Three Hearts One Soul (The Soul Series #1) (9 page)

When I’m done, I head into the kitchen and double check that I’ve got everything I need. When I’m satisfied, I take hold of my phone and I text Jase telling him everything is ready and I’ll see him soon. Then I sit on the couch and let my thoughts lead back to Whiskey and his nasty phone call. Why would he want me to stay away? What is he hiding from? Is he protecting us or is he just being an ass? The Whiskey I knew had a tendency to be an asshole when he wanted, but he was usually easily tamed.

I sit on Whiskey’s bed with my legs tucked underneath me, munching on a bag of crisps. Whiskey is shirtless, and sitting on the couch strumming away on his guitar. He looks beautiful concentrating, his eyes are narrowed and his lips are pursed. His large, muscled body moves as he begins playing. I can’t help that my eyes travel over him, he’s just got something about him…something so beautiful. When he starts singing Jase’s favourite song by matchbox 20, I smile. It’s our favourite band, and Whiskey often sings their songs on stage at the bar.

“I think I’ve already lost you, I think you’re already gone, I think I’m finally scared now, you think I’m weak, I think you’re wrong…I think you’re already leaving. Feels like your hand is on the door…”

I swallow and stop eating as his voice fills my ears. It’s beautiful, soulful, deep and husky. He has a voice that could have made him money if he took it further, he could have been a crazy big rockstar. He has the look for it. Whiskey screams sex. He is sex. Women swoon over him, even though he’s only nineteen. He attracts attention from the young and the old. I let my eyes slide over the tattoo on his shoulder, it’s a black dragon. It’s him. Fiery. Dark. Beautiful.

“If you’re gone, baby you need to come home. There’s a little bit of something in
me, and everything in you…” he sings.

His phone ringing jolts him from his moment. He glares down at it, then sighs and drops his guitar.

“What?”

I let my eyes shift to his abs as he leans back against the couch. Whiskey is two years older than me, but I feel things when I look at him.
So many things. It’s…distracting. I pick up another crisp and listen as he chats away.

“Sarah, I can’t tonight. I’m
hangin’ with Nev.”

Sarah. The girl that’s mad about him. The girl he’s ‘screwed’ a few times. I can’t deny that it bothers me. Of course it does. I hate that Whiskey has eyes for another. I know I shouldn’t feel like that about either of the boys, but I do. I don’t act on it though, why would I? I can’t have them both and I certainly can’t choose, so I just have to deal with it.

“Too bad,” he grumbles.

He listens for a moment longer.

“Well, I’m hangin’ with her. Deal with it. I’ll call you later.”

He slams the phone closed and I give him a pointed look when he turns and sets his brown eyes on me.

“What?” he asks.

“Are you always so
mean to her?”

He gives me a confused expression,
then throws his hands in the air.

“
You fuckin’ women. You all hate each other and yet you all defend each other. Fine Nev, if you wanna go home and let her come and fuck me, by all means!”

I get off the bed and walk over,
then I drive a punch into his shoulder. “Stop being a jerk Whiskey, you might get away with being a jackass to her but it won’t work with me!”

He narrows his eyes and then a half grin creeps up onto his face and he reaches out, wrapping his arms around my waist and hurling me down onto the couch. I squeal and shove at his chest as he lands on me and begins tickling me.

“You’re the only girl who gets to tell me how it is, you know that don’t you sugar?”

“That’s because you know I won’t take any of your shit!”

He huffs and leans on his elbow, still not moving off me. I can feel every hard inch of him pressing against my body.

“No, you don’t take my shit. You’re the only one though. Anyone else spoke to me like that and…”

“What tough guy?” I tease, tracing the dragons tail that goes over his shoulder to his chest.

“I’d knock them out.”

“Well, I guess I’m just special then.”

“Heaven, you have no idea.”

I’m crying again. I remember the good parts to Whiskey. I remember his gentle side. I remember the man underneath the cover. Has that man gone? The man on the phone is someone I didn’t know. What do I tell Jase?

“Nev?”

I hear the voice calling through my door and I get to my feet so quickly I stumble a few times. I know that voice. Oh god. I swing the front door open and see my father standing with a big smile on his handsome face. With a cry, I leap into his arms. He wraps me up in his grip, giving me an instant feeling of comfort. I cry into his shirt, gripping so tightly my fingers burn.

“Nev, baby, what’s wrong?”

“He’s dying daddy, he’s dying.”

“Who baby?
Hey, shhh.”

“Jase…Jase is dying.”

“Jase Levanox?”

“Yes!” I wail, clinging to him.

“Hey now, come on, come on.”

He leads me inside and gently sits us down onto the couch. I wail and cling to him, feeling extremely childish. He strokes my hair and soothes me until I’m able to tell him what’s happening. When I’m done, his face pales. He liked Jase and
Whiskey, he always invited them into his home when I used to visit him. They all got along, they were like his sons. I know the news will crush him.

“Jase…is dying?” he whispers, as if trying to make himself believe it.

“Yes, and there’s nothing I can do daddy. I can’t help him.”

He grips my face, swiping my tears away. “You are helping
him, you are helping him by doing this for him. You are being the best help you can be.”

“He’s going to die, daddy, I can’t lose him.”

“Oh baby.”

My father holds me until I stop crying. It takes a while. Every now and then I’ll stop long enough for him to think I’m not going to start again, then I think of Jase and reality hits and the tears start again. Eventually though, my chest is aching, my eyes are burning and I can’t get another tear out. I pull back and stare at my father through bleary eyes. He smiles at me and strokes my cheek. He looks well. He’s been away for work, but I have no doubt the break did him good.

