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“Lakyn!” my mom shouts to me, but I refuse to look at her. I can’t, not now.
“Don’t worry about them,” Archer says as he walks me to his car. Unlocking the doors, he opens the passenger side, lifting me around the waist and settling me on the seat. I can feel the tension of Reign behind him, but I’m too distraught to put up a fight about it. I just allow Archer to step between my legs, his fingers wrapping around my thighs. He grips me tightly, pressing against my body, his heat warming me.
“Archer, stop,” I sigh, not having any strength to push him away.
He leans down, and I tip my head against his chest, inhaling the comforting scent I’ve been surrounded by for years.
“They aren’t your family, Lakyn. I am. We are,” he says with such certainty, it seeps into my bones, the truth to his words ricocheting around my battered heart. “You don’t need them when you have us. You have me, baby, and I won’t ever let anything happen to you. You know that?”
I look up at him, staring him in the eyes as his gaze pierces mine. He is so sure. His love is eternal, and I’ve always known it. How much I mean to him, how far he’d go to protect me.
“I know,” I whisper, giving him a small nod.
He lifts his fingers, cupping my jaw as he leans forward, his lips pressing against mine. He’s gentle right now, and my eyes widen slightly, not used to the tenderness of his touch.
Until Archer’s body is ripped from mine, and Reign stands over him, his back heaving as he growls at Archer. “Are you just trying to fucking piss me off, Archer? What the fuck are you doing?”
Archer laughs sharply, as he leaps to his feet, brushing his clothes off. “I don’t know what you’re fucking talking about.”
Reign points, his glare on me for one moment, and it’s enough to melt me into the ground.
Fuck, he’s livid.
“What the fuck, Lakyn?” he growls at me.
Fuck him. Now is not the time to measure dicks.
I slip my feet into the car, grabbing onto the door. “I’m not dealing with this shit here. Eloise was attacked right over there! Her blood is all over the place. It looks like a massacre!” I shout, angry at him. Angry at the both of them. “If you both want to fight with each other over me, which, by the way, is not fucking happening, then I hope you guys realize that neither of you will get anything. Consider me fucking closed off, done, sold, whatever. This bullshit you guys are playing is exhausting, and I’m not dealing with it anymore.”
I slam my door closed, letting them deal with their own bullshit.
Because me? I’m over it.
The smell of hospitals is always the same. It doesn’t matter which one you go to, what time, or what wing you enter, it burns your nose and dries your throat.
Sterile. Disinfectant. Death.
Our shoes squeak on the tiled floor as we walk down the third level toward the nurses’ station.
We’re all coiled tight, mostly from Archer and Reign. I ignore them, my own tension knotting my insides. Eloise’s mom hasn’t responded to Vienna, and I’ve begun thinking the worst. Wondering if she’s nearing the end, or if she’s already gone.
Either way, it hurts. It’s such an intense pain that I could cripple to my knees. I hate the thought of losing one of my best friends, and it’s even worse because I firmly believe it’s my fault.
If only I would’ve done something last night, we wouldn’t be in this position today. Eloise would be with us, unharmed, her life not at stake.
“Hello, can I help you?” a nurse asks as we approach, rainbow hearts decorating her scrubs. She has a small smile on her face, frozen, her eyes darting to each of us. “Unfortunately, we currently have a two-visitor maximum policy.”
I step up to her desk, my fingers wrapping around the edge of the counter. “We’re here to see Eloise Sharpe.”
Her eyes soften instantly. “Ah. Miss Sharpe just arrived back to her room from recovery. She hasn’t woken up yet, and her parents just stepped out for lunch. I don’t believe you’ll be able to speak with her at this time.” She tilts her head to the side in sympathy, and my fingers tighten on the counter.
Biting the inside of my cheek so I don’t freak out, I lean a little closer. “We’re not expecting to speak with her, but we would like to see her.”
Her eyes turn down in regret. “I’m sorry, it’s just not possible at this time.”
I’m moved gently out of the way as Reign steps up to the counter. “Listen”—his eyes drop to her name tag—“Tallelah, Eloise is our closest friend, and I’m certain she’d want us in the room with her.”
Her face stiffens, and I know she can sense the danger Reign brings with him. “We were notified by law enforcement that Miss Sharpe is to have no visitors.”
