Her Regret, His Resolve; Bouncing Back, Book 2

9

“Where the hell is he that he can’t answer his phone?” she muttered under her breath, her voice edged with irritation.

David, noticing his daughter's agitation, scowled. He was aware of what was happening with the young man she was head over heels for. Russell had likely been taken to the psychiatry clinic after his latest episode. Pulling out his phone, David quickly messaged Callum.

D: Any word back on that punk’s status?

Boss: He’s under observation. Again. Something triggered his memories, and he’s not saying who or what it was. Robert had to restrain him after he smashed the bathroom mirror to slit his wrists.

Pale, David glanced at Skylar, who was still grumbling about not being able to talk to her boyfriend. The best person to ask about the encrypted messages would likely be one of the two boys Russell had befriended. David straightened in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he watched his daughter pace the kitchen. There was something in the way she spoke that put him on edge, a tone he couldn’t quite place. Sky had always been hard to read since he gained full, uncontested custody of her when she was eleven.

“Goddamn it, Russ. Answer the freaking phone already!” Skylar's voice cut through his thoughts, her frustration evident.

David frowned. If Skylar was part of the problem, why hadn’t Russell said anything about it? The uncertainty gnawed at him, but he resolved to get to the bottom of it. His brain hurt from trying to make sense of it all, but the pieces just didn’t fit the way he wanted them to. As much as he tried to force them to join, the puzzle seemed to refuse to be solved until all the cards were out on the table.

As he tried to figure out how to broach the subject with Skylar, the door to their flat opened, and his son walked in. “I’m home!”

“Did you do what I asked?” Sky blurted before David had a chance to speak.

Jaxon frowned. Having only just gotten back from doing homework with Lukas, he was not expecting to get questioned right away. “Not yet, no. I didn’t have a chance yet.”

Their father narrowed his eyes, his mind racing as he again pulled out his phone. This time, he messaged Trace.

D: I need help.

TR: With?

D: Hacking my daughter’s cell. I need copies of the message thread between Sky and Russ.

TR: Was?

Trace switching to German wasn’t unusual when it came to his friends. The German-born man was basically the comic relief of the crew, but he was also the best hacker they had on staff.

D: This is literally life or death.

TR: Ten mins, tops.

David glanced at his kids, knowing they were hiding something that could potentially damage the trust the higher-ups had in them. “Jaxon, what are you hiding?”

Skylar, her face a mask of fear and worry, said: “I asked him to see where Russell was for me.”

“No one can know where he and Robert Drake are gone. No one,” David snapped. Though he didn’t like raising his voice at his children, he knew he had to take a step back from being a parent for now. If he didn’t figure out what his daughter had to do with Russell’s current state of mind, he would most likely end up on the receiving end of Ambrosia’s legendary temper. The last few people who betrayed them weren’t lucky in any sense of the word, but the recipients of their organs were.

Seeing the sorry, exhausted state his boy was in, David shook his head. “If you’re hungry, speak now so I can whip something up for you.”

Jaxon’s face relaxed as he listened to his father and made his way to his room. “Anything is fine.”

“Leftovers it is, then,” his father said with a grunt as he got to his feet.

Half an hour later, he was sitting in his study when he finally opened the message from Trace. It was a copy of Skylar’s texts to Russell and the man’s responses. At first glance, they were innocent, loving text messages. Then he looked closer, picking each one apart until he felt like someone dropped a bucket of ice over him. Shaking, he scrubbed a hand over his face, the weight of the revelation settling heavily on his shoulders. The messages, though seemingly benign, hinted at a deeper, more troubling dynamic between Skylar and Russell.

The subtle manipulations and veiled threats were clear to him now, and he realized just how much his daughter might be contributing to Russell's distress. David's mind raced as he considered his next steps. He needed to confront Skylar, but he also had to protect Russell and ensure his safety. The complexity of the situation weighed heavily on him, and he knew he had to tread carefully to avoid making things worse.

