“Lennox—” Bishop began, sticking out his arm to stop me from running forward, but I was too quick.
I darted past him, urging my body to run faster than ever. Bishop’s footsteps sounded behind me, solidifying my anxiety.He wouldn’t have taken off after me if his mind hadn’t gone to the worst possible scenario like mine had.
He grabbed my hand, pulling me back as I got to the crowd. I tried to fight back and struggle out of his hold, but it was useless. “Let me go,” I said, panic rising with each wasted second.
“I’m trying to help you,” he barked. I didn’t know what he meant until he stepped in front and tugged me through the crowd. He shouted at the onlookers, forcing them out of the way so we could pass.
I couldn’t breathe or think about anything other than seeing what was on the other side of the crowd. If it wasn’t for Bishop’s skin against my own, I wouldn’t have made it without collapsing.
As Bishop broke through the last line of people, his steps faltered. He spun around, taking me in his arms as I tried to step around him. “Look at me,” he said, but I shook my head.
“Let me through,” I cried. “Let me see?—”
“Goddammit, Lennox… Look at me,” he growled. His hands flew to my face, forcing me to meet his gaze. “I need you to breathe, okay?”
My vision clouded, the world going blurry around me. It wasn’t until his thumbs swiped beneath my eyes that I realized I’d started crying. “I can’t,” I said, gasping for air. “Bishop, I can’t…”
“You can,” he said, trying to keep his tone even, but he couldn’t. There was a shake there that hadn’t been before.
“Lennox!” Josie cried, pulling me away from Bishop. “We need to find Cleo,” she said in a rush. “Her phone is off, and we need?—”
But I’d stopped listening when I looked past her shoulder and saw Lincoln. He was hunched over someone, frantically performing CPR. My mom was on her knees beside him. Shehad her arms wrapped around her middle, crying for the person to wake up.
“—meet us at the hospital,” Josie finished, tugging on my arm. “Are you listening?”
I couldn’t. Not as Lincoln shifted, and I saw my dad’s face come into view.
Then I screamed.
bishop
. . .
The driveto the hospital was long and silent. Lennox and Cleo sat in my back seat, holding onto one another, as I followed Lincoln, Josie, and Ruby up ahead. Given the severity of Doug’s condition, he’d been immediately airlifted to a facility in Dallas that could treat him properly.
I kept the radio low, total quiet made me uncomfortable, especially when I could hear the girls’ soft sniffles and couldn’t do a damn thing about it. My gaze darted to my rear-view mirror too often, keeping an eye on them like it could make a damn bit of difference.
I’d never felt so helpless in my life.
Hearing the heartbreak in Lennox’s scream had nearly broken me. I’d held her to me as long as I could, squeezing her tightly as if I could stop her from shattering further. It was only when the paramedics began loading Doug onto the stretcher that I knew I had to jump into motion.
When we pulled up to the hospital, both girls jumped out and ran through the doors as Josie ushered a distraught Ruby in after them. Her eyes were re-rimmed and swollen. Unfocused.
Lincoln and I followed, but neither of us said anything. Helooked stricken, his face pale and arms still shaking. By the time the ambulance had made it out to the ranch, he’d given Doug CPR for over thirty minutes.
The paramedic said it was the only reason Doug was still alive.
We quickly made our way inside and found the elevator. We rode in silence up to the ICU. The moment the doors opened, the girls headed straight to the nurse’s station.
“Hi, we’re here to see Douglas Hayes? He was airlifted.” Cleo asked the woman sitting behind the counter. “We just drove up from Ashwood.”
“Let me check,” she said, typing his name into their system. It was silent for a long moment as we all waited on bated breath. “Unfortunately, he’s still in surgery, and visiting hours are over.”
“Please?” Josie asked, voice breaking.
“I’m so sorry,” she said. To her credit, she sounded genuine. “Even if things were different, I can’t let six of you in?—”
“We can wait out here,” I said, gesturing toward Lincoln and me. His eyes darted to Josie, and I could tell he didn’t want to let her out of his sight, but that was too damn bad. “If that helps.”
