Awaken Me (The Jaded Series Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

the memory and climb into my truck. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out. Mia’s name is on the screen, and I think about ignoring it, but she knows I’m in town and if I don’t answer it now, she’ll just keep calling back or come storming to the house.
    Pulling in a deep breath, I accept the call.
    “Hey, Mia.”
    “Hey, you,” comes Mia’s sweet voice. It’s a total contrast because the last thing Mia is, is innocent. Her short frame may fool you, but she has a big attitude and isn’t afraid to use it. “I heard you were back in town. How have you been?”
    “Busy, but I’ll be here for a few weeks,” I tell her and drape my arm over the steering wheel.
    “That’s good. Mac and I were wondering if you’d like to come over for dinner on Tuesday.”
    I roll my eyes at her attempt to see how I’m doing in person. Mia, just like everyone else, knows how precariously close to the edge I am these days. They also know how easy it is to push me over. I appreciate the worry, but I don’t want it. I just want to be left alone, which makes me an asshole because they are my friends.
    So I don’t worry her further and have her banging on my door tonight, I give in.
    “Sure. What time do you want me there?” I ask.
    “Really? You’ll come?” The disbelief in her voice in unmistakable.
    “I said I’ll come, didn’t I?”
    It comes off harsher than I intended, and I wait for Mia to bite my head off, but it never comes. Instead she rushes with her reply, like I may change my mind if she doesn’t hurry. The thought has occurred to me. I really don’t want to be around people, but I hate disappointing her. And maybe if I put on a good front, she’ll back off for a while.
    “Six. Is that good for you?” she says quickly.
    “That’s fine,” I say, and blow out a breath.
    “Great! We’ll see you then.” In a quieter tone, she says, “I’ve missed you, Nick.”
    And now I feel like shit because I know I haven’t been the best of friends. These people love me and only want to see me happy again.
    “Missed you, too, Mia,” I tell her softly.
    We hang up, and I start my truck. Checking my side mirrors, I pull out onto the street. My number-one priority when I get back home is to crack open one of the bottles that’s now in the back of my truck and get shitfaced.
     

Chris
    Mia, Mac, Jaxon, Bailey, and I are all sitting around Jaxon’s living room. Andrew and Jase would have been here, but Ally had a checkup today to get the results from her latest tests to see if the bone marrow transplant worked. No way would Andrew miss it and none of us would want or expect him to.
    We’re gathered today because we’re all really worried about Nick. He’s been here for over a week and no one’s seen or heard from him since his second day back. Everyone’s tried calling him, with the exception of me. I’m sure I’m the last person he wants to hear from. He’s ignoring everyone. Jaxon and Mac have been over to his house, but Nick never answers the door. The only reason we know he’s still alive is because a couple of townspeople have seen his truck around a couple of times.
    He was supposed to go to Mia and Mac’s for dinner last week, but he never showed. He didn’t call either. Mac said Mia was pissed and upset. He had to calm her down before she went over to his house to raise hell. It took some doing, but he finally got her to agree to not go over with guns blazing.
    “I don’t know what to do anymore,” Mia says, her face riddled with worry lines. “He’s drowning in his sorrow and won’t take any of the life preservers we throw him. It’s like he doesn’t care anymore.”
    “Well, we’ve got to do something,” Jaxon says. “He can’t keep on like this.”
    Bailey sniffles beside her husband and Jaxon wraps his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to his chest.
    “I’m scared for him,” Bailey says tearfully. “I understand grief, but what he’s going through is