He’s intubated, and the monitors beep a slow rhythm. Finn checks the board beside the bed, looking for any clues about what’s wrong with him. His chart would be at the nurse’s station, but Finn would never violate a patient’s privacy beyond what’s readily accessible on the board.
Grayson steps out of Jay’s hold to approach the bed and frowns. “Who is this, Ro?”
“It’s Winnie and her brother, I think? Ansel. She helped me call you earlier, and I could smell her in the elevator. I feel like we’re supposed to be here, you know? Why does he smell like that?”
That scent is strawberries, patchouli, and…decay.
13
In the Heart of Turmoil (Luca)
Of all the places Luca has been—all over the world—and all the times he’s woken up wondering where the fuck he was, he has never smelled this much like debauchery: red wine, come, and…motor oil in a bakery?
What the fuck.
The day from hell floods back like a tsunami.
He can feel Nix leaning on him, and the scent of his mate’s sweet vanilla with that subtle thread of magical patchouli, gives Luca comfort where otherwise he would be freaking out.
Probably because his stomach is roiling, and it feels like ants are crawling all over his skin.
It’s the BBS—so horrifyingly familiar because it means he’s been away from Gideon for far too long. Then again, to be fair,anytime away from Gideon feels way too long.
He nudges Nix to wake him up, because he meant what he said in the garage before—he doesnotlike to be alone with his thoughts when they’re all over the place.
What if Carnell figures out Luca is sick because of Broken Bond Syndrome? He’s never asked Gideon, but he would guess Gideon hasn’t told his father he has a soulmate.
He’ll have to think of a plausible story Nix can tell if he suddenly starts puking his guts up. He doesn’t want to think about what comes after that.
“Nix.”
“I’m awake. Just resting my eyes. Are you feeling okay?” Nix asks, running his hands absently over his belly—soothing them or himself, Luca can’t be sure.
“Shit. You must be starving.” His own hunger pains are persistent, and Nix is eating for four: their kids, himself, and to compensate for Grayson’s magical draw.
“S’okay. Been there, done that.”
The reminder is like a punch to the gut, and Luca may look lazy to an outsider, but he is a brilliant problem solver.
“I’m going to get us some grub,” he says, planning to bang on the door until someone comes and brings them a sandwich. Luca would eat grits (ew) if it meant Nix eats, too.
“No. Lauren told us to lie low. I’m fine. The girls are fine.”
Their call to Lauren had been short and sweet. She’d said she’d tell the others where they were and that they were alright, but said not to rock the boat until she had a plan.
“You say that, but I can tell you’re feeling like shit. Who’s going to kick ass if Withers comes back when you’ve collapsed from lack of food and water?”
Nix smiles and kisses his cheek. He pulls out their stolen phone to show him it’s almost out of battery. It’s almost midnight, but there’s a running timer counting down the minutes of oxygen they have left in the cellar.
As Luca watches, it goes from fifty-two minutes to fifty-one minutes and fifty-nine seconds.
“We’re going to have bigger problems soon. Best stay calm.”
Calm?Ha. Luca is quickly moving from calm to I-need-Gideon-right-the-fuck-now.
Feeling helpless is such a foreign concept these days that it’s adding to the runaway train that is a full-blown panic attack.
“Luca!” Nix says firmly. “Look at me.”
