Page 19

CHAPTER 19

NICK

Shrill shouting penetrates the glass.

Bloody hell.

I towel off and snatch trousers and a shirt, dressing like there’s a fire.

I sprint through the back of the house.

What the fuck’s going on?

An attack?

Where’s Ash?

If they sent someone, so help me…

I burst through the back hall.

Scarlet’s hands cup her mouth like a megaphone. Eyes wide.

“What?”

I scan behind her. There’s nothing. No one.

“It’s Lina.”

Fuck .

Dread explodes with the force of a land mine.

No. Please no.

“She’s overdosed. Do you have medication?”

I blink, processing. She’s alive?

“Naloxone?” Scarlet yells, breaking through.

Right. I have it.

I turn, yelling back to her, “I’ll get it. Where is she? In the stable?”

“In a stall.”

“Go back to her,” I shout.

I slip into autopilot and grab the unopened box from the medicine cabinet. The one a doctor recommended I keep around.

It had to have been Amir. I should’ve never trusted him to keep her safe. She must’ve found her old mates and brought drugs back with her. Shit. This is my fault. I should’ve had security around her. I shouldn’t have trusted she was okay. I should’ve spent more time with her. Watched her more closely. Hired more staff.

Where the hell is the stable hand?

When I reach the stall, I freeze. The unnatural deep blue hue of Lina’s lips arrests me.

Scarlet’s over her, rubbing her sternum, talking to her.

“Give me that,” she says, holding out her hand.

It takes a second to register. She’s pointing at the box in my hand.

“Is she…is she alive?”

She can’t die. Not Lina .

“She’s alive.” She pops open the box, removes the dose, pushes it up Lina’s nose, and presses the plunger. “Can you bring a car around? This should work, but let’s bring her in. How far is the hospital?”

Scarlet’s focus is 100 percent on Lina. She hovers over her, attending to her, and her words hit me with a velocity I can’t grasp in my shock.

The trip to the hospital blurs. I drive. Lina lies in the back seat, and Scarlet kneels on the floorboard.

Lina gains consciousness before we arrive at the hospital, but she’s high. Spacey. I can’t tell if she sees me.

The doctor asks what she took, and it’s Scarlet who hands him a used needle. I should’ve thought of that…looked for it.

It’s Scarlet who takes my hand and leads me to a waiting room. They’ve admitted Lina but have asked us to wait. A nurse comes out with information on rehabilitation centers. They’ll keep Lina here until she’s stable, but they recommend we admit her for drug rehabilitation.

It’s my fault. I should’ve been more on top of this. More vigilant.

Scarlet brings me coffee. Holds my hand. An angel.

“Are you okay?” She touches my jaw, and I grasp her wrist, pressing her palm against my cheek.

“Thank you.” It’s the only phrase that fits.

“How long has she struggled with addiction?”

What’s the answer to that? The excessive drinking during her university years—was that addiction or the slide into it?

“She’ll tell you she’s not an addict. She’ll tell you I’m a control freak.”

“Has she ever overdosed before?”

“Not like this.” I force myself to swallow. She’s going to be all right. “I walked in on her once. Shooting up. I lost it. Ape shit. Drove her to rehab. She claimed she was experimenting. It was nothing to get hung up over.”

I release Scarlet’s hand. Lina had been so angry at me for doubting her. And I’d begun to think I overreacted. Too protective once again. Trust me to cock it up. Too protective. Not protective enough.

“Willow mentioned a club. Said she had to be carried home. That wasn’t like this, though, right?”

“No. That time, I had her blood tested. Leandro De Luca had her drugged. Date rape drug. He knew I was out of the country and I’d send Leo in my place.” My molars grind against each other. “He wanted to find Willow, so he used Lina to track her.”

When those fuckwads drugged her, I should’ve asked the doctor if that would increase her cravings. Is that what did it? Leaning forward, I place my elbows on my knees and rub my temples.

“None of this is your fault.”

I side-eye her. She doesn’t know shit.

“You can’t fight the disease for her.”

I clamp my eyelids closed. This day sure went to hell.

“I’m sure it’s hard for someone like you to hear, but you can’t control everything and everyone.”

It’s the same as what I’d told her last night when she’d drugged me and asked me about the syndicate. I can’t control, but I can influence.

I’ve spent billions engineering the tide. And fuck, this happened right under my nose.

Did all this start with Leandro’s stunt, or was it before?

Amir. He’ll know. I pat my coat, searching for a mobile. Left it in the car.

“I’ll be back,” I announce.

I’m in the hallway when I glance over my shoulder and glimpse her concern.

In three strides, I’m back to her. I lift her and pull her to me, burying my nose in her floral-scented hair.

“Thank you.”

An old chap peers over a magazine from the corner of the room.

Choking back emotion, I press my lips to the top of her head. “I need to make some calls. I’ll be back.”

Alone in the car park, it’s as good a place as any to call Amir.

“You on the lam?”

I flinch at Amir’s carefree tone. Fucking twit.

“I’m at the hospital.”

“Christ. Who’d they send after ya?”

“Lina overdosed.”

“Christ. Is she okay?”

“She will be. Did you go clubbing with her?”

“You know I did.”

“Did you shoot up with her?”

“Bugger off. I don’t touch it.”

“Did she? Were you watching, or?—”

“She’s not a little tyke, is she? I think she might’ve done some blow. But…what’d she OD on?”

“Heroin.”

“Mate, no. Scout’s honor. Didn’t see that shite.”

I pace the lot. The lights at the nearby intersection flick red.

“Christ. But thank god. I thought you were calling me, saying you’d been shot up.”

“What are you on about?”

“Have you not heard? There’s a hit on Scarlet Gagliano. Official investigation opened. An open hit’s been placed. If you don’t want to be collateral, I suggest you send the ginger packing.”