Page 17 of Filthy Secret

“So, you’re just going to send her home to do what?”

His lips curve up into a small smile, and I know he’s trying to give me the most reassuring facial expressions he can. I’m not sure it works, but I search his gaze anyway and wait for his answer.

“Rest,” he states simply. “Miss Turner must rest.”

My hand falls to my side, and I watch as he takes a step backward, then turns and walks away. I don’t move for a moment, then I turn and make my way toward some coffee. I’m grabbing a cup of shit coffee in a Styrofoam cup when the elevator doors open.

Shifting my attention to the elevator, I see Rose and Adam come walking out. Giving them a smile, I watch as they move toward Ryan’s room. I don’t know if they see me or not, but I don’t care. I am watching them. I can’t keep my eyes off Adam.

There is something familiar about him, something that I can’t quite put my finger on, but I feel like I know him. He’s only about five, so I couldn’t know him. It’s fucking weird. After giving Rose and Adam a few moments to greet and check on Ryan, I make my way back to her hospital room.

I still can’t shake the feeling that I know the kid as I make my way into the room and see him sitting beside Ryan. As I glance between them, I wonder if it’s the fact that she’s his mother. He looks like her. Maybe that’s it.

“They’re going to release her tomorrow?” Rose asks from beside me.

I’d forgotten that she was in the room, too mesmerized by Adam and Ryan together, maybe more by Ryan. Even all fucked up, she’s still absolutely fucking beautiful.

“That’s what the doctor claims,” I grunt.

Rose is quiet for a moment, then she reaches out and wraps her fingers around my forearm. “Thank you for sending that man to look after us.”

“Nobody will ever hurt them again,” I grind out.

There is a moment of silence, then I hear Rose clear her throat. I know she’s attempting to gain my attention, so I turn my head and look down at her, giving it to her. Watching, my eyes connected to hers as I wait for whatever it is that’s on her mind.

“It goes against everything that I personally want, but I can’t be selfish in this,” she says, her voice soft as she looks up at me. “Take them away from here and protect them. She needs to get away from that toxic sister. She needs to go back to the life she loves.”

I have a million questions to ask, especially about the life she loves part, but I’m interrupted from asking Rose when I hear Ryan’s voice call out and ask if there is anything to eat. My girl is hungry, and I’m more than happy to feed her… now.

CHAPTER

SEVEN

ATOMIC

I leave the hospital to go in search of food. But before I do, I send Rim a message asking if he needs anything while he’s on his break from watching Rose and Adam. I’m assuming he’s getting some rest or something to eat. When he answers me, he doesn’t ask but instead demands that I need to come by her place.

Instead of questioning why he’s demanding anything of me as I’m his president, I realize that this is likely serious. I haven’t been to Ryan’s place since I got here, so I have no fucking clue what to expect. But if Rim is demanding I come out there, I know it cannot be good.

Climbing onto my bike, I start the engine and roar out of the hospital parking lot. Harmony Springs is not big by any means. It’s a small town. It doesn’t take me long to arrive at Ryan’s place.

I’m not surprised when I pull my bike up to a small early 1900s home in a very old and established neighborhood. All the houses appear similar, some in more disarray than others.

Rim is sitting on a bench on the front porch, his eyes on me as I approach. He stands as soon as I kill the engine and begin to climb off. When I make my way toward him, he stops in the middle of the walkway, waiting for my approach.

“I broke in through the back of the house. I don’t think you want to see it, but I know you need to,” he announces as his greeting.

Fuck.

Jerking my chin toward the door, I press my lips together in a straight line. “Let’s do this shit, then I can get Ryan some food. She’s hungry.”

He spins around and walks toward the house, not commenting on my announcement about buying Ryan food. Although, I don’t know why he would. He has no fucking idea who she is. He wasn’t around when all that shit went down.

I follow behind him, watching as he pushes the front door open. He steps to the side to allow me into the place. Once I am inside of her home, I freeze. Everything in this goddamn house is either smashed or turned over.

“What the fuck?” I hiss.

If a bomb actually had gone off in this place, I would not be surprised. It is fucked. Beyond fucked. Turning my head, I look back at Rim. He is watching me, gauging me for a reaction. He doesn’t have to even ask me how I feel about this. He knows without a doubt what’s going through my head.