Beneath the Stars (Falling Stars #4) - A.L. Jackson Page 0,95

anything else.

A second later, I was out the door and runnin’ to my car. Royce and I were both inside and on the road in less than a blink.

Problem was, that’s all it took for a tragedy.

A blink.

One second the world was at your feet and the next it was crumbling around you.

I knew it firsthand.

I blazed through town as carefully as I could, and then we were flying when I hit the highway that led between the island and Savannah.

That lump in my throat was so thick I kept strugglin’ to breathe around it, only growing thicker as Royce’s apprehension and anger and worry seeped from his pores.

So intense it was sure to drown us both.

Anxiously, he rubbed his thighs with his sweaty palms. “Can’t believe this. Can’t believe I let someone get to her. Fuck.” He gave a harsh shake of his head. “Why? Who the fuck is after her? Knew it, though. Just had this feeling.”

I nodded.

Guilt sucked me even deeper considering how deep I’d been in his baby sister last night. Especially after I’d promised him I would stay away from her.

For her safety.

For her well-being.

Because she deserved so much more than the trouble I would bring.

But this was different, wasn’t it? Didn’t have a thing to do with me.

My hands tightened on the steering wheel.

Maybe…maybe she needed me. Maybe for once, I could make a difference.

“She’s goin’ to be okay, man.”

His head shook again. Agony flooded out with it. “Couldn’t handle it if she wasn’t. Don’t know what I would do. Fuck…she’s been through enough, hasn’t she? And then what, she goes looking for trouble?”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions. We don’t know what’s goin’ on yet.”

He nodded hard even though neither of us accepted it.

Both of us sure there was something sinister at hand.

Could just…feel it.

Sense it in the air.

I rammed the accelerator to the floor.

Needing to get there.

To see her face.

To touch her skin.

To find that she was safe and whole.

For someone to tell me this was all one big fuckin’ misunderstanding.

I barely slowed as I got into town, zipping by cars and screaming around corners. The tires squealed as I skidded into the hospital parking lot. Royce and I were both jumping out before I fully had it in park.

Manic.

Frantic.

Every step of our thudding feet only incited a whole new dread.

He blew through the double-sliding-glass doors. I was right behind him, antsy as hell when he asked the man behind the counter for Maggie.

Royce mumbled, “Thank you,” when the guy buzzed him through the huge swinging door to the back.

And maybe there was some relief in that. Relief in the fact they didn’t give us some bullshit that someone would be out to talk to us while we realized we were about to get the worst news of our lives.

That tiny stake of consolation released some of the pressure.

I trailed him through the door.

Maybe he’d thought I was just his ride, but there was no way I could sit out there and wait.

I was on his heels, and he was cuttin’ me a questioning glare, and I was deciding I really didn’t give a fuck.

I didn’t know if it was rage or relief that I was feeling when we got close to her room and there was an officer slipping out.

Only thing that really mattered was Maggie was sitting up in the bed.

Whole and real and alive.

A burst of air left Royce like a punch.

While I pushed both palms to my face like it might cover the magnitude of what slammed me.

Overwhelming.

Overpowering.

Terrifying.

The rush of comfort and devotion that gushed.

Shit.

I needed to check this bullshit before it was too late.

The officer shot us a look as he angled passed. Royce just ignored him, ripped open the door, and rushed to her side.

He pulled her into his arms in the same second that I slipped into the room. I made the prudent choice of hanging by the wall like I was completely cool and wasn’t about to get charred to ash.

Worked for all of a flash before I saw the way she flinched. The way she tried to pretend like she wasn’t in pain, playing it off like this was no big thing.

Rage spiraled all over again.

Consuming.

Raw and deep and horrible.

Pulling away, Royce took her by the outside of her shoulders. “What happened?”

Maggie forced a shaky smile, all that black hair matted and littered with little pieces of dirt and debris, her spirit in turmoil.

Knocking against the walls while she did her best to keep