Page 84 of Rush the Edge

But for tonight only, because even if he wants to play nice right now, I know it won’t last long.

* * *

My alarm rings, and I curse groggily. It cuts off a moment later, and confusion slips to the surface. I pull one eye open and wince at the sunlight pouring in from the windows. The sun peeks through the tall Chicago buildings, and I glance to my herbs sitting nearby. It’s the perfect window for them to thrive in.

A breathy sigh falls out of my mouth, and I turn on my side with a wince.

Let’s play the game:Is Daisy achy from a flare, or is Daisy achy because she has suddenly taken up ice-skating?

I reach for my notebook. I need to write down my symptoms so I can try to backtrack and figure out what’s flared me. The triggers are endless. Instead of landing on my notebook, I land on a soggy towel. I pull my hand back immediately, and the night rushes in.

Kane. Is he still here?

Through the throbbing in my temples, I force myself to sit. The covers fall to my lap in a lumpy pile as I glance to the doorway of my bedroom.

A swallow gets stuck in my throat. He’s still here, alright.

If any other girl woke up to Kane Barlow standing in their doorway, shirtless, with a cup of steaming coffee in his hand, they’d think they were in some sort of fantasy. Me? It’s like a nightmare.

A hot nightmare, but still.

“Your fever broke around four.” He’s so nonchalant, standing there in the doorway.

Steam billows out from his mug as he places it up to his lips and takes a sip. The bobbing of his Adam’s apple catches my eye as he swallows. I gulp in response.

“How are you feeling?” he asks, glancing out at the skyline instead of my face.

Terrible.

I swallow the truth and lie because the sooner he’s gone, the better. “I’m fine?—”

Kane snaps a glare over to me, and as if it has a mind of its own, my mouth snaps shut.

“Told you.” My heart stops from the sound of my brother’s voice behind Kane.

Kane rolls his eyes over his shoulder at River, and my body flares with heat. Are they chatting about me behind my back? A threat almost flies out of my mouth toward Kane, because I don’t like the way he’s suddenly banding together with River regarding my health. Just a mere twelve hours ago, he was hurling insults at me.

“I am fine,” I repeat. “This is completely normal for someone with Lupus. It’s just the inflammation.” I sit up a little taller and lean to the left, putting my attention on River. “Something youshould know…Dr. Sullivan.”

He narrows his gaze before glancing back to his phone. His hair is damp from a shower, but instead of looking like he’s about to collapse onto his bed as usual after a shift, his ID badge hangs off his neck, and he’s dressed like he is heading back in.

“Are you going back to the hospital?” I ask.

“Yeah, they’re short staffed.” He turns to Kane. “Can you stay with her and make sure she’s good?”

I huff. “I do not need Kane to stay here with me. I’m fine. I know my body.”

The moment the words leave my mouth, there’s a shift in the air that only Kane and I can feel. River is going on about how I didn’t even have batteries for my thermometer—thanks for ratting me out, Kane!—and attempting to persuade me to go get another round of bloodwork, but all I can do is glare at Kane’s cocky smirk.

I thought too much time had passed between us for me to be able to read his mind, but I know exactly what he’s thinking: that he knows my body too, especially after the other night.

He follows my brother to the door, chatting quietly about something.Meprobably. I sit and stew on my bed until Kane suddenly reappears and takes up space in my bedroom.

“Up,” he demands.

He turns to the skyline and sips on his coffee casually, like he expects me to just follow his command. I sigh loudly, and I see just enough of his face to notice that his mouth turns up on the side, which only irritates me more.

Kicking the covers off my legs, I move to stand with my arms crossed. “I’m not a dog!”

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