Shaded ✔️

CHAPTER 31

"...I knew something was up, so I followed her. I don't know where she was going, but I knew she was drinking."

"You did the right thing, if the cops had found her she would be in jail and getting a DUI or worse. You did good." I recognized Val's voice, coated with exhaustion. I tried to get my eyes open, but it was impossible. I tried to call out to him, but my body fought against me, forcing me back into the darkness.

When I finally opened my eyes, the first thing I felt was pain. It shot through the left side of my body, making me groan. I was in my room at the clubhouse, an IV in the arm that wasn't covered by a cast. I tried to sit up, but the pain in my head pushed me back down.

"Wouldn't do that if I were you." His gruff voice was coated in anger and sent shivers down my spine. He was sitting in a chair beside my bed, an unfamiliar pair of glasses perched on his nose and his eyes focused on the book in front of him.

"What happened?" my voice was dry and scratchy. He scoffed, finally looking at me with rage filled eyes.

"What happened? What happened is that you drank half a bottle of Jack and thought it would be a good idea to go for a joyride. You're goddamn lucky Ash followed you and got to you in time or you would have been in the ground beside your brother." I flinched at his words, but that didn't stop him. "What the fuck is wrong with you? I thought you were finally getting your head on straight, especially with the kid, but I guess I was wrong."

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? You think that fixes this? Stas almost had a goddamn panic attack when she saw Ash dragging you in here, covered in blood and..." he threw the book across the room, making me flinch again. "We thought you were dead."

"I'm sorry." My voice was barely a whisper.

"If I see you anywhere near a bottle again I swear to God Scarlett you will never see that kid." I let out a cry at the thought.

"Val please-" he shook his head at me in disappointment before stalking out of the room and slamming the door shut behind him.

The club doctor came in not long after, explaining to me that I had broken my wrist and fractured my ankle when I landed in the ditch. I had a minor concussion, and I had re-fucked up my ribs, but other than that and a shit ton of cuts and bruises, I was lucky to be alive. He gave me some water and pain medicine, telling me to get some rest. I shut my eyes, willing for sleep to take me so I didn't have to think about the mess I had gotten myself into this time, but the sound of the door opening and shutting softly forced me to open my eyes. Stas was at the door, her eyes watery as she looked at me.

"Hey." My voice was barely a whisper.

"Hey." Her voice was quiet, but I could tell she was mad. She sat in the chair, putting a bowl of soup and a glass of water on the table beside me.

"I'm trying not be angry with you, Scar, I really am. I know you got enough of that from Val. I guess I just don't understand why you would do this to me, to us. You know there are people who need you, so why would you do something so fucking stupid?" I just shook my head, not trusting my voice. She sighed.

"I was angry and I wanted to take my mind off of it. I was going to-" I stopped myself, not wanting to burden her with all the information about Nate's death. "It doesn't matter. I made a mistake, one that I won't make again. I swear."

"Do you need help? Like AA or something? Rehab?"

"I don't know. I want to try on my own again, but if it doesn't work, I promise I'll go."

"If it doesn't work Val won't let you anywhere near this kid. He knows better than anyone what addiction can do to a family." I hadn't thought about it that way. I forced him to watch me travel down the same path that his father did, I didn't even realize it. The thought sent a stabbing pain to my chest.

"I feel so lost, Stas."

"I know." She reached out, taking my good hand in hers and placing it on her belly. "But we will get through this together." I could only nod.

"So you want to tell me what made you drink half a bottle of Jack and decide it was a good idea to go for a ride?"

"Would you believe me if I told you it was a guy?" I laughed harshly at my own stupidity. I almost killed myself because I was jealous.

"Wow. I haven't seen you this torn up about a guy since-"

"Don't." It had been a long time since I thought about him, and I promised myself I wouldn't waste another second of my time on him. She nodded.

"You deserve better than all this Scar."

"Do I?" she looked taken aback. She didn't know that it could have been me who was shot that night, that she could have a real family right now instead of a fatherless kid and a fucked up girl who avoids all her problems with a bottle of Jack.

"Of course you do. Don't talk like that, you understand me? Whoever has you thinking that way isn't worth your time." I nodded, knowing she was right. She sighed again.

"You always did have a thing for the fucked up ones." She smiled a little, shaking her head. I just forced out a laugh, knowing she was right.