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“Off doesn’t even start to cover it now.” My hands clench into fists. “We’ve gotta go to him. Brielle, we can drop you off first?—”
“Wait.” Brielle’s voice cuts through the tension, soft yet insistent. She’s on her feet too, a determined glint in her eye. “I’m coming with you.”
Levi’s skepticism is almost tangible, clouding the air between us. “Brielle, this isn’t?—”
“Isn’t what?” Her challenge is fierce, her stance unwavering. “Isn’t my business? Isn’t important? Because it is. To all of us.” She moves closer, her touch electric as her fingers graze my arm, urging me to see reason.
“Levi,” I interject, “Conrad might enjoy seeing her.”
“Fine,” he relents, but the lines of concern don’t fade from his brow.
“Let’s go then.” My voice is steady now, fueled by a new urgency.
* * *
The hospital’s sterile scent hits me as we step through the sliding doors.
We find Conrad hunched over in one of the unforgiving plastic chairs that line the corridor, his tall frame making it look like a child’s seat. He looks up, and there’s this moment—a flash of relief that cuts through the shadows under his eyes. He stands, and I see it, the weight he’s been carrying.
“Hey,” I say, voice rough with worry.
His response is a tired smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Thanks for coming.” His gaze drifts to Brielle, then to Levi, settling on each face as if they’re anchors keeping him from drifting away.
“The doctors—they won’t let anyone in yet,” he explains, voice tinged with frustration.
“Have they said anything else about her condition?” I ask, leaning in closer.
Conrad runs a hand through his hair, the gesture painfully familiar. “Just that she’s stable. They’re cautious. Hopeful.” The word seems to get stuck in his throat, lodged between hope and despair.
Brielle steps forward, her presence all warmth and comfort. She touches Conrad’s shoulder gently, grounding him. “She’s strong, Conrad. She’ll pull through.”
I watch them, and something stirs inside me—this tangle of emotions where relief meets desire. They look good together, natural and caring. It’s a scene that shouldn’t fit into the complicated puzzle of our lives, yet somehow it fits perfectly.
“Conrad!” The familiar voice slices through the air. “I came as soon as I heard.” It’s Jim, Brielle’s father—no, our best friend.
“I’m here for you, man,” Jim says, but his voice trails off, his composure slipping when he spots his daughter among us.
Fuck. This would be the worst possible time for the truth to come out.
What will Jim say when he finds out we’ve deflowered his daughter and have been having sex with her ever since?
Brielle releases her grip on Conrad’s shoulder. “Dad—” she starts, but the words hang there, unfinished.
Jim’s frown deepens, his gaze sharpening. “Brielle? What are you doing here?”
24
BRIELLE
I stand in the sterile hospital corridor, heart pounding like a jackhammer, as I face my father, Conrad, Levi, and Grayson. The weight of their gazes makes it difficult to breathe, and for a moment, I’m at a loss for words.
A lie needs to be told, but will Dad buy it?
Clearing my throat, I force myself to look into my father’s worried eyes. “Dad, I was with Grayson when we got the call about Conrad’s sister,” I say, my voice cracking slightly. “He was helping me with an assignment, tutoring me, you know?”
It’s easy, it’s believable—I hope.
Grayson’s eyes meet mine, and he nods in agreement. I can’t help but notice the concern etched on his face, mirrored by both Conrad and Levi. Time seems to slow as I wait for my father’s reaction.
