Rogue (Bad Blooded Rebel Series) Read Free

Trish.”
    “You have me too, Everleigh. You also
have Jude, Kris, and Beau. They came up too because they already care about you
as much as I do.”
    She let out a small sob. “You all didn’t
have to come. You’re going to be in trouble with your record label now because
of me.”
    “I don’t care. Those assholes weren’t
even there when we got back to Cincinnati. Our manager Steve is loading up our
studio as we speak and he’s shipping our things here so we can record our album
in Indiana. Those douche bags will get their record and I will be right where I
need to be. Here with you,” I said.
    “Ryder…”
    “Don’t try to get rid of me because I’m
not leaving your side in this gorgeous,” I said, wrapping my arm around her
shoulders and pulling her to me.
    She grew quiet as tears steadily fell
down her cheeks. I just sat there and held her while she cried. I still hadn’t
looked directly at Max…as much as I hated to admit it to myself I was scared to
see him. I just needed a few moments to collect myself before I looked. I
didn’t have much time however because I suddenly felt a cold, clammy hand brush
mine. “Well, hey there, son,” Max croaked.
    I took a deep shaky breath and looked up
at him. When I met his eyes, the lump in my throat started to choke me. “Hey
Max. How are you doing?” I whispered, trying to clear my throat.
    “Glad to see you with my Evie girl.
She’s going to need you,” he said, straining to speak above a whisper.
    Everleigh openly sobbed as I squeezed
his frail hand. “There’s nowhere in the world I’d rather be,” I said.
    “That’s good,” he said. “Promise me
something?”
    “Anything,” I answered.
    “Take care of her, son,” he whispered. At
that moment, I couldn’t stop the emotions anymore and I felt two fat tears fall
down my cheeks. They were the first tears I’d cried in the five years since I
lost my mom.
    “I will. I promise,” I said, my voice
cracking.
    “Thank you,” he said, and closed his eyes.
I started to think the worst but I saw that he was still breathing and relief
washed through me for one small moment.
    I gripped Everleigh tighter in my arms
and kissed her hair. She still smelled like warm vanilla…the smell was soothing
to me. She looked up at me and wiped the tears from my eyes with her free hand.
I kissed her fingertips and tasted my tears on them. I had barely blinked when
I felt her lips on my cheek. She darted her tongue across my stubble and I
asked, “What are you doing?”
    “Now I’m kissing your tears away,” she
whispered. I gritted my jaw tight and pressed my forehead to hers.
    I felt Max squeeze my hand and my head
shot up. He weakly nudged my hand over to Everleigh’s and urged me to take her
hand. Once I did, I felt his cold hand cover ours and he whispered through
ragged breaths, “Take care of each other. At the end of it all, love is the
most important thing. I love you, Evie girl, and I’m so proud of you.”
    She started to shake and I held on as
hard as I could. “I love you too, Daddy. So much,” she cried.
    His eyes flicked to mine and he barely
said, “Take care of my girl, son. Don’t let me down.” He took a few more ragged
breaths, and then suddenly, he was still. Max was gone.
    I blinked back more tears and quickly
tore my eyes away from him and over to Everleigh, who was sobbing hysterically
and shaking his hand as if to wake him. “Daddy? Daddy, wake up! Please, don’t
go, I’m not ready to say goodbye! Daddy, please come back!” she cried, shaking
violently. I slid my hand out from under his cold one and wrapped both my arms
around her to try and calm her. I ran my hands along her hair as she cried and
cried, begging him not to go. It took all the strength in me not to break down
right along with her. I wish I had better prepared myself for this because in
that moment I felt like that scared twenty year old kid that lost his dad all
over again.
    I held Everleigh in my arms for