Page 98 of Connectio

“Carly!” I call out. “I’m coming with you.”

* * *

After drivingto the City Towers precinct and being informed by one of Bryce’s employees that he and Alexis are fine and that Alexis has been taken to the Alfred hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation and shock, we head there instead.

“If Bryce and Alexis are okay, and the kids are staying with Rick this week, then who died?” Carly says as we take the front steps, two at a time, and enter the hospital through sliding glass doors.

I scurry behind her, trying to keep up. “Maybe no one died. Maybe the media got it wrong.”

“I hope s—” She turns a corner and slams into a guy. “Sorry, I— Oh, hi.” Carly smiles with relief when she realises it’s Will she slammed into. I almost smile too but remember I’m supposed to despise him, so I groan, feigning anger instead.

Carly glares at me then mumbles like a seasoned ventriloquist, “What’s your problem?”

I match her skill and utter, “Nothing.”

“Hey, Jaws,” he says to Carly before his eyes land on mine and light up like a Christmas tree.

Jaws is a weird nickname, and not one I’ve heard her called before, so my what the fuck? expression is genuine.

“And nice to see you again, Labia.” His lip curls seductively, eyebrows waggling.

Oh no he didn’t.

My glare is genuine too.

“You don’t happen to know what room Lex is in, do you?” Carly asks. “It’ll save me the trouble of asking.”

“I know what room they’re both in.” Will licks his lips, eyes glued to my chest.

My nipples tingle, and I can’t help but fiddle with my hair.

He winks, so I inconspicuously grit my teeth and shake my head at him.

Carly looks between us as if we’re hiding something, which clearly we are, so I panic a little to try to throw her off her scent.

“Yes, these are breasts, Will,” I hiss, shoving my hands on my hips. “They are two protruding glands and their purpose is to secrete milk after childbirth.”

He licks his damn lips again. “They have more purpose than that, sweetheart.”

Oh my God, I want to kill him, but I also want to take off my bra and let him prove what he’s saying.

My thighs tremble and my tummy tightens, so I cross my arms over my chest and heighten my glare. “You’re a pig!”

“Wait a minute.” Carly holds up her hand. “You just said both, as in plural.”

He diverts his gaze to her. “Yeah, Alexis and Derek.”

“Derek!” she shrieks. “Derek’s here? Why is he here?”

“Calm your farm, Carly,” he says, touching her shoulder. “He mustn’t have had time to call you yet.”

“Where is he? What happened?”

“He was one of the first responders on the scene. He’s just in for routine observation—mild smoke inhalation.”

“W-what? What room?”

“Level 3, room 11.”