“Open your mouth, Vivi,” Aleki told her.
“Heard that one before,” she muttered.
There was a beat of silence then someone snorted in laughter.
“I bet,” Caleb said, amusement in his voice. “But this time, he just has some water for you.”
“Don’t want it.” Her tummy didn’t feel good. And she was so tired. She felt like she could just sleep forever.
“You need to drink,” Aleki coaxed.
“Nuh-uh. No water. Not thirsty.”
Aleki sighed.
“Jelly bean, drink your water then you can have a treat,” Caleb coaxed.
Hmm. A treat. “What treat?”
“How about some jello?” Caleb suggested.
She loved jello. “What kind?”
“Umm, lime?” Caleb asked.
“Ick. No. Lime. Gross.”
“Raspberry,” Aleki said quickly. “You can have raspberry jello if you take a few sips of water.”
“Why are you trying to bribe her with jello? Just tell her that she needs the water and has to drink it. I doubt jello is all that good for her right now anyway.”
She stiffened. Damn Wolfe. Was he trying to take away her raspberry jello?
/> Down. He was going down.
“I’m going down?” Wolfe asked. “I’d like to see you try. You couldn’t swat a fly right now.”
She could too. God, why was it so hot in here? She pushed at the covers, whimpering as she hurt her arm. Why was her arm sore? What was going on?
“Jesus, Wolfe. We’re trying to stop her from getting upset,” Caleb snapped. “Ordering her around when she’s this unwell isn’t helpful.”
“Well, why didn’t you just say so?” Wolfe replied.
“Lord, give me strength,” Aleki muttered. “Here’s a straw, Vivi. Just take a few sips and next time you wake up you can have all the jello you want.”
“Raspberry,” she qualified. “And don’t let Wolfe take it away.”
“Raspberry,” he agreed. “And I won’t.”
“Promise?” she asked.
“Promise,” Aleki told her.
And he never went against his promises.
Unlike her.
Aleki sighed in relief as she took a couple of sips of water. Then she drifted back off to sleep. God, she looked so tiny. At five foot eight, she wasn’t petite. She’d always had a curvy build.