Without another word, I stomped down the hallway to the main bedroom. I didn’t need directions because I knew where it was. After all, I’d lived in the house when I was with Shaunie. Painted the walls, laid the floors, remodeled the bathrooms …
When I stopped in front of the door, I turned to find Shaunie watching me intently. She didn’t speak, but the question was in her eyes. Eventually, though, she walked away shaking her head. Then, I let myself into the room.
I spotted her right away, splayed out on the mattress, face down. “Laiya,” I called.
“Huh?” she grunted, then let out a whimper.
I stared down at her. I brushed a strand of hair from her face, then smoothed my thumb over her furrowed brow. It was the closest I’d ever gotten to her bare skin. Because it was rare that we touched each other at all. A brief hug every so often, but that was the extent of our physical contact. Her eyes were closed, and she looked like an angel. Like I’d just got a glimpse of Heaven.
“Hey.” I nudged her. “I need you to wake up.”
One eye popped open. “Spencer? It’s you?”
I smiled. “Yeah, I’m here.”
“You’re here to save me?” she whispered.
“I should let your butt stay here,” I teased. “I told you not to come.”
She giggled. “And I told you not to tell me what to do.”
Earlier that morning, I’d run into her at Luca’s Coney Island. She’d mentioned going to the party, but I warned her against it. It had been a long time since I’d attended one of Shaunie’s sets, but nothing ever changed. Loud music. Drinks. Drugs. Dancing. Fights. Good thing I got there before all hell broke loose.
With a heavy sigh, I picked her up, cradling her in my arms. She smelled like snow, so crisp, but slightly sweet. Iwanted to bury my nose in her hair, in her neck. “Where’s your purse?”
Curling into me, she mumbled, “I don’t know. Probably out there.” She frowned. “I think I gave it to Shaunie.”
“How did you get here?”
“I drove.”
Shit.
“Spence?” She lifted her head up, meeting my gaze. “Is it normal to not feel my face?”
“They don’t call that bongLuciferfor no reason.”
“Don’t remind me. I couldn’t stop coughing. I ate a whole box of Frosted Flakes.”
Chuckling, I said, “That’s a lot.”
“I’m never doing this again,” she promised.
“Good. Now, let’s get you out of here.”
As I carried her toward the front of the house, I asked Shaunie to bring me her purse and told O to make sure her car stayed where it was. When Fred opened the front door for me, Rodger Mills was standing there.
Figures.
He frowned. “What are you doing?”
“Taking her home.”
Laiya lifted her head again. “Rod? What are you doing here?”
“I came to get you,” he said. “Shaunie called me.”
I whirled around to face Shaunie, but she wasn’t quick enough to wipe that smirk off her face. She shrugged. “I figured hermanshould know what happened.”
