Page 262 of The Billion Heirs Boxed Set

All I care about is Grady. I don’t know if he’s alive or dead at this point.

God, please spare my son. I’ll give Chance up. I’ll give everything up. Just spare my son.

When Chance pulls into the ER, I dash out of the car without a word to him and run inside.

“My son,” I gasp to the receptionist on duty. “Grady Marsh. He was brought—”

“Avery!” Mom races toward me.

I turn. “Mom! What’s going on?”

She grabs my hands in hers. “They took him to get an MRI.”

“Why aren’t you with him?” I demand. My heart is clamoring against my chest and the cool air of the hospital is giving me chills.

“He said he could go by himself.”

Of course. He’s fourteen, and he thinks he can do everything.

But that means he’s conscious and alert.

“They think he probably has a concussion,” Mom continues. “He has stitches on his forehead and on his shoulder. A pretty deep gash, but they were able to stop the bleeding and get him stitched up.”

I turn to liquid and I fall against my mother. “Concussion?”

“Yes. He’s been throwing up, and he lost consciousness—”

“What?” I gasp, freaked all over again.

“He lost consciousness for a few minutes in the ambulance, but he’s awake now.”

“God, is he in pain?”

“They gave him something for it.”

I blink, worried at what it is. “They gave him meds without my permission?”

“It was an emergency, Avery.” She pats my hand. “They had the right. And I was here. I told them to do what they had to do to help him.”

“Right. Right.” I sniff into my mother’s shoulder.

I’m both angry at my mother and so very grateful to her. I don’t know what to feel anymore. All I know is I have to see my son.

“Avery.”

Chance’s voice. He’s here. Even if I didn’t hear him, I could feel him. That safe place. That protective presence. Yet I stiffen and panic.

“What’s going on?” he asks. “I thought your mother…”

Mom lets go of me and approaches him. “Hello, Chance.”

“Mrs. Marsh.” He takes off his hat and nods at her. “What’s going on here? Avery said you were in the hospital.”

Mom lifts her eyebrows. “She did?”

“I didn’t say anything, Chance.” I sniffle. “You heard me ask which hospital while I was on the phone. With Mom.”

“Then who is—”