Forever (Cruiser & Lex, Book 3) Read Free

be kidding me. Two days? That Jake bastard. When I get my hands on him—
    “His body still may need rest,” Mom says.
    “Crowding around him isn’t helping,” Dad mumbles.
    Mom glares at him. “This is my son lying here, and if I want to crowd around him, I will.”
    “ Your son? I wonder who provided you with the sperm.”
    Seriously?
    Rey gives them a what-the-hell look. I guess Dad has finally grown some balls.
    “I don’t even know why you let him out past midnight!” Mom yells.
    Another nurse or whatever peeks her head inside. “Everything okay in here?”
    Mom gives her a fake smile. “Everything is perfect.”
    She returns the fake smile. “Great.”
    As soon as she’s gone, Mom and Dad’s eyes attack each other. “Like you had a better leash on him when he lived with you,” Dad says. “When you ran the house and controlled what went on in it.”
    “At least he didn’t end up in the hospital!”
    “But he did end up on drugs and had to be shipped off to New York.”
    “Yeah, to my parents. Because yours—”
    “Mom, Dad, what the hell?” I say.
    “Yeah, are you guys serious right now?” Rey says.
    Lex looks like she wants to crawl under the bed.
    Mom and Dad blink at all of us. Her face turns red. She clears her throat. Pats her hair. “I’m going to the cafeteria for some coffee.”
    She’s gone. Now three pairs of eyes stare at me. Seven seconds pass.
    Dad steps forward and lightly pats my good arm. “How are you doing, Cruiser?”
    “Could be better.”
    He half-winces, half laughs. “So…what exactly happened? Those kids…”
    I look at my bro. He looks at me. His eyes have got nothing but fear in them.
    I shrug to my dad.
    Rey lets out a breath. I don’t think he meant to do that because he gets all flustered when we glance at him. “I was thinking I need, um, a drink? Can you get me a drink, Dad?”
    His eyebrows dip toward his nose. “There’s a soda machine down the hall…”
    Rey coughs. “Yeah. But, um…I like the ones from the cafeteria.”
    Dad looks like he’s trying to figure out the solution to world peace. “Okay, Rey. Would anyone else like a drink?”
    Lex and I shake our heads. I wince as my head pounds.
    “See you in a bit.” Dad’s gone.
    “What was that about?” I ask Rey. “You trying to get them back together or something? They’ll kill each other before they get to the caf. Why are they pissed at each other, anyway?”
    “They’re blaming each other for what happened to you. Whatever, it doesn’t matter. I had to get rid of him because I really, really need to talk to you, Cruise.” He looks at Lex for a second. “Alone.”
    I see the hurt on her face. It reminds me of what we fought about a few days ago. How Lex feels I push Rey in front of her. That he’s more important to me than she is. If I ask her to leave, will she feel like I’m shoving her aside? I don’t want to hurt her. I want to make up. Make up and make out.
    Lex gives me a small smile. “I’ll wait outside.”
    I don’t have a chance to figure out what’s the best thing to do because she walks out. Rey grabs the chair next to the bed and pulls it even closer. He drops down on it. “Cruise, we need to talk.”
    “Oh? I didn’t know I was your girlfriend.” I laugh like I’m high. Is it the drugs?
    “Seriously. The cops stopped by when you were off in Sleepy Land.”
    I feel my lips turn upside-down. “Cops?”
    “Yeah. They’re trying to figure out why Jake Tyler and his friends assaulted you.”
    “Gee, I wonder...”
    He clutches the blanket. “You can’t tell them the truth, Cruiser. If Mom and Dad find out about the drugs…if the school finds out...”
    Damn, he looks like his head’s about to be chopped off.
    “Don’t worry about it, bro. I’ll tell them the same thing I told Principal Cameron and VP Rayer. The guy talked crap about my girl. I punched him. Because he got in trouble, some kid came forward and told them Jake sold him drugs. Jake was