I didn’t argue, letting them take over, but I hovered close, giving instructions, giving context, making sure they knew aboutthe bite wounds and how many. My hands were still sticky with blood, my knuckles white as I clenched them.
As they loaded him onto the stretcher, I whispered, “Just hang on, Ol’ School. You hear me? Hang on.”
The ambulance doors closed, and the world felt quieter suddenly, the chaos replaced by a heavy silence. I finally exhaled, shoulders slumping. My hands shook uncontrollably, adrenaline spent but fear still simmering under my skin as I rushed back to my car.
I glanced down at my phone.
I had a missed call from Skye.
Shit.
I couldn’t deal with that right now.
Shoving my phone into my pocket, I hopped in the car and put my foot on the gas, not stopping until I was at the emergency room.
49
SKYE
My phone sat in my hand, the screen dark after still not getting a call back from Ocean.
He never left me hanging like this, not even for a second.
I slid my purse over my shoulder, forcing myself to focus. First stop...my sister’s house. I needed to check on her. Needed to see that she was okay after everything that had gone down.
When I got there, the sound of my nephew giggling in the other room greeted me. My sister, half-awake but trying to look collected, came toward me, her face drawn but softening as she saw me.
“Hey,” she said quietly.
“Hey. You good?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
She shook her head lightly, a small, humorless laugh escaping her. “I’m managing. Kory’s been blowing up my phone, calling non-stop. I’ve been ignoring him, meeting with a divorce attorney tomorrow.”
I winced, the weight of it pressing in. “Damn, sis, I’m so sorry you’re dealing with all of this.”
She sighed, moving toward the kitchen. “I just can’t believe what he was doing. With other men. And the lies. All this time.”
My stomach twisted. I wanted to hug her, hold her, tell her it wasn’t her fault, but also, I couldn’t get Ocean off my mind. Every missed call, it all felt like a punch in the gut.
Leera turned to me, eyes heavy. “And I know we were at odds over him for so long. I shouldn’t have blamed you…or been so distant. I was just angry, scared, and hurt.”
I swallowed hard, touching her arm. “Don’t worry about that now. You need to focus on KJ and yourself. That’s all that matters.”
We lingered for a moment in silence, the soft sounds of KJ playing with his toy filling the space. Then my phone rang. I jumped and snatched it up.
“Skye,” Shade’s voice came through, urgent. “It’s Ol’ School…he’s been rushed to the hospital. He got attacked by some dogs. You need to get here.”
The world around me tilted.
My feet moved before my brain could even process, my car keys digging into my palm as I bolted for the door. “I’ll be right there,” I said.
My sister’s concerned shout followed me as I ran out to my car.
The ride to the hospital was a blur. I kept trying to call Ocean, but each time it went straight to voicemail. I didn’t care about traffic, the honking horns, or the pedestrians staring at the crazy woman gripping the wheel too tight. My only focus was getting to him, making sure everything was okay.
As soon as I made it to the hospital, I rushed out of the car and ran into the emergency room.
Shade appeared first, leaning against the wall, his face tense but composed.
