Broken Compass

“Nothing. I’ve fucking told you, okay? Nothing—”

“You’d better be telling the truth, because now he’s after West.”

I sit up, groaning at the spike of pain behind my eyes. “What did you just say?”

“You heard me.” Her voice is cold, and it’s all wrong. “He threatened West.”

The room lurches, and I grab at the bedsheets not to topple over and fall to the floor. “My dad threatened him?” I feel like I was kicked right in the gut. “What the fuck. Are you sure?”

“I was there. He demanded West tell him where you are. Told him they’d have a talk later.”

“Is West okay?”

She rolls her eyes. “How about you ask him yourself? You haven’t talked to him in months.”

Dammit. “He has to leave there. Oh fuck…” Bile rises in my throat. Memories tangle with the here and now, twisting me up inside. “Tell him to leave, Syd.”

She should leave, too, in case I toss my cookies at her feet, but instead she frowns down at me. “Will you tell me now what your dad did? What the danger is?

“I can’t, Syd.” I bite back a moan. “Can’t tell you. And I can’t face West.”

“Why not?”

“I just can’t. Just… tell him to get out of there. Please.” I bend over and close my eyes, praying to a God I’m not sure I believe in for the pain to go away. Acid fills my mouth. “Do this for me.”

“What’s wrong?” A sharp intake of breath. “I will tell West, but are you sick? You look awful.”

“Go, Syd.” My stomach roils and cramps, but there’s no way I can make it to my feet, let alone to the toilet in time. It’s okay. The trash can is by the bed, always within easy reach. “Get out.”

“Nate—”

“Out.”

I open my eyes to slits as she turns and stomps out, slamming the door shut behind her, her outline burning with bright light, the room tilting. The slam tears through my head like a blade.

Hissing, I grab the can, drag it closer and retch, my stomach contents rushing up—and then I’m puking my guts out.

I barely draw breath before I puke again. The acid burns my throat, my mouth, makes my eyes water and leak.

Fuck. I fucking hate this. Someone shoot me.

By the time I’ve emptied my stomach completely, my head feels like it’s about to burst. Curling up in a ball on the bed, I close my eyes and hope to pass out.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Kash

The restaurant wasn’t busy tonight, so I’m home half an hour early, and I’m in a good mood, despite the creepy, itchy feeling I got between my shoulder blades on my way back.

As if someone was watching me.

But that’s bullshit.

When I open the apartment door and find Syd at the kitchen door, looking my way, I smile. Tossing my keys in the bowl on the table, I take in her sexy sleeping shorts and the white T-shirt hanging off one shoulder, my gaze lingering on the lush curves clearly visible underneath, and my mood brightens again.

“Hey, girl, what’s up?” To be perfectly honest, I’d been looking forward to coming home, to this girl, even if she isn’t into me. I think I’ve felt like this for a while, but only realized it tonight.

But Syd sniffs and turns away. “Nate’s an asshole,” she says, and I lift a brow.