Page 9 of Beyond the Stix

The people are shoutingWarrior Black. Some of them are screaming out our individual names. There are photographers, taking pictures through the glass and some with their cell phones.

The people inside the hospital are gawking at us—some are frowning like we’re intruding in their space. Others have taken out their cell phones, enjoying the show.

“Shit, are all those people really here for us?” Callum asks in shock.

I’m just as stunned. And for the briefest of moments, I almost forget the reason why I wanted to leave in the first place. Then I remember my dying father upstairs and my stomach wants to lurch up what little I ate today.

“Damn,” Rafe says in disbelief.

The hospital security staff is doing their best to keep the mass at bay, but for how long? I don’t know.

“Shitastic. Now how are we getting out of here?” Bobby poses.

“I don’t know,” I utter, and glance at John, who’s still talking on the phone. “I’m going to call my mom.”

While I dial her number, my eyes scan the people that are coming off the elevators.

Still no Jessup. Good.

The call goes straight to voice mail. I leave a message and then shove the cell back into the front pocket of my jeans. I take a calming breath and return my attention to John.

“I talked to Pen,” John quickly explains as he shoves his cell in his pocket. “He said he tried to warn us, but the cell signal in the hospital is shit. Tobias wants us to meet them in the back of the building.”

Danny’s eyes go wide. “Crap. I have Tobias’s cell.” He pulls the phone from his back pocket. “Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault that your boyfriend gave you his phone,” I say to Danny.

“But it is. I took the phone away from him in the waiting room—and don’t ask.” He drops his eyes and a blush blooms across his cheeks. I don’t even want to know what they were doing.

“Then we should head toward that door.” Dom points back to the way we came. But I can’t help noticing the frown marring his face.

“Let’s go,” John says, letting Dom lead us out of sight from the masses, with Cal and John flanking the back.

We rush through a single metal door that has an exit sign above the frame and find ourselves in a painted cement corridor with a metal staircase. Down a flight, we reach the ground floor and another gray metal door.

John moves around me, stepping out behind Dom.

I’m about to follow, but Cal stops me. “Let them see if the coast is clear.”

It’s not long before John opens the door and waves us out. The second we breach the threshold, cool air hits my face and I’m finally able to take a normal breath. My heart’s still pounding, though, and the rolling panic in my gut at seeing Jessup after all this time hasn’t subsided.

“I don’t know who announced that we’re here, but, dude, I’ve never…” Bobby shakes his head. He grips my shoulder and says, “I can’t fucking believe how many people are out there.”

I meet his eyes, then turn to the rest of my bandmates, who are staring at me with stunned but worried looks across their faces. “I’m as freaked as you are,” I admit to the guys.

“Was that your Uncle Jessup you were running from?” Bobby asks, sticking another sugar-filled tube into his mouth.

“Yes,” I declare with some trepidation. I never told the guys what really happened to me with Jessup. Danny only knows a mild version of what he did that night. But to fully explain to my friends about the past would only dredge up more shit I’d rather forget altogether. So, I change the topic back to the shitshow in front of the hospital. “I want to know who spilled the fucking beans about us being here.”

“Dude, it could have been any one of the hospital staff who recognized us,” Callum says.

“Callum’s right.” Danny turns to me. “Do you want to leave and come back later once all those people are gone?”

“I’m not worried about the damn paparazzi. What about Jessup?” There’s an acrid taste rising at the back of my throat from saying that bastard’s name out loud.

“He won’t get to you,” John promises. He glances at Cal and Dom, and they too agree that my uncle won’t get near me.

“The guys can tell him to leave,” Danny says with a frown. “Or we can just call the cops.”