Page 65 of Merciless Prince

“I don’t know.” Shay’s shoulders shook, and she started to sob.

“Hey, come on,” Cooper said, pulling her close again. “Cori’s going to be fine. She’ll pull through.”

“What if she doesn’t?”

“She will. You know what she’s like. Stubborn as all hell. Total fighter. Remember when we first met, and she screamed at me like a banshee because she thought I was hitting on her?”

Shay giggled through her tears. “You looked like you were going to have a heart attack.”

“Trust me. She’s going to do the same thing to that head injury. She’ll kick its ass and wake up in no time.”

I grunted and rolled my eyes at that. This Cooper guy talked in platitudes like he was in a fucking Lifetime movie. What a disingenuous prick.

Shay nodded and wiped her face. “You’re right,” she said softly. “She has to make it.”

“Come on.” Cooper stood and held out a hand. “Let’s go to Trattoria Ilaria and have a hot chocolate in honor of her. That’s her favorite, right?”

“Yeah. She loves the cannoli, too.” Shay took Cooper’s hand and let him help her up. Her legs were trembling, and her arms were rigid and drawn close to her body.

“Hey.” Cooper frowned and put his hands back on her shoulders to steady her. “What’s going on with you, Shay?”

“What do you mean?” she said. “Isn’t it obvious? My best friend is in a coma.”

“No, I mean…” Cooper slowly shook his head. “I know you. There’s something else going on, isn’t there?”

Shay looked down at the floor. “Yeah,” she murmured. “You’re right.”

“What is it? You know you can tell me anything.”

“I know.” Shay bit her bottom lip and looked down again. “I just… I don’t know if I can say it.”

“Come on,” Cooper said in a wheedling tone. “Whatever it is, I want to help.”

Pulse racing, I inched forward, wondering what Shay was going to say next. Was she going to give up and tell him everything?

I sure as fuck hoped not. That would only complicate matters even further.

Come on, Shay. Be a good girl,I thought, wishing the message would float around the corner and telepathically sink into her brain.

“It’s my fault,” she finally said. “Cori is in that coma because of me.”

Cooper’s eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”

Shay scrubbed her hands across her face and took a deep breath. “It’s just—” She suddenly stopped and closed her mouth, like she’d changed her mind about whatever she was going to say. “She was on her way to see me because I told her I needed to talk to her. So I can’t help but feel partially responsible.”

Cooper sighed. “It’s not your fault at all. The person who ran her off the road is completely responsible.” He paused and rubbed his jaw, lips flattening into a tight line. “I just hope they catch the asshole soon.”

“They won’t,” Shay said, so softly that I barely caught it. “They’ll never catch him.”

“What makes you say that?” Cooper asked, brows furrowing.

Shay was silent for a moment that felt like an eternity.

“Nothing,” she finally murmured. She cleared her throat and lifted her chin. “I… I’m just upset. I don’t even know what I’m saying.”

Cooper’s forehead puckered with suspicion. “Are you sure there’s nothing else going on?” he asked, laying a hand on her shoulder again. “Nothing else bothering you?”

Shay nodded firmly. “I’ll be fine. I’m just worried about Cori,” she said. She shivered and rubbed her arms. “Let’s go. This hallway is freezing.”