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"Fuck, Luke. I don't know. Can you grab my phone out of my back pocket, please?" He does as I ask and hands it to me when I plop my ass against the side of the building.
With Rylee's pale cheek resting against my chest, I find Leo's contact in my phone and hit the call button. My heart pounds so hard that I worry it might disturb her.
"I'll cover you," Luke murmurs and turns his back to shield us from all the people milling about.
"Where are you guys?" Leo shouts into the phone.
"Get outside. Now. Please," I beg. I don't know what to do or what the hell happened back there. I hang up before he can say anything else. Not soon after, Luke moves aside and clasps Jude on the shoulder when he passes.
"Rylee! Oh my God, what happened?" Marcus gasps just as he slams to the ground beside me.
"I…" I choke, emotion welling in my throat and eyes. "I don't know. She came running down the hallway in a panic and passed out once I had her!"
"Okay, let me grab her from you so you can stand. Let's get home, yeah?" Jude carcasses my cheek, settling my rapidly growing anxiety at being separated from her.
"Don't drop her, please," I say urgently as I hand her over. I relax slightly when his large hand tucks her head into the crook of his neck. I about keel over when her arm hangs limp, dangling in the air.
"Hey, Jackson. Look at me," Leo says. His hand twines in my hair and draws my attention away from Marcus helping Jude get Rylee comfortable for the walk back to the car.
Leo looks blurry when I finally turn to him. "Huh?"
His hand grips the back of my neck and forces my forehead to his. "You did good, Jackson. You got there in time. You didn't let her fall." Leo cuts off my protest with a kiss that makes me weak in the knees. "No more arguing. You did perfect, I promise. We are all so fucking grateful you were with her."
I nod mutely, lost in his baby blues. "Let's get her to your place. I don't think Layla should see her like this. I'll call Gabby on the walk to the car." Gripping my palm in one hand and his phone in the other, we hustle behind Marc and Jude.
I tune out Leo's hushed conversation with Gabby. The couple-minute walk to the car is a blur of Rylee's bare legs swaying with each step Jude makes. It makes me sick.
Every time I close my eyes, I see her pale complexion and horrified gaze. I should have been there sooner. Faster. Nothing should ever put that kind of fear into my girls.
* * *
It’s almost eleven in the fucking morning. Rylee has been unconscious for ten fucking hours.
"Maybe we should call a doctor?" Jude sounds timid where he sits on the staircase.
"Is she just tired? Does anyone know if she has been sleeping bad or something?" Marcus asks a few steps below our surfer boy.
Leo rests against my chest where I lean on the banister. I tighten my grip around his waist, needing the comfort just as much as he does. Nobody slept in Jude's room with Rylee last night out of respect for her comfort and boundaries.
We all camped out in the living room downstairs, but I'm pretty sure we all sat outside her door at one point or another. I'm starving, but we figured we would make breakfast when Rylee woke up. That was three hours ago.
Jude coughs and runs his hand through his hair anxiously. "Did anyone notice how swollen and red her eyes were yesterday when we got there?" Leo nods, and I feel like a dick for not noticing. "She didn't look okay, guys. I think she was crying."
"Fuck," I hiss. It would have been a shout if not for the man in my arms soothing my battered feelings.
"Let's start breakfast," Leo murmurs. "Once she smells bacon, I doubt she will be able to resist." Shifting, he kisses my jaw and drags me to the kitchen by my belt loop.
I follow with zero resistance, needing more of his attention and feeling hopeful about the bacon. Placed on a stool, Leo hands me a cup of coffee. I am not ashamed that I like it sweeter than any broody asshole ever has. He slides a few packets of sweetener to me and some creamer, allowing me to make up whatever kind of sugar I want for the day.
For once, Marc and Jude don't poke fun at my coffee choices, too lost in their own thoughts. Jude migrates back to the stairs with his own cup in hand, but Marc stays by my side.
I feel bad. Normally, I'm the one that's put together. Or at least that's what I think. All I know is I want my family to be happy, and right now, there's a throbbing pain stabbing my chest when I look at them. Rylee isn't okay, which means we aren't either. If I had any doubts that we were quickly becoming attached to the girls, they are sure as fuck gone now.
The aroma of bacon drags me from my inner turmoil, giving me hope it will carry up to Rylee. Marcus shifts beside me, moving towards the plate of cooked bacon. I watch on with caution and amusement as his hand slowly reaches for a piece.
Leo stiffens. Marc jerks, his hand snatching out faster than I have ever seen. He dips his head to latch onto the piece of bacon with his teeth just as Leo swats his hand with the spatula.
Marcus squeals and darts around to my side of the island. Pulling the bacon out of his mouth, he huffs. "I was just getting some for Daddy JJ. Look how sad he is."
