AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How do you take your coffee?” her mother called.
Michael glanced down the hallway, then back at Becca.
“I won’t think you’re any less of a jerk if you act like a normal human being and have a cup of coffee,” Becca said. “I promise.”
He sighed. “Black,” he called.
Figured.
In the kitchen, her mother directed him to stand at the sink. “Let water run over those bites,” she said. “Puncture wounds like that can be a problem. What, did you have a run-in with a dog?”
“Something like that.” He did as her mother had directed, but Becca saw him glance her way.
“She’s a nurse,” Becca said. “You’re probably lucky Mom’s not wrestling you into the ER.”
ould have paid more attention in freshman Health.
“Jesus, Nick—I’m sorry—I didn’t—” He didn’t what? He didn’t mean to poke his brother’s broken leg?
“Stop apologizing.” Nick’s voice sounded breathy. “Look, I think my phone might still be in my pocket.”
A phone! But Chris couldn’t force his hand to reach out. “Do you want me to untie you first, or—”
“I’m lying on my hands.” Nick gave a rough laugh. “And I don’t think moving would be a good idea.”
Chris would give anything for a bare hint of light. “Okay. We’ll call Mike or Gabriel, and they’ll have us out of here in, like, five minutes—”
“Oh yeah? Where’s here?”
That threw him. Chris didn’t have an answer. He didn’t even know how long he’d been unconscious.
He didn’t even know if it was day or night.
“Stop thinking,” said Nick. His voice was losing the thready current of shock, and now carried a tremor of pain. He sounded like he was clenching his teeth. “Just find it.”
Chris steeled his nerves. This time he traced the seam of the pants with the barest edge of his fingertips. The fabric was bunched and torn in places. Chris tried not to think of what that might mean.
At least Nick was conscious. Good, right? He should probably keep him talking.
“Gabriel’s going to be pissed.”
It took Nick a second to answer. “Why?”
“He’ll have to break his leg so people won’t be able to tell you apart.”
Nick snorted. A laugh. Good!
Then he said, “This room is airtight, Chris.”
“How much air do we have?”
“A day, maybe.”
Chris might have panicked about that, but then his hand found the gap of fabric that had to mean a pocket. Thank god they’d been at the dance and his brother was wearing dress pants. He couldn’t imagine fighting a phone out of a pair of jeans.
He flipped the device open. The blue display cast a sphere of light into the darkness, not stretching much farther than three feet. The glow caught Nick’s face and made his eyes dark and hollow. His shirt was unbuttoned at the neck, his tie gone. Bruises ran down the side of his face, and it looked like blood was caked in his hair.
“Chris,” said Nick.
