Unknown: That was supposed to be for you.
The throbbing in my head comes back tenfold, and a darkness appears in the corner of my vision. My arms feel heavy and I hear someone next to me speaking, asking for my name, before I fall into nothingness.
CHAPTER SIX
RIVER
The scent of sandalwood tickles my nose as I slowly wake up. I don’t remember going to bed last night but it must have been late because I’m still tired as fuck. I try to raise my hand to scratch my nose but it’s being weighed down by something. Am I lying on my arm?
Sandalwood. Fuck.
I’m afraid to open my eyes, afraid I’ll find Kai lying next to me. I’m not that girl. I’m not Freya. Frowning, I try to recall what happened. Mostly, I want to rule out sex with my engaged best friend.
“Kai?” My voice sounds weird. It actually croaked like something was stuck in it. Why can’t I move my hand? My nose is itching so bad.
“Thank fuck, River.” Kai’s voice sounds like it’s in a tunnel, a little far away with a slight echo. That’s weird. Even stranger is the beeping sound that is slowly getting louder and going faster. Maybe the garbage trucks in my street are backing up.
“What are you doing here?” Fucking hell, I’m so thirsty.
“Can you open your eyes, River?” Blinking once, twice, my lids feel so heavy, I’m almost convinced I got way too high last night and apparently made some really bad decisions.
“How long has she been awake?”
“Since now. Like thirty seconds.”
“Ms. Fox? Can you open your eyes?”
I’m trying, you fuckers, just give me a second.
Slowly, my lids lift and the blurry image of two faces staring at me comes into focus. I recognize Kai right away, the woman next to him, not so much.
“There she is.” I feel Kai squeezing my hand, his smile as bright as the overhead lights.
“Am I in the hospital?”
And that’s when it all comes rushing back to me like a movie reel on fast-forward.
The day at Polly’s office.
The tea on the stoop.
The sudden push from Mr. B.
Mr. Bobby.
Oh my God. The blood.
All around me, the beeping noise starts to accelerate to the same rhythm as the beats of my heart.
The blood. So much blood.
“Is Mr. Bobby here? I need to see him. Please.” As I push myself off the bed, my head starts to swim from the sudden effort.
“Hey, hey. You need to lie down. Just calm down, okay, Riv?”
I know he’s trying to be helpful but right now, I want to punch Kai for being in my way.
“Kai, please. I need to know that he’s okay.” I almost miss it, the look Kai gives the nurse. It’s quick and significant but it’s not meant for me. What he doesn’t understand is that until I see Mr. Bobby is fine, I won’t be able to rest. I won’t be able to do anything.