Tainted Heartbreak (Tainted Knights 3)

She was silent for a moment before she pounded her fist on the door. “What’s wrong with you, Mar? What happened? Talk to me,” she pleaded.

Tears slipped from the corners of my eyes. “I don’t want to talk, Riles. I feel like shit. Just leave me alone.”

“Should I call Cash?”

Something painful contracted in my chest, and I curled into a ball as the tears fell faster. “No,” I sobbed. “Don’t call him. I don’t ever want to see his face again.”

“Fuck this shit,” I heard her growl as she stomped away.

I grabbed my throw and pulled it over my nakedness. With my tears still flowing freely, I closed my eyes and tried to fall back asleep…

The rattling of my doorknob jerked me awake sometime later. Just as I lifted my head, the door opened and Riley stormed into the room. “Fuck you for making me pick your lock,” she started to blast into me. Then her eyes landed on me and she saw the pathetic state I was in, and her anger deflated. “Ah, Mar. What happened?”

“I hurt all over, Riles,” I whispered brokenly, and it felt like there was a living fire at the back of my throat, it hurt so damn much. “Even my eyelashes hurt.”

She leaned across the bed, touching the back of her hand to my brow. “Holy shit, you’re burning up. You need a doctor.”

“I can’t even walk,” I tried to explain. “My ankle…”

Riley pulled the throw off my feet and looked at my injured ankle. “Fuck. Did you break it?”

“Maybe?” It hurt like a bitch, but as bad as the rest of me felt, I’d been able to ignore the pulse throbbing to the beat of my heart.

“Well, I can’t carry you, babe.” She knelt on the bed beside me. “Let me call Cash. He can help me get you into my car, and I’ll take you to the hospital.”

“No!” I screamed, only to groan when I started coughing again. “If…you…call him…I won’t…” I broke off, unable to breathe any longer because the coughing was taking over, seizing my lungs.

“Okay, okay,” she tried to soothe me. “I won’t call him, but you need some serious medical attention. That ankle alone is worth a trip to the ER. How did you hurt it?”

“Someone bumped into me on the street last night. It was raining, and I guess they didn’t see me.”

“Should I call an ambulance?” she asked worriedly.

I shook my head, but even though I was lying down, it made the world spin around me. “I don’t have the extra money for a ride in an ambulance. But my insurance is still good, so I can afford the ER visit, I guess.”

“Okay, let me make a call—”

“Not Cash!”

“Not Cash,” she promised. She lifted her phone to her ear, her eyes skimming over me with concern. “Hey. What are you bitches up to?” I heard a few feminine laughs and thought they sounded familiar. I was just glad it wasn’t Lindsey. “I’ve got a bit of a situation. Do you think you can come help me out with something really quick?”

“What’s going on?” I heard a less amused voice ask. “You okay?”

Riley sighed, frustrated. “Amara is sick, and I need to get her to the ER. But she twisted her ankle and can’t walk.”

“Call her boyfriend.”

I shook my head, mouthing “No” at my friend.

“Yeah, that’s not happening. I guess they broke up or something. I don’t really know, because she’s not telling me shit right now. So, can you help me or not?”

“It’s your lucky day.” I heard one of the chicks on the other end of the line laugh. “We got some muscle sitting right here. Chill out for a few. We’ll be there as soon as we can. Text me your address.”

“Who was that?” I asked.

“Bombshells. We’ve stayed in touch.” Riley tossed the phone aside and jumped off my bed. She bounced to my closet and pulled out a pair of leggings and a baggy shirt. Not even bothering with underwear, she dressed me like a helpless little kid.

By the time she was done, I was exhausted and out of breath. I lay there, bathing in my own sweat and praying for death to take me until the doorbell rang. Riley went to answer it and returned with all four Bombshells and a grumpy-looking Sin.