Page 53 of Belonging to Them

“Can you hear me?”I ask, my own voice faint and strange in my head.

He shakes his head and mouths something back, but I don’t know what he’s saying.

The only things I’m aware of are my heart beating too fast, the tears running down my cheeks, and the way the entire world is quiet.

Silence is the worst company.I can’t stop crying…I’m never going to hear music again.

* * *

Kingston

I’m leaving the office after an impromptu check-in meeting with Kristin.She jokes with me about how I’m not supposed to be working weekends anymore, but this is only because I’ve been gone all week.I guess I need to see for myself that the building is still standing.

It’s going to be a battle to let go of my need for control when it comes to this place.

But the rewards will make it worth it.

Garth is waiting with my car as I leave the building.As I slide into the back seat, my phone buzzes.It’s Jaxon Marsel.

“This is Kingston,” I say.

“First,” he says, “Ella is okay.”

My lungs freeze in my chest.“What happened?”

“An M84 stun grenade went off a few yards away from Ella and her guards, at the park,” Jaxon says.

“What?”I ask.“A stun grenade?”

“It’s also called a flashbang,” he says.“They’re considered nonlethal, used by the military and law enforcement, legally.Obviously that’s not the case here.”

He’s still talking, but my thoughts are going thousands of miles a second.But he said she’s okay, so I don’t need to panic.She’s okay.She’s okay.

He says, “We’ve taken all three of them to the Margaret Chung hospital to get checked out, but Terrence and Roman couldn’t find anything wrong with Ella in the parking lot and they think she’ll be discharged quickly.”

I don’t know what to say.

“Kingston?You still there?”

“Yeah,” I say.

“Can I give you a ride to Margaret Chung?I’m personally picking up my guards, who shouldn’t be driving right now.”

“No, I’m already in my car,” I say.“I’ll see you there.”

I end the call and say to Garth, “Take me to Margaret Chung.”

“Is everything okay?”he asks.

“Supposedly.”I have to call Bash.He’s not going to take this well, either.

He answers immediately.

“Ella’s okay, but she’s at the hospital,” I tell him.

“The fuck?”

“I guess a flashbang went off near her.The bodyguards protected her, but everyone’s getting checked out, just in case.I’m on my way there.”