Sweet Fall

“Pix—” I went to speak, but she pulled the black sleeves of her sweater over her palms and slammed them over her mouth.

“You touched my back,” she whispered. “I can’t be touched on my back. Why did you touch my back? There should be ten, but there’s only seven. It’s not enough. He’s right. It’s just not enough…” Her voice was frantic as she spoke shit to herself, and it rose into a high-pitched tone.

Lexi stumbled back until she hit the countertop, but her incessant muttering never stopped.

Darting my eyes to the door, I heard the voices outside getting closer, and like hell I wanted Axel to know about Pix being here… especially acting like this. He wasn’t gonna understand any of it. Wasn’t gonna approve of me being with her.

Cautiously inching forward, I caged Lexi in my arms and pressed my forehead to hers. “Pix, breathe. One… two… three… four…” I carried on and saw the moment Lexi was back, her chest trying like hell to follow the rhythm of my count. “Five… six… seven… eight…”

“Axe, get the kid. We need to make our move.”

Gio’s voice cut through my counting, and I watched the door, waiting patiently for it to open, trying to think how I could hide Pix.

“I’m calm. I’m calm…” Lexi’s quiet voice brought my attention back to her.

“Fuck, I’m sorry, Pix,” I whispered and tucked my head into the crook between her shoulder and neck, just breathing in the scent that was all her.

I caught Lexi’s hand lift, shaking furiously as it moved behind me. I was shocked when it landed on the back of my neck, and I released a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding.

“It’s okay. It’s okay. I just panicked,” Lexi said slowly, and I knew she was trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince me.

Drawing back my head, I tentatively pressed a kiss to her lips, speaking against her mouth. “I forgot, Pix. I know that’s a f**kin’ terrible excuse. But I just forgot.”

Lexi closed her eyes, inhaling deep through her nose, and when her eyelids fluttered open, she seemed a little better.

“Austin?” My mamma’s weak voice drifted through the trailer as the wind outside began to howl and tree branches began scratching at the windows in the storm.

If the weather had ever depicted the mood of a situation, then it couldn’t have been more appropriate as it was right now.

“Si, Mamma?” I answered back but never once took my gaze off my Pix. Lexi’s eyes stayed locked on mine too.

“Lexi… I wish for… her to come here,” she called back and began to cough with the effort.

I noted Lexi’s eyebrows pulling down tight, but, ducking her head, she set off to walk around me, and I pushed my arm out to grab her hand.

Lexi laid her still-shaking hand to my cheek and nodded that she was okay.

Fuckin’ A, I thought as I swallowed back my guilt.

Just as I watched Lexi tentatively walk into Mamma’s room, arms wrapped around her stomach, the doorknob on the front door slowly began to turn.

Rushing for the door, I pushed on the knob, the door flying open with the help of the high wind. Staring up at me in shock were Axel, Carlo, and Gio. Carlo was holding tight to his bicep. I remembered Levi said he’d been shot. Looked like it was just a graze, yet another scrape with death for the Heighters.

“Austin!” Axel called, instantly happy. Stepping from the trailer onto the graveled patch of yard, I shut the door behind me and walked into the heavy and turbulent storm and, weirdly, into the company of my heavy and turbulent crew.

“Axe. Gio. Carlo,” I greeted and, making sure the door of the trailer was shut, put my hands in my pocket, the wind ripping around us like a hurricane.

Axel strutted toward me and slung his arm around my shoulder. “You get Mamma’s meds, kid?”

“Yeah, just gave her them.”

I caught Gio smirk at me, and he pointed to the Prius. “Hotwire some rich-ass student’s ride?”

Shrugging, I fought my urge to drop his ass to the floor. “Just borrowed it from someone I know.”

Axel drew back and eyed me weird. “Who the hell do you know that drives a f**kin’ Prius?”

“Some Tide groupie you’re screwing?” Carlo said, wearing a huge grin.

“Sure,” I replied evasively and looked again to Axel. “Seba okay? Lev said he took one to the chest.”

Axel’s face shadowed with sorrow and he shook his head. “DOA at the ER. Another fallen brother.” Axel made the cross over his chest with his hand, and I saw Gio do the same.