The front passenger door opens, and Xavier climbs in, then shuts the door before holding his hand out to me between the two front seats. “Gun.”
I jolt. Fuck, I forgot I had that. It takes a second before my trigger finger relaxes enough to let go, but when it does, I offer him the gun on the palm of my hand.
Xav takes it from me, then talks to Hudson as he starts dismantling each piece. “Closest hospital is Bayshore.”
Hudson starts the car and pulls away from the curb. Headlights come around the corner up ahead.
The car fills with tension as the lowered sedan, with its chrome wheels and heavy bass, passes us. I turn in my seat to watch out the back window and see Mountain Man drop something big and bulky wrapped in plastic into the trunk of Tray’s car.
The sedan slows to watch but doesn’t stop, driving off down the street.
I refocus on Emmy and know that, after tonight, I won’t be letting her out of my life. Even if it means I have to spend a lifetime on my knees for her.
Chapter 6
Emery
The blackness that surrounds my brain is gone between the space of two heartbeats as I jolt in place while memories of Tray assault me.
Thinking he was Xavier.
His fist smashing into my face and my head bouncing off the wall.
Waking up in that room with the weird light.
My head exploding with pain.
Guns.
A loud, erratic beeping fires off around my head, and I try to shift away from it, but my wrist is trapped, and it screams in agony the moment I put weight on it. Lungs tight, I try to suck in air, but it feels like there is an elephant sitting on my chest.
“Shhh, Ems, it’s okay. You’re in the hospital, you’re safe.” The quiet feminine whisper is like a soothing hand against the fear and pain. The voice is familiar, and it takes a second to place it, but then her face comes to mind—Oakley.
“Oaks?” I croak, cracking my eyelids open the tiniest amount.
Light floods my eyes, and I flinch, immediately shutting them again at the onslaught of pain, but at least the nausea is gone. Did she sayhospital?
“Yeah, it’s me. Oh god, Ems, I was so scared. When Prof—Xavier answered your phone, I was just about ready to call the police. But then they all came and they found you. They brought you here.” She keeps her voice quiet, but there is a quaver at the end. Like she is barely keeping it together and is seconds away from crying.
I lick my lips, trying to wet them. My brain feels like I left it behind three days ago. “Can you turn the lights down, please?”
“Yes, one sec.”
The bed is bumped the tiniest bit, and a cord near my arm moves before the space behind my eyelids goes almost black.
“There, it’s as dark as I can make it.”
Slowly, I force my eyes open again, testing it out with just a slit. When I’m not immediately smashed with jackhammers to my skull, I relax and allow them to open farther.
I search the room for Oakley and find her sitting right next to my bed, face all splotchy and her eyes red.
She really had been crying over me. I don’t think anyone has ever cried over me before.
Oakley smiles, but it’s wobbly at best. “Hey, bestie.”
My lips quirk. “Hey.”
“Can I get you anything?”
