Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 139803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 699(@200wpm)___ 559(@250wpm)___ 466(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 699(@200wpm)___ 559(@250wpm)___ 466(@300wpm)
“Well, you might already have,” Julian ground out. I sobbed. “There’s a reason you were only prescribed that amount, Meghan.” He thrust his hands through his hair. “Fuck!”
“Should have noticed something was up,” Axel bit, narrowing his eyes at me. “Sleeping a lot more, more accepting of everything between her and I. Shit makes sense now.”
“No!” I cried as I jumped up from my chair. “No, it’s not because of those—"
“We’ll find out easily enough, because you’re going to see Dr. Gresham tomorrow,” Julian snapped at me.
“But—"
“No buts!” Axel barked at me. “Christ, Meghan, why the fuck would you do this?!” he demanded. I sobbed. “My little sister was just in the fucking hospital because of this shit! Why would you even begin to think that this was okay?”
He stormed out of the room, and a moment later, I heard the front door slam shut. I dropped into a chair, my chest hurting so badly that I couldn’t breathe. It felt like my ribs were tightening around my lungs. I gasped, struggling to draw air into my lungs.
“Fuck,” Julian rushed over to me. He drew me into his arms and held me tightly as he applied pressure between my shoulder blades. “Breathe, baby girl,” he soothed, his voice much calmer. “Meghan, baby, you have to breathe.”
I clutched at my shirt. “Axel,” I whimpered, black spots dancing in my vision. He left. I fucked up, and he left.
I had done what I did best. I destroyed everything.
“Meghan, baby—”
I couldn’t breathe.
Everything went dark, and I collapsed into Julian’s arms.
* * *
✶ ✶ ✶
* * *
Axel
* * *
I stepped into the house later that night after calming down. Everything had hurt so much, and I was so fucking furious with Meghan. Why would she have done that? Christ, I could deal with anything but this shit.
I’d known everything felt too easy, but I had ignored all the warning signs.
She could have fucking killed herself, and none of us would have realized what she was doing until it was too fucking late to save her.
The entire house was dark and silent when I stepped inside. “Julian, Meghan?!” I called out. Nothing. With a muttered curse, I rushed into my room and grabbed my phone off the nightstand. There were fifteen missed calls and just as many voicemails. I quickly went to the last one, playing out the recording.
“Meghan is back in the center. She had a fucking breakdown because your dumb ass walked out on her,” Julian’s hard voice came through the line. “Hope you’re fucking happy, dick face.”
“No,” I whispered in horror. “Fuck!” I shouted. I quickly ran back out to my car, calling Julian.
“What?” he spat into the phone. “I’m in the middle of filling out paperwork for her.”
“Fuck, man, is she with Dr. Gresham?”
“Yes,” Julian snarled. “Why the fuck did you walk out, Axel?!” he barked into the phone.
“I was pissed,” I told him. “And I couldn’t be there—not when I was so fucking mad. I would have ripped her apart, Julian.”
“Well, you accomplished that shit anyway.” I flinched at his words. “She was transported here not long after you left. She had an anxiety attack, and I couldn’t bring her out of it. She blacked out, and when she woke up, she was inconsolable. I called Dr. Gresham because I didn’t know what to do. She locked herself in the fucking bathroom and wouldn’t let me near her.” My heart shattered in my chest as I sped down the highway. “A social worker came out to the house. She was sedated, and they flew her here.”
“Fuck.” A tear slid down my cheek. I had fucking ruined her. “Julian, fuck, I never meant for this to happen. I thought I was helping the situation by leaving.”
Julian sighed, sounding tired and worn down. “Dr. Gresham only plans to keep her long enough to get her stabilized again. How long that will be, we don’t know. But you need to get your ass here and come see her because she won’t allow me to see her.”
“I’m on my way,” I told him. “I’ll drive all fucking night,” I promised.
Meghan, sweet girl, I’m so fucking sorry.
* * *
✶ ✶ ✶
* * *
Meghan
* * *
Dr. Gresham knocked lightly on the door of the room I was in. I blankly looked up at him. I felt numb—completely fucking numb.
“Axel is here, and he wants to see you.”
I shook my head, wrapping my arms around myself. “I don’t want to see him.”
Dr. Gresham nodded. “Is there anything you would like me to tell him?”
I shrugged. “Tell both of them I’m sorry,” I said quietly.
Dr. Gresham nodded and let the door fall back shut, leaving me to my thoughts. I stared blankly out the window next to me. I had failed both of them, and I had once again managed to fail the little one inside of me.