“Get in. I’ll have Emerald pick up your car,” he orders harshly as he slides into the driver’s seat. I stay silent, staring blankly out the window.
It doesn’t even surprise me that he knew I drove myself. I don’t question it.
Is Lizzy okay? The worry churns my already turbulent stomach, and I suppress the urge to retch as Henry accelerates.
Tomorrow, another piece of my heart and soul will break.
Soon, there’ll be nothing left of me, just ashes.
The darkness surrounding me is liberating as I watch my little sister from my armchair. The glow of the streetlamp outside my apartment casts a pale light over her, making her look even paler than she already is, yet she sleeps peacefully. Still, I don’t let my gaze waver for a second. Lincoln insisted she needed to be watched through the night. She should have been taken to a hospital, but that wasn’t an option without attracting public attention.
My blood still runs cold when I think about what a close call it was. How close I came to losing her, too.
Luckily for Lizzy, Lincoln got there in time and was able to help her. Because, apparently, Goldilocks was right, there were already traces of drugs in her system.
Fuck. Damn it, that was way too close.
I run a hand over my face as I think of Amelia. How panicked she was. And how harshly I shut her down. For a moment, guilt stirs in me, but I push it aside. Without her, Lizzy wouldn’t have been in this situation in the first place. End of discussion.
Yet, even as I sit here watching over my little sister, making sure she breathes steadily, my thoughts keep drifting back to Amelia. The woman I saw at The Purgedoesn’t match the image I had of her. Shit, she’s nothing like I expected, and that’s unsettling.
She looked like a complete stranger. A stranger my dick desperately craves, because just thinking about her makes it throb with excitement.
Shit. I don’t even like her.
As if that ever bothered you while hooking up. Damn it.
“Www-where am I…?” My sister’s quiet, rasping voice breaks the silence, and thank God, she’s finally awake. I'm immediately by her side, watching her grimace.
“Ohh… my head is pounding… and why… do I have… the taste of dead cat in my mouth?” she rasps, trying to sit up.
“Slowly, Lizzy, damn it,” I scold her, and her head snaps in my direction.
“Nic? What? How? Where’s Amelia?” She looks at me in confusion but grimaces again as she moves too quickly, clutching her head.
“God, I feel like I’ve been hit by a train,” she murmurs and takes the glass of water that I’m holding out for her.
“We had to make you throw up. I guess that’s where the dead animal taste comes from. And now take it slow; your stomach is irritated from all that action,” I reply dryly, as she chokes on the water when she realizes what I said. I gently pat her back as she coughs, spilling water on my bedspread.
“Excuse me?” she asks, shocked, with a hoarse voice, and I take a deep breath.
“You were drunk. And some jerk put drugs in your drink. Twice. The second time, we noticed and stopped it, but you just collapsed. You…” My voice falters because, damn, I really could have lost her. I clear my throat, swallow, and look back at mylittle sister, whose eyes reflect the same feelings I feel. Sorrow, fear, and love.
“You were lying there like you were dead. Amelia… Amelia thought you might have already taken some of that stuff, so I made you throw up in the club and then secretly brought you home. Lincoln gave you some drops to help you get the last bit out of your system and took care of you,” I finish, and she looks at me with wide eyes.
“I… I didn’t drink that much. But suddenly everything was so blurry and weird. I remember thinking that maybe the drink was too strong. I… oh shit—” She runs her hand through her hair and leans back against the pillow. “God, I’m so sorry. Amelia… she must have been terrified. You… oh heavens!” She sits up so abruptly that I flinch, raise an eyebrow, and look at her questioningly.
“Amelia. Where is she?”
Frustrated, I let out a huff because, of course, her first question is about her best friend.
What do you expect? You haven’t really taken care of her this past year,my subconscious taunts cheerfully, and I mentally give it the finger. It still pisses me off.
“I had the overprotective clinger sent home. She seriously thought I would take her with me. As if it wasn’t enough that soon I will have to deal with her every day. Her brother picked her up,” I reply gruffly, but Lizzy lets out a curse and hits me on the shoulder.
“Her brother? You called her brother, of all people? The biggest jerk under the sun? You’re an idiot, Nicolas of Harlington,” she scolds me and starts to climb out of bed.
But not under my watch.
