Then he’s running after her dad, following him outside.
I drag myself to my feet. Every movement sends fresh waves of pain through my chest. I don’t care. I stumble toward the door.
By the time I get outside, Zephyr has taken her from him, and he’s already putting her in my car. The engine’s still running from when we got here. He peels out of the driveway, leaving me.
Shit!
Her dad grabs Zinnia by the arm. “Get in the car. Now.”
“No!” Zinnia screams.
But he’s already dragging her toward the black Honda Pilot.
I suck up my pride and run. Pain shoots through my ribs with every step, but I don’t stop. I reach the SUV just as he’s starting the engine.
I yank open the back door and slide in next to Zinnia.
Her dad whips around. “Get out.”
“Fuck you,” I say.
“Get the fuck out!”
I stare at him as he throws the car into reverse. I say, “You’re going to get what you deserve.”
He reverses out of the driveway fast enough that I’m thrown against the seat. Then he’s racing down the street in the direction of the hospital.
“You shouldn’t fucking be here!” he shouts.
I see sirens in the distance, heading in our direction.
Then Zephyr stops dead at the stop sign of the four-way road and waves his arms at the ambulance.
Thank God this city is fast.
Her dad slams the brakes. I’m out of the SUV before he can stop me, running toward my car.
Zephyr’s already pulling Tigerlily’s limp body out of the passenger seat. Her head lolls to the side. There’s blood everywhere.
The medics take her from him and load her onto a stretcher. They start working immediately.
I sprint as hard as I can, but I’m not fast enough. They close the ambulance doors with Zephyr inside.
“Shit!”
I’m not even halfway. The sirens blare, and the ambulance rushes off.
The cops race past us, but I don’t care. I run into my car and race after the ambulance.
I can’t lose her.
I can’t fucking lose her!
The hospital waiting room is small and sterile and suffocating.
Tigerlily’s dad is sitting across from me. Zinnia’s next to me on the plastic chairs. She won’t stop crying. She won’t look at her dad. She just keeps her body angled toward me like I can protect her from what just happened.
I want to kill him.
