Jax

Sam hiccups in my ear as I speed away from Raegan’s house. “Take a deep breath,” I say to her. She breathes in and out, and I do the same.

Walker barks in the background. “Come get me, Jax.” She sniffs. I imagine her eyes puffy and nose running.

I grind my teeth, my body harder than stone.

“I’m gonna be there soon,” I reassure her.

“Jax—”

The line cuts out, and I grip the steering wheel. “Sam!” I yank the phone from my ear and press redial. The line rings and rings. I curse my parent’s for never setting up an answering machine.

I end the call, my blood burning. “Goddamn it!” I chuck the phone at the floorboard, and it hits my foot, but I barely register the tinge of pain.

What happened to Sam? Why did the line cut out, and why didn’t she answer when I called back?

Raegan places a hand on my arm, her thumb sweeping across my skin.

My chest tightens as Sam’s voice plays over in my head, pleading and crying.

I dropped Walker off with Sam tonight when I took her home after trick-or-treating. She begged me to let him stay. I never have been good at denying her, and tonight, I’m more than grateful he’s with her. I know she’s safe with him. He’ll protect her, just like I would.

I white-knuckle the steering wheel, gripping it tighter, the closer we get to my parents’ house.

Raegan drops her hand and sits straight up in her seat, looking from the road to me. “Is Sam okay?”

I grit my teeth. “I don’t know.”

But, if Sam is calling me, crying, I know it can’t be good, and if she isn’t okay, I’ll lose it on both my parents.

I turn right, barely stopping at the Stop sign.

When I moved out, I showed Sam how to call me. Somehow, I knew she would need me when I wasn’t around.

“It’s going to be okay,” Raegan says, trying to comfort me.

I nod. I appreciate her effort, but it won’t be okay until I see Sam.

The light in front of us turns red, and I slam on my brakes, lurching us forward. I tap my left foot as a group of college students crosses the street, dressed in costumes and wobbling on their feet, like they’re too drunk or high to walk in a straight line.

The light turns green, and my jaw clenches, waiting for the crowd to make it to the other side of the road and get out of my damn way.

As soon as they are out of my path, I gun it down the street.

I glance at the clock on the dash. Ten minutes since I’ve heard Sam’s voice. I feel like an ocean is separating us instead of the eighteen miles that stand between us.

I hear Raegan’s muffled voice, but I don’t know what she said, my focus solely on moving us closer to my house.

After what feels like an eternity, I jerk the truck into the driveway and turn it off, jumping out of my seat as fast as possible without waiting for Raegan.

I throw open the front door and yell, “Sam! Sam!”

My eyes scan the living room, but it’s empty. I rush to the kitchen where a broken bowl of cereal is on the ground.

I whip around and run up the stairs. “Sam!”

I sprint to her room, and that’s when I see her crouched behind her bed with tears and snot running down her face. Walker growls from the front of her bed before he notices me and moves to her side.

I race across the room and fall to the floor next to her. “What happened?”

She cries, sliding her tiny arms around me.

My body sags, unwinding for the first time since her voice came through my phone. I hold her tight, keeping her in my arms.

I kiss the side of her head before I pull away, needing her to tell me what’s going on.

And that’s when I see the red mark on her wrist and cheek.

“What happened here?” I ask, trying to remain calm as I run my hand down her back.

She sniffles, not answering me.

“Sam?”

More tears fall down her face, her lower lip trembling.

Voices echo down the hall as Raegan enters the room. I pick Sam up off the floor and place her on the bed. I unwrap her arms from around me, but she clutches my shirt, not wanting to let go.

Raegan sits on the twin bed next to Sam and whispers, “I got her.”

I nod my head as I pass Sam off to Raegan. Walker hops on the bed, lying as close to Sam as he can.

I walk out of the room and push open the door to my parents’ room. Mom is crying on the bed as Dad paces in front of her, his face red and veins popping out of his neck.

“What happened to Sam?” I yell, my face burning.

Mom sniffs, and Dad holds the palm of his hand out to me.

