Page 48 of Lost Lyrebird

“What?”I snarl, tearing the hand away from my shoulder and opening my eyes.

Bodie draws back at the fury lacing my tone.His expression shifts from shock to apprehension.“You’re fucking bleeding everywhere, man.”

His words don’t make sense at first.“What?”

“Bloody nose,” he says, motioning to me.

As soon as he says it, I smell it.Taste it.The metallic tang sits right on my tongue.I feel the warmth of it on my lips.I swipe my hand under my nose, and it comes away smeared with crimson.Looking down, I see a fuck ton of blood.“What the fuck!”

My chest is covered with it, enough to look like I’ve slit my own throat.Apt, since I feel like I barely survived a battle with my own fucking mind.

Grabbing a bar towel, I press it against my nose.I need to get the fuck out of here and pull myself together.

Dozer comes to stand beside Bodie.Maverick steps behind them.

Griz comes up behind me and lays his hand gently on my back.“You okay, brother?”

More brothers are on their feet and staring at me, ready to do something to help.

Like I’m weak.Like I need looking after.Like, I can’t handle my own shit.

“You all right, man?”Dozer asks.“What can we do?”

“Nothin’.Just give me a minute.”It comes out garbled with the towel covering my nose and mouth.

Their concerned eyes track my every move as I leave the bar.

Dozer hollers, “Okay, just tell us how we can help.”

I don’t know what the fuck is happening.This hasn’t happened before.I shake my head as I stride toward my office, because fuck, I don’t think anyone can do a damn thing to help.All I know is Lily’s performances make it worse.Something about watching her perform like that, for these men, is affecting me on another level.

It’s sparking an intense physical reaction in me.And it might just be the thing that kills me.

As I make my way down the hallway, my vision narrows and blurs a bit.A few more steps and the world tilts sideways.The walls close in like a tunnel in an Indiana Jones movie.

“Goose, hold up!”

I do, only because I’m afraid I’m going to drop.I lean against the cool wall, one hand braced on its surface as I take a few deep breaths.

“What?”My voice is rough, but I force it out.

Bodie is the one who responds.“Do you need to take one of your pills?”His hand lands on my shoulder.It feels heavy as hell, like its weight alone will send me to my knees.

“No, I’m fine.”

“What pills?”Dozer’s voice joins in, his tone low and edged with worry.

I laugh bitterly, a wet, rasping sound.“They don’t work.Nothing does.”I don’t have time for this.Don’t have time to explain my relationship with all the fucking pills.

I pull the towel away.My nose hasn’t stopped bleeding.Blood immediately leaks into my mouth, warm and thick.My body is betraying me.It’s faltering.Giving up the fight.

“Tilt your head back.”

I roll my eyes, but do it.I lean against the wall and stare at the ceiling.When the lights bring more pain, I close my eyes and groan against the agony spearing inside my skull.

“Shit!We need to get you horizontal.”Bodie’s arm hooks under mine.“Lean on me.Dozer, get his other side, man.”

“I can walk.”