Page 89 of Hale

No.

Fucking no.

Why, Rylie?

I was always coming back to you. Eventually.

“Your aunt wants you to get up there,” Uncle Randy says, his voice choked with emotion. “She thinks it’ll do Rylie some good to see you.”

I’m too weak and broken, but he grabs me from behind and lifts me to my feet. I lean on my uncle for strength as he walks us to the car. Both of us cry, uncaring if anyone judges us for it. Rylie needs me. I need her to fucking be okay.

“I, uh, we’re not pressing charges,” he says huskily.

Charges are the last thing I’m worried about. I simply nod as he pulls out onto the road. The drive to the hospital is short and the moment we arrive, I burst from the car, suddenly surging with newfound adrenaline. Uncle Randy hurries past me to show me where to go. When we arrive in a lobby, I find Amy sitting in a chair, her eyes red from crying.

“I’ll text Becky. She’s back there with her. They’re only letting one person in at a time. I’ll let her know you’re here.” He pulls out his phone and I pace the floor. “She says it will be a few minutes. I’ll go grab us some coffee.”

The moment he walks away, Amy lets out a ragged sob. “Oh, Hudson. Come here.”

I crumple to my knees beside her and hug her waist. Amy and I may not be a couple anymore, but she’s been a part of my family for years. Other than Rylie and my aunt and uncle, she’s the closest person to me.

“I can’t lose her,” I rasp out. “I can’t.”

“Shhh,” she says, stroking my hair. “You’re not going to lose her. She’s fine.”

We’re silent for a moment, her soft crying the only thing that can be heard.

“Hudson?”

I lift up and regard her, my eyes burning but no match for the pain inside my heart. “Yeah?”

“I wish you both the best.”

I clench my jaw. “I just want my sister well.”

Her bottom lip quivers. “You never looked at me the way you looked at her. I would never be able to compete with that.”

I blink at her, my face becoming hard like stone. The tears don’t get the memo and streak down my face.

“Don’t say anything,” she breathes. “Just know I may not understand the whys, but I do understand you. For the first time since I’ve known you, your eyes would sparkle. Your smile would be so wide it looked like it hurt.” She sniffles. “Your eyes would track and follow her every move, as though the mere thought of her out of your sight was painful.”

“She’s my sister,” I bite out, my words not holding venom. I’ll never admit to what Rylie and I have. Not in a thousand years. It’s our secret. Nobody has to know.

“I know…” she says. “I know you love her more than anything in this world. And what I’m trying and failing to say is, I want you to have that. I want you to be happy, Hudson.”

“I just want to keep her safe.”

She purses her lips together. “Then to keep her safe, you’ll need to make a new life. Your life can’t exist here where everyone knows you.”

Gritting my teeth, I don’t let on that her words are true.

“Room 305,” Uncle Randy calls out from down the corridor.

I jerk to my feet and stalk away from my past toward my future.

Once I find the room, I knock. The door opens and Aunt Becky steps out. Her eyes are swollen from crying. As soon as she sees me, she yanks me to her and hugs me. I remain stiff in her arms.

“I need to see her,” I choke out.