Page 24 of Reid
“Everly, are you okay?”
Mila’s voice pulled me out of my internal freak-out.I blinked her into focus, only to realize Jos was right beside me too.She and Mila were both holding me up.I didn’t realize I was unsteady until I felt Jos’s arm tighten around my waist.
I blinked again, feeling nauseated and dizzy.And still burning and itching in that place I couldn’t touch in public.Yet all I could think about was, what would I do if Evie found out my dark secret?
“Can you breathe?Oh my gosh, I knew you were uncomfortable, but I never would have let these psychos run around unchecked for so long if I’d thought you were in serious distress.This is a crazy allergic reaction, babe,” Mila said with worry in her eyes.“You need medical attention, stat.”
This reaction wasn’t part of the allergy.It was panic, pure and simple.Fear raced through me, jacking my heart rate up to the speed of a bullet train.Because of Ghost.I wasn’t exactly scared of him—although that was a given.He was a dangerous man.But I’d felt oddly reassured that everything was going to be okay when we had our one and only previous meeting.
He’d been more pissed at how unsafe I’d been during my search for a solution to the whole William problem than anything else.Like some frustrated older brother who was fed up with his annoying, much younger sister.
And maybe I should be terrified for my own life at the moment, but I wasn’t.
Because I had no life if Evie found out her dad was dead because of me.She would get angry and leave me.She might even be scared of me.That, more than anything, would kill me.
But the agony of the possible allergic reaction I was having between my legs was intensified by the anxiety attack that I realized was choking the oxygen from my lungs.My entire body was shaking, shivering, until my teeth were chattering together.
“What is she allergic to?”Jos asked, her eyes wide while her tone remained calm.“Did she ingest something?This isn’t how Lexa responds when she comes into contact with peanuts.Does she have an epi?”
Was that mom mode?
Huh, I’d never seen that in real life before.It was kind of nice, in a weirdly scary, soothing way.
Mila grunted as she urged me toward the chair at the other end of the counter.“I’m only guessing it’s an allergy, Jos.It might not be.”
“Mila.”
That was all she said, all she had to say, in that no-nonsense way.Another first, witnessing that in person.If I hadn’t been struggling to breathe, I might have smiled.Or cried.I really, really wanted to cry.
Mila gave me a look that was full of apology.
It was the last thing I saw before the world went dark.
Everly
Loud voices surroundedme as I slipped in and out of consciousness.They were familiar, but my brain was slow to catch up, making it impossible to put a voice to a face in my mind.
“I’m not telling you again.If you don’t leave, I will drag you out of this hospital myself.By your hair.”
That sounded like Mila, but I hadn’t heard that level of anger from her before.
“I’m only checking on the girl.Stop being so overdramatic.”
I cringed away from the sound of that voice, somehow knowing it was Rory, even though she sounded farther away than Mila.
“You don’t only do anything when it comes to Chance.Jos was just riling you up about being a helicopter mother, but you’re a freaking cosseter, Rory.No wonder Chance has never had a healthy relationship with a woman if you’re always bulldozing them out of his life.”
“That’s not true.He’s never had a relationship because he didn’t want one.This is different.Matt told me how Chance reacted last night.I merely wanted to have a chat with her.”
“Why?To see if she was worthy?Or maybe you wanted to warn her what would happen if she ever broke your son’s heart?”
“I was just trying to determine for myself if she was serious about him.The whole twin thing threw me.I thought Matt and Tanner were bullshitting like they always do when they told me about them dressing alike.Now that I know it’s true, I’m glad I stepped in.That’s just weird.Those girls have mental health issues.”
“Get out!”Mila’s voice cracked like a whip, harsh and heated, her emotions pricking my own.Even in my half-conscious state, I was thankful for Mila’s presence.I wanted Rory gone.Needed it.
“Don’t speak to me like that, Mila.”
“She said get the fuck out.”
