Page 122 of Sweet Redemption

“Bodhi . . .” I tell whoever’s listening. “He’s with my mom.”

Max rests a hand on my shoulder and squats down. “I’ll make sure he’s taken care of, Hendrix. Let the team look you over. They need to make sure you’re okay.”

“We’d like to take you to the hospital, Mr. Sinclair,” someone says, but I’m not sure who. An oxygen mask is slipped over my face as I’m helped to my feet.

“Go with them to the hospital, Hendrix,” Max says in that way only Max Kingston can. “I’ll get your mom and let your dad know what’s happening.” He follows me to the ambulance. “I’ll even call my daughter.”

“What?”

He nods and walks away as I sit on a stretcher, thinking maybe I did hit my head.

Serena

“Serena,” Dad says as I open my front door. “I need you to get on shoes.” He looks me up and down. “And pants.”

“Hello to you too, Dad,” I grumble as I walk away from the door, ignoring him. “It’s my day off, and I’m in my own house. I don’t really see why pants are necessary, but in case you were wondering.” I lift my hoodie—well actually Hendrix’s hoodie that I stole from him when I was twenty-one and too hungover to bother looking for my own clothes—and flash him the shorts I’m wearing under it. “See? Shorts.”

“Honey, Love In Bloom caught on fire today, and Delaney Beneventi was caught inside. Ryker and Hendrix were across the street when it happened, and they found her and saved her. They performed CPR until the EMTs got there, and they’ve all been rushed to Kroydon Hills Hospital. If you want a ride, put on pants and shoes, and I’ll drive you.”

I stand there, staring at him, not sure I heard him right.

“Say something,” he finally says.

“I’m sorry, what?” I ask, not processing what he just said. I shake my head thinking, I might be going into shock. “What?”

“Delaney—”

“Wait—a fire. Hendrix was in a fire?” It all clicks at once. “Oh my God. I’ve got to get to the hospital.” I spin around, looking for shoes. “Is he okay? Are all of them okay?”

Where the fuck are my shoes?

I grab someone’s Ugg slippers from the stairs and head for the door.

“Pants, Serena,” Dad growls.

“I have on motherfucking shorts,” I scream like a lunatic, clearly losing it. “Now are you going to drive me to the hospital or am I?”

Dad blinks at me for a second before blowing out a breath, grumbling under his breath as I grab my keys and purse from the table by the door.

A minute later, we’re in the back of his town car, his driver, Lou, in the front seat going entirely too slow.

“Lou—” I bark.

“I’m going as fast as I can, Serena.”

“Serena,” Dad snaps from next to me. “Calm down. You being a mess won’t help anything, honey.” He throws an arm around my shoulders, and I turn to look at him, my brain apparently choosing now to catch up to my nerves.

“Why did you come to my house?” I ask as some of the adrenaline wanes.

“Did you not want a ride to the hospital?” he asks calmly, like it’s that simple.

“Dad . . .” I say slowly. “How did you know I’d want to go to the hospital?”

If he says Mom told him, I won’t be mad. It’s not like I asked her not to say anything. I just thought I’d have time to talk to him about it myself.

But he doesn’t say that. Nope. Not my dad. Nothing with him is ever that easy.

He smiles and shakes his head instead. “Oh, honey, did you really think I didn’t know you and Hendrix Sinclair have been together since you were seniors in high school?”