“I’ve got it under control,” he says.

“Control?” I stalk toward them. “How do you have it under control? There are red marks on Sam, and I want to know what happened.”

“It was an accident,” Mom whimpers. “Your dad and I had an argument, so I was upset.” She cradles her legs to her chest. “Sam came in the kitchen, and I hit her, but I hadn’t meant to. I just…I’d turned around so fast, and…she was there…and the bowl in her hands fell to the floor.” She cries, not earning any sympathy from me. “I grabbed her wrist, trying to catch her, but she pulled away from me, hitting the side of her face on the floor.”

I clench my jaw, feeling my face grow hotter by the second. This is it. I’m done letting them break my sister.

“You hit your own daughter,” I growl, shaking my head.

“I didn’t mean to,” she cries. “It was an accident.”

“But you did it.” I clench my fists at my sides. “I’m taking her with me tonight, and you”—I point to Mom—“better get your shit together, or I’m not bringing her back.”

I storm out of their room, but a hand grabs my elbow before I can make it down the hallway.

“She’s out,” Dad says, holding my gaze, his face hard, “tomorrow.”

I shake my head, not believing him.

“I gave her divorce papers today. That’s why we were fighting. I can’t do this anymore.” He squeezes my elbow, holding my gaze, making sure I hear him. “If she won’t help herself, then I can’t help her, not anymore.”

My eyes widen at his words. Does he mean it? Will he finally put an end to their marriage that has been festering for years?

“I’m going to give her money to help her get on her feet, but this is it, Jax.” He drops my elbow, shoving his hands in his pockets. “It might have been an accident, but she still hit my daughter, and that’s not okay.” His face falls, like he’s realizing for the first time, the woman in the room behind him isn’t the person he married. “I can’t put you and Sam through this any longer.”

I nod once. “Call me when it’s taken care of.” I turn and walk away from him, heading back to Sam’s room.

Walker lifts his head when he sees me in the doorway. I watch Raegan cradle Sam in her arms, holding my sister against her chest and running her hand down her back.

I hear Raegan saying something, so I step in the room, careful not to disturb them.

But she isn’t talking to Sam. She’s singing.

Her voice is soft, soothing, as she sings to the little girl clinging to her shoulders.

I walk around to the other side of the bed, looking at Raegan. She glances up at me, her eyes sad, as she holds Sam closer.

I rip my heart out of my chest and hand it to Raegan because it doesn’t belong to me, not anymore.

I place Sam in Raegan’s bed, pulling the covers up to her chin.

I watch her sleep for a minute, letting my head register that she’s okay.

Mom has things she needs to work out, and she needs to realize what she’s doing to everyone around her.

I never imagined what happened today would ever transpire in that house. If I had known, I never would have left my sister alone.

Guilt gnaws at me, but I push it away, knowing I couldn’t have foreseen this.

I run a hand down Sam’s face, placing a kiss on her forehead, before I back away from her, letting her rest.

Stella and Walker curl up next to her as I walk out of the room, cracking the door behind me.

I make it downstairs and sit on the couch next to Raegan, drawing her into my side. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” she says, peering up at me.

I kiss her temple. “I do.” She shifts, laying her head in my lap as she looks up at me. “Thank you for letting us stay the night.”

Her crystal-blue eyes smile, and I run a hand through her blonde hair.

“Both of you can stay whenever you want.”

I place a hand on her stomach. “When’s Arya coming back?”

She chuckles, and I love the way her eyes crinkle at the corners.

“Good question. She said she wanted to bring Graham here, but I told her no. I don’t think she’ll be back till morning.”

I wince. “I’d love to see her reaction when she sees how disgusting his room is. I’ll be surprised if she can find the bed.”

Raegan slaps her hand over her mouth, muffling her laughter. “If that’s the case, we’ll hear all about it tomorrow.”

I motion her to sit up, and I lie on the couch, scooting until my back hits the cushions. “Come here.”

She lies down with her back to my front, and I hold her close, cherishing the girl who took my heart without even trying.