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18
Shaye
Iwring my hands together as Max’s car hits every damn red light between Rocco’s house and the hospital.
“Should someone call Viktor?” I gnaw at my lower lip, doubting Nico would have already reached out. He’s waiting with his mom and Lily, probably too focused on them to think about what he’s going to do next.
“Fuck Viktor,” Max growls. “Why the hell are we even going to the hospital right now?” He points to me as he swerves around a slow-moving car in his lane. “You should be home, and Rocco and I should be on our way to tear that cocksucker apart.”
“You know you can’t do that,” I start. “Nico would—”
“He’s got enough to deal with right now.”
“Relax.” Rocco clasps my shoulder. “We’re gonna take care of it, okay?”
“Yeah, the golden boy has it all figured out,” Max grumbles, veering into the parking lot next to the Emergency Room.
“Fuck off, asshole.” Rocco ruffles Max’s hair. “Don’t be a jealous bitch. Admit it, you’re a goddamn lunatic. Nico needs someone who doesn’t pull the trigger first and then asks the questions later.” He snickers. “As if you’d ever get to the question part.”
“At least I’ve never had my ass kicked by a girl.”
Rocco pokes me from his spot in the backseat. “Nice. I can’t believe you sold me out like that.”
I shrug. “Don’t worry. If he was up against Kat, I’d take her any day.”
“Thanks, sis.” Max shakes his head and turns off the car. “This has been a really nice ride, guys. Let’s never fucking do it again, okay?”
I let out a deep breath. “So what’s the plan? What should we do?”
“You’re not doing anything except staying here at the hospital. Leave the Grim Reaper shit to us. And don’t worry. That fucker will get his ass shredded by our sickle.” Rocco slides out of the backseat and slams the door shut.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” I murmur to Max, nibbling on my thumb nail. “This guy is dangerous, Max.”
“Hey.” Max’s lips curl into a small smile. “Danger is my middle name.”
“Well, actually, it’s not, but—"
“Shaye, it’s gonna be fine. I promise.”
“What if you can’t find him in time? What if he’s hiding?”
“That dickhead is too much of a fucking idiot to hide. He wants to be seen. He wants to be found. He’s like a peacock shaking his ass feathers around.” Max rummages in the center console and pops a magazine into his shotgun before sticking it behind his back and into the waistband of his jeans.
“Just be careful,” I whisper, tears pooling in my eyes. So much death. Even more danger and uncertainty. Sometimes, it chokes me so hard I can barely breathe.
He flashes me a crooked grin and winks. “I’ve got a lot to live for, Shaye. That motherfucker ain’t taking it all from me.”
I throw my arms around his neck and squeeze, breathing in his cologne. “I like the fact that you remembered to spritz yourself in Prada for the occasion.” Sniffle.
“I like to smell good when I bust heads.”
I let out a little giggle. “You really are crazy.” I don’t know how he manages to be funny at times like these when he’s talking about maiming some unlucky person who’s about to cross his path. It’s kind of a sick gift. That or he really is hovering over the brink of insanity.
“I keep shit interesting. Now get the hell out of the car so we can get this party started. My trigger finger is getting itchy.”
I push open the door and swing my legs around so my feet hit the pavement. I stand slowly, my knees wobbling against each other. A sense of impending dread seems to settle around me. It snakes around me like an overgrown vine, sprouting thorns of fear, angst, and panic. They come closer and closer to penetrating my skin as I follow the guys into the hospital, but they don’t make contact. They’re just looming, a threat of the most dangerous kind. A harbinger of what’s to come.
The presence gets heavier and more ominous with each step we take, and ignoring it is impossible. My throat tightens as a whoosh of warm air blasts us. The lobby is full of people waiting, worrying, and praying. I scout the room, but there isn’t a single person I recognize. I clench and unclench my fingers to get the blood circulating. An unexplainable chill settles deep in my bones despite the heat. I know what’s about to happen, and there isn’t anything I can do to stop it.
