[Vance’s POV]I follow quietly as Tabitha makes her way toward the small reception desk in the middle of the ICU. When she arrives, she waits for the woman sitting there to acknowledge her.“Which patient?” She asks calmly.From the woman’s demeanor, it is clear that she is more than used to dealing with anxious family members and mourning ones. There is a lack of emotion on her face, and when Tabitha gives Anthony’s name, she doesn’t even bat an eye before she is nodding toward a small waiting room at the end of the hall.For a moment, Tabitha doesn’t move as she looks from the woman to the rooms around us and back. I’m sure that she is going to try to argue about just seeing Anthony, and before she can do that, I’m grabbing her and leading her away.“What are you doing?” She hisses once we take a seat. “What about Anthony?”“I’m sure the doctor will give us more information on his condition.”Something in me knew that whatever we heard, we weren’t going to like it, but I didn’t want

[Tabitha’s POV]I curl into Vance while willing away the pain that continues to radiate up my arm and throughout my entire body despite my no longer being in the sun. How was it possible that everything had turned to shit in the span of forty-eight hours?Anthony was gone, and he was never coming back. Atticus didn’t remember me, or at least, he was pretending to not know me. That meant that I had absolutely no one.As this thought hits me, I look up at Vance’s face and find that he is deep in thought while he stares at the car that we came in. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like it.“We need to get somewhere safe,” he murmurs, pulling me closer against him.“But how?” I whisper.If we were to step off the porch, then we would be in the path of the rays of sun that were beginning to pierce through the limbs above. But we also couldn’t stay on Atticus’ property; it was only a matter of time before he came after us.“Hang on tight,” Vance annou

[Vance’s POV]“Fuck,” I hiss as Tabitha’s head bobs back and forth, taking my dick deep into her throat and then almost releasing it. “That’s it.”Dammit. Why in the hell was I even going along with this when I knew that we had more important matters to attend to? And why was she like this when she lost someone she deeply cared for and was rejected by another?It’s because she was hurt so deeply that she is looking for an escape. The small voice in the back of my head says.Right. She was looking for an escape, the same way I looked for an escape back then, but my choice was women and booze.Understanding that maybe this was exactly what she needed to escape the things that were haunting her, I hold her head in place and begin to thrust until I feel myself growing close to cumming.Pulling out, I clamp a hand around my shaft and begin to pump while Tabitha sits obediently with her mouth open, ready to take every last fucking drop I release.Hissing, I begin to erupt, covering her face

[Tabitha’s POV]I wait for Vance to head out of the room before grabbing my phone from the bedside table so I can begin scrolling through the numbers that are saved in it until I come across the one that I’m looking for. It had been so many years since I last talked to them, and I found that I was actually nervous.Swallowing, I click dial before I can chicken out and then wait as the phone rings.“Hello?”For a moment, I don’t speak as Priest Thompson’s voice washes over me. Hearing it now was bringing me back to that time and place.Closing my eyes, I let images of the day I decided to leave with Anthony appear before I compose myself again.“It’s me,” I say slowly, knowing that I can’t just sit here and not speak. “Tabitha.”“Tabitha?” Priest Thompson repeats. “Why are you calling? I thought you decided you wanted nothing to do with…”“Anthony,” I hiss before he can start an argument. “He’s dead.”Growing quiet, I wait as Priest Thompson processes my words, and when I hear what sou

[Atticus’ POV]I toss and turn as images of that woman who came to find me with Vance keep appearing in my mind. She insisted that we were acquainted, but for the life of me, I couldn’t remember her, and even Vance seemed confused by this fact. Was it me that was forgetting something, or was it some elaborate trick to try to do something? I didn’t know, but by the time the sun began to rise, I gave up on sleep and decided to go pay August a visit.Maybe he could concoct something for me to take to try to stir up memories, but would he be willing to help me this early after a long night in the club?Deciding it was worth a try, I quickly get dressed and then head downstairs. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, I take in my living room, which is still in complete disarray, and debate whether or not I should attempt to clean it before going anywhere, but in the end, I decide against it.Kicking aside a lamp, I make my way out into the bright day and then make my way to Morte Diem while