Page 42 of The Destruction You Desire

I'm so lost in my thoughts that I don't notice him turning back to look at me until it's way too late.

His smirk when I look up at his face tells me that he caught me red-handed.

Rolling my eyes at him, I drag my gaze away and curl up into a ball on his passenger seat, wishing that I was already on my way to Atlanta, even if it meant driving. I can't cope with sitting still right now knowing that Libby is fighting for her life in a hospital bed.

My sister isn't the kind of person to just give up. She's stronger than that. Or at least… she was. I haven’t known her since she was eighteen, hell probably a few years before that if I'm really being honest with myself.

She fell in with the wrong crowd at an early age, and although Mom refused to accept it, I fear she was using alcohol and drugs a lot earlier than we were even aware of.

I drum my fingers against my thigh, nervous energy racing through me.

I almost get out so I can start pacing to get rid of it, but I want to be ready to go the second Luca emerges.

The front door opens two seconds later, and my heart jumps into my throat but when someone emerges, it's not the twin I'm waiting for.

Leon runs down toward the car and I lower the window.

"Are you okay?" he asks in a rush the second he gets to me.

I shrug because I really have no idea what I am right now. Impatient. Terrified. Totally fucking lost.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, letting Luc take you?"

"I don't know, Lee. But I don't care right now. I just need to get there."

"I can take you."

I shake my head, knowing that even suggesting it to Luc would turn this shit show of a day into a complete fucking disaster.

"No, it's fine. Luc wants to do this and I'm happy to let him."

"But—"

"It's fine, Lee. I promise you that I'm not going to forgive him just because he got me a plane ticket."

"That's not what I'm worried about."

"I'm a big girl, Lee. I can look after myself. But right now, I need to be with her."

"Okay, I know." He reaches into the car and takes my hand. "Everything is going to be okay."

I try to swallow around the lump in my throat that tells me everything is very much not going to be okay and instead nod at him.

"If you need anything, you call me, yeah? I'll make sure that Kayden and Fee are okay without you. But I'm here okay. We're family now, Peyton. We take care of our own."

The tears that were burning my eyes threaten to spill over.

"T-thank you, Lee. You're a good friend."

His lips part to say more but a door slamming behind him stops him. Luca's footsteps race toward us before the trunk pops open.

"Do I need to remind you again to keep your hands off my girl?" Luca growls at his brother.

"Fuck off, Luc." Lee's concerned eyes find mine once more. "Are you really sure? My car is right there and it's faster than his. We could totally outrun him."

I can't help but laugh at the serious expression on his face. It feels good to smile.

"I'll be fine. I really appreciate the offer though. We'll call you with news, okay?"