to not get dead.”

His lips twitched, and we shared a look full of unspoken words. I was so grateful to have him and Audrey in my life.

“Thank you?—”

He slammed a fist into my shoulder powerful enough that it made me collide with the doorframe.

“Knock that shit off.”

I smiled, rubbing my arm. “Just because we’re family doesn’t mean I’m not supposed to say thanks for all you do for me. For us.”

“Yeah, well, I hate it, so stop.”

Without another word, I turned and sped down the path through the mist and the rain to the Pathfinder. The Cherry Bay patrol car was parked behind it. I stopped at the officer’s door, and he rolled down the window. He was the young kid from theday I’d reported Monte missing. He looked barely old enough to drive. Did I trust him with my family?