My father is six foot, with honey blonde hair and eyes so blue they are mind blowing. He’s a well-built man and I have no doubt he gets plenty of offers from women. He’s gifted in that department. I’ve watched the man sweet talk his way out of so many things it’s crazy. He’s covered in tattoos and he has two piercings in his ears. I believe my father was quite the bad boy when he was younger. He met my mum and they were ying and yang, kind of like Whiskey and Jase. She couldn’t handle him, she just wanted an easy man and my father is certainly not an easy man. He loves me though, more than his own life and he was always a great dad.

“I thought you weren’t coming back yet?” I whisper.

“I wanted to surprise you.”

I smile and then roll my head on my shoulders, feeling achy. “Jase’s parents are coming to stay with me
too, they want to be around Jase.”

“That’s a lot to put on you kid.”

“I know but I need him to be with me daddy, I need him…”

“I know baby. Well, I’m just a few blocks down, you call me you hear?
If you need anything?”

“I will. Tell me, how was your trip?”

He shrugs and leans against the chair, I notice a new tattoo on his forearm. It’s yet another mark on my father’s art board.

“Work’s work you know?”

“What did you do aside from work?”

His lips curl and I roll my eyes.

“Don’t tell me, I don’t want to know. Seriously daddy, you’re a freaking Deviot, you’re meant to be the one chastising me.”

He turns to me and winks. “
I
never said I did anything. You’re assuming.”

“Well, what did you do then?”

He shrugs. “Enjoyed friends, enjoyed dinners…”

“Enjoyed women? Seriously, when are you going to settle down daddy?”

“Soon baby.”

I roll my eyes. “I better go get Jase’s parents.”

My father stands, his powerful body looking awfully large from this angle. I stand quickly and he smiles, putting his hands on my shoulders.

“You go get them, I’ll start dinner. How about I crash on the couch tonight to make sure everything goes well?”

“You’d do that?” I whisper.

He cups my face. “I’d do anything for you baby, now, go get
em’.”

I smile and grip my keys and phone,
then I kiss my father’s cheek once more before rushing out. When I get to my cherry red car, I slide in and turn it on. The ride to the hospital seems extra slow today, maybe because of my emotions. When I arrive, I park and take the time to walk into the large hospital. When I reach my nurses’ station, I take a leave form. I’ve been thinking about it for the past day, but I know it’s something I have to do. I have weeks and weeks of leave up my sleeve, so I fill out the form to take four weeks.

“Hey girl.”

I turn to see Tanya walking towards me. I smile at her and wave my leave form around. “I’m going on leave.”

“I expected as much, I don’t blame you. Family and friends are more important than work. You should spend as much time with him as you can before…”

She trails off but I know what she was going to say. Before he dies. I clench my eyes shut. Keep it together Nevaeh, you can’t break down. He needs you.

“I’m sorry honey,” Tanya whispers, putting her hand on my shoulder.

I open my eyes and force a smile. “It’s ok.”

“Do you want to talk?”

I shake my head, swallowing. “I’m ok, thanks.”

“You call me if you need, ok?”

I nod and swallow again, that lump in my throat just won’t leave. “Thanks Tan, I better go.”

She hugs me quickly and then rushes off. I place the leave form on the desk in the correct tray,
then I head up to oncology. When I get into Jase’s room, he’s sitting on the bed, his bags by his feet. Doctor Wilson is standing in front of him, chatting about something. His parents are sitting on the guest chairs, both looking a little pale. I’m guessing what they’re talking about is how long he’s got. Without treatment, I can imagine it’s…weeks. If that. Cancer as aggressive as his, spreads in mere weeks. I take a deep breath again, calming my twisting stomach.

“So we will send a nurse around every day to check on you Jase, and you really do need to take it easy. You need to…be gentle…with what time you have left.”

My breathing turns to panting and I put my hand against the wall to steady myself. Jase looks over at me, and his eyes fill with pain.

“Aw Nev, come here.”

I put my hand up, struggling for calm. “No, I’m ok. It’s ok. Go on.”

Jase doesn’t move his eyes from mine as Doctor Wilson continues.

“So, you have everything you need. It’s essential you keep hydrated and if you have anything go wrong, anything at all, come back.”

“What for?”
Jase rasps, finally turning his eyes back to Doctor Wilson. “I’m going to die anyway, so why come back?”

“Jase!”
Katie cries, covering her face in her hands.

“
It’s true mum, even though we don’t like it, it’s true!”

I can’t…I just can’t. I turn and begin rushing towards the door.

“Nev?!” Jase calls.

I force my wobbly legs to turn. “I…I…will be outside.”

“Nev, come here,” he whispers.

I look at everyone in the room. “I…”

“Come here,” his voice is hard and firm.

I turn, forcing myself to move towards him. Doctor Wilson smiles and says something else I don’t catch. All I can see is Jase. His mother and father excuse themselves and in seconds we’re alone. Jase reaches out, gripping my hands. His skin is cool and clammy. He tugs me closer until I’m standing between his legs and he’s looking up at me. He reaches up, stroking the soft skin under my eyes. I close my eyes, feeling my lashes stroke his fingers as he gently moves them away.

“You’ve been crying.”

It’s not a question. I slowly let my body lower until I’m on my knees. I grip his thighs and drop my head into his lap. He grips my hair, stroking the long, messy
strands. My body trembles and I know I’m meant to be the strong one, I know I am but I just can’t seem to hold it together today.

“I’m sorry,” I croak. “I’m meant to be the strong one.”

He scoffs. “Baby, if you wanna cry, you cry. I want you to cry. I want you to
feel.
You feeling makes me believe that maybe, just maybe, there will be something left behind when I’m gone.”

I look up at him and he swipes the tear from my cheek. “Is that what you think
Jase, that nothing will be left behind?”

He scans my face. “I don’t know.”