Eternal Hearts Read Online Free PDF

what you said.”
    Concern crept into his eyes. “Where’d you go?”
    “Same place I always go.” She cast a glance to the sparkling glass frontage of The Rivers Building, but looked away when she caught sight of her own reflection for the second time since she’d arrived.
    “Why here, 8-Ball?” She twisted so his hand fell from her shoulder then backed away from him. “Of all the places in Chicago for me to meet you and Brick, why the hell did he pick here?”
    The muscles in his jaw flexed hard. “You said you wanted honesty, so I’ll give it to you.” He folded his arms over his chest. “He said he wanted to make you think long and hard about why you came back. Said he hoped if you had to stand right there, you’d think about the choices you made the last time you were here and how it all could’ve gone different.”
    Toni couldn’t do anything but blink as a sharp pain burst to life in the center of her chest. She struggled for a breath as dozens of bloodstained images flashed in her mind. “How it could’ve gone different?” She squeezed her hands closed tight when the beast stirred in her stomach. “All I’ve thought about for the last three years is how that night could’ve gone different. How I could have stopped her…how I could’ve saved them. So don’t tell me I need to stand in front of this damn building to think about what I did. It’s all I think about. It’s all I dream about. Most days…it’s the only thing I have left!”
    When 8-Ball stepped forward and attempted to wrap her up in his arms, she wrenched herself free then shoved him back against the glass. “No! You wanted me to stand here. You wanted me to relive it all. But guess what?” She couldn’t hold back her tears any longer, so she quit trying. “I don’t need to relive it all…because what you don’t understand is that I’m still living it!” She gnashed her teeth together as scarlet flames erupted at the edges of her vision. “Every time I see a table, I see my mother’s heart lying in the middle of it. I see my brother and sister tied to the chairs. And no matter how hard I try…I still can’t save them. So I just stand there, watching it happen all over again, just like I did back then.”
    “I’m sorry about what happened to your family, Toni. You know I am.” He craned his neck, seemingly transfixed for a moment by the dark clouds gathering above The Rivers Building, but then lowered his head and shot her a knowing glare. “I don’t blame you for going after Stryker. I would’ve gone after the bitch, too. But the way you did it.” The muscles in his jaw flexed again as he shook his head. “What would’ve happened if you’d killed Stryker down on Rush Street, Toni? What would you have done next? Run off into the city looking for Oktober? Do you have any idea what would’ve happened if you’d found him ? His Ancient ass would’ve chewed you up then spit you right the fuck out, that’s what would’ve happened. Then we’d have been burying you right along with your family.”
    Toni stared straight into 8-Ball’s eyes as the beast dug its razor sharp claws into her stomach. “If I’d known Oktober then, if I’d known anything about him…” She ground her teeth together. “I would have gone after him first.”
    8-Ball rolled his eyes. “So is that why you came back? To finish what you started? You gonna go after Oktober? You gonna suicide yourself so you can finally be with your family?” He straightened then slowly narrowed his eyes on her. “Or is that what you were trying to do the first time around, but Stryker just couldn’t get the job done?”
    “I didn’t come back for Oktober or Stryker. I just wanted to come home!” She pressed her fingertips against her mouth as a sob caught in her throat. “I’ve never even seen their graves, 8-Ball. I just wanna tell them I’m sorry. I just wanna tell them I loved them…that I still love them. That I wish I could have saved