The room felt colder, the gravity of the situation pressing down on him. The safety of his family depended on his next moves, and he couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

******

At the hospital, Declan waited in the hall with Robert while his brother underwent the assessment. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air, mixing with the quiet hum of fluorescent lights. Declan turned to the man sitting next to him, his head pounding with a dull ache. He knew that Robert understood more than he let on, but he didn’t want to break the bond his brother shared with the other man. Forcing him to spill everything wasn’t an option.

“He’s hurting bad, man. Everything went to hell after he got with that girl, but he’s convinced she loves him,” Robert said softly, his voice tinged with a mix of frustration and sorrow.

Blinking in awe, Declan raised a brow. He wanted to press for more information, but he opted not to. He had learned long ago that the younger generation was a lot more secretive than his. “What makes you say that?”

“Listen, y’all didn’t hear this from me, but she ain’t no Saint Teresa. She’s real demanding, wants his attention all the time, but pushes him aside when she feels like it. I don’t know if she got something of her own goin’ on, Dec, but he can’t keep living like that. He’s my best friend, and that’s the only reason I’m breaking my confidentiality with him. I’m worried that next time, I won’t be enough. That I’ll be too late to take action,” Robert said, leaning forward in his seat, his head resting in his hands.

Looking up at the ceiling, Declan let out a long breath. The weight of Robert’s words settled heavily on him. “I hear you, but we can’t act until he asks for help. It won’t be his fault, but the ball is in his court.”

Robert nodded, though his worry remained etched on his face. The silence between them was heavy, filled with unspoken fears and the hope that Russell would find the strength to seek the help he needed.

The office door opened, revealing a woman in a white lab coat. “Mr. Reyes?”

“Yes?” Declan replied, getting to his feet, his heart pounding in anticipation.

“You can take your brother home now. Please ensure that he is not left alone for a little while. I’ve written a prescription for some anti-depressants and melatonin to help him recover. If there are any concerns, please contact my office,” the woman said gently, her voice carrying a calm reassurance.

Declan moved to pull her aside while Robert went in to get Russell. He licked his lips, his throat dry with anxiety. “Doctor Keys, level with me. Please. Is my brother going to be okay? I mean, is this the result of his mind reverting?”

“Mr. Reyes, after speaking with your brother in depth, I’m afraid that it’s more complicated than that. You see, he has CPTSD or Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. This isn’t something that just goes away, either. Healing takes time, but his childhood trauma can’t be erased or simply overcome. Like any mental illness, CPTSD comes with its own set of ups and downs. It’s complex for a reason, Mr. Reyes, and all we can do is be there for him. Offer understanding and love, but be mindful,” Doctor Keys explained, her eyes reflecting empathy.

“I had no idea,” Declan whispered, his voice barely audible. “Is… is there anything I can do for him?”

“You’re already doing the best thing possible. Constantly checking in, involving him in family-oriented activities, and giving him jobs where he can feel useful and needed are already part of his daily routine, so I suggest continuing with that. The only change is the medication, which will help calm the depression. He absolutely has to keep all his therapy appointments, too. He missed one today,” Doctor Keys explained, her tone firm yet kind.

Robert scoffed, “Yeah, because of her.”

“Don’t, man,” Russell pleaded as he walked out behind his friend, his shoulders slumped and eyes tired. “It wasn’t her fault that I forgot about it. I’ll put the next one in my phone to set a reminder, okay. Um, thank you, Doc.”

“Russell, I know that life seems dark, but think of all the light you have in your life. You told me you have nieces and nephews, right? Well, not to sound brash, but try focusing on them. You already said that you’d never in a trillion years hurt an innocent child, right?” Doctor Keys asked, her voice gentle yet probing.

He nodded, a small flicker of hope lighting up his eyes.

Declan grinned, catching onto the woman’s plan. “Russ, the kids have been asking for you. Think staying with me for a few days might help? You can use Ken’s old room.”

“I wouldn’t want to impose,” his brother breathed, his voice fragile.

“Too bad,” Declan declared with a warm smile. “You’re spending some time with the family, and that’s final.”