AllFreeNovel
Share Us
RACHEL
My tears have dried by the time we get back to the resort, but I’m still shaking. Matt’s fingers fisting my hair runs through me on repeat, this torturous reel I can't shake from my mind. My scalp is burning, but I don’t want to make a big deal of it because Mikayla’s the one with an egg on her cheek and dried blood on the edges of her mouth.
She fought so hard for me.
And I just sat there like a fish out of water, squirming on the ground, useless.
I was useless.
She fought like a wildcat, and I froze up.
“Here we go.” Liam takes my hand, helping me out of the car and treating me like cracked porcelain.
Pulling me to his side, he rubs my arm as if he’s trying to warm me up. But I’m not cold. I’m just…
Shit. I don’t know what I am.
“Mikayla?” Michael’s voice pitches when we walk into the reception area. She’s still in Ethan’s arms, and the fact that she’s not fighting this is making me feel sick. She hates coming across as weak or needy… and the only time she doesn’t is when she’s legit weak and in serious need of help.
Shit! I did that to her.
“What happened?” Her father rushes around the front desk, bolting to his daughter’s side while I struggle to look at him.
Is he going to blame me for this?
He should.
Ethan mutters something that I don’t hear, but it makes Michael’s face go pale.
“Come with me.” He orders us down a side corridor and into a private lounge, pulling out a first aid kit from the top cupboard and crouching in front of his daughter when she wilts onto the couch. “Do we need to take you to the hospital?”
“No.” Mick shakes her head but winces.
“You might be concussed. How’s your head? Is it pounding? What’s your vision like?”
“Can you stop asking me so many questions, please?” Her words are kind of muffled as she obviously tries to talk around the cut inside her mouth.
“You think this is too many questions?" Michael's face bunches as he pulls out gauze and antiseptic cream. “Believe me, Mickey Blue. I have a ton more.”
“What happened?” Emilia bursts into the room. “I just got a call from the front desk.”
“We don’t know the details yet.” Michael pauses to look around the room, frowning at the guys before taking a look at me. His expression softens briefly, but then his forehead is wrinkling again and he’s throwing all the attention back to his daughter. Softly dabbing her cheek, he hisses at the same time she does, sharing her pain like it’s his own.
“Let me get an ice pack.” Emilia winces when she takes a look at Mikayla’s face. “Did someone punch you, honey?”
“Yes. Someone did.” Ethan’s voice is steely as he rests his hands on his hips and starts pacing.
Liam nudges me out of his path, leading me to a chair and pulling me onto his lap when my legs start to buckle.
A cold tension descends into the room while Michael dabs the blood off Mikayla’s lips and Emilia fusses with the ice pack. I stay quiet, tucking my head into the crook of Liam’s neck so I don’t have to look at anyone.
I can hear Ethan’s agitated footsteps as he prowls the room, huffing and radiating an angst so thick, it’s hard not to be coated in it.
“Would you stop pacing?” Mikayla finally snaps.
I lift my head, happy to hear her getting her spark back.
Ethan jerks still, spinning around to glare at her. “I can’t!” He throws his arms up. “Look at your face.” His voice cracks. “I want to kill that fucker!”
