As he does, his eyelids get heavy and his head bobs.
Tapping the side of his face, I shout, “Shane. Hey!”
“Hmm.” He cracks an eye.
“Hey. Are you okay? What should I do? Should I take you somewhere?”
I’ve seen him high before, but not like this. He shakes his head, heaving again.
“Shit.” Grabbing the bag, I lean him forward, but most of it lands on the floor before he flops back on the couch. His eyes close one last time, and his breathing slows.
“Shane. Open your eyes. Tell me you’re okay!”
He doesn’t respond this time, and my heart thumps wildly in my chest.
I need to do something.
Think, Ash. Think.
I guide him down to his side and run my fingers through his hair.
What the hell.
Grabbing my phone, I squeeze my eyes shut. Shane lays lifeless as fear plows into me. I need help or I’m going to lose my brother.
Nik—No.
He’ll kill me if I let her see him like this.
JT.
Pulling his phone from his right pocket, I try turning it on, but when the screen lights up, it says two percent.
Shit.
Racing to my room, I rip my charger from the wall before returning to the living room. With shaky hands, I plug it in and scroll through his contacts before hitting the call button with my heart in my throat.
His voicemail picks up.Hey, it’s JT. You can leave a message, but I probably won’t listen to it. Beep.
“Goddamn it,” I mutter under my breath, knowing what I need to do.
I scroll through his contacts until I get to him, then press call.
“What the fuck, man. Where are you?” The gravelly voice shouts from the other end.
“Gabriel? I?—”
My voice cracks, a sob breaking free before I finish the sentence. His name rolls off my tongue like a prayer.
Despite what’s happened, I knew he’d answer. He wouldn’t let anything happen to Shane, and if anyone can handle a crisis, it’s Gabriel Abbott.
“Ash? Hey, what’s wrong? Where’s Shane?” The concern lacing his voice has me trembling.
“He’s here. He just showed up, and I—I don’t know what to do. It’s bad. Please help me.” My words become more panicked as tears race down my cheeks.
“Okay. I’m on my way. Is he conscious?”
“He was, but he’s not now.”
