for her own, her finger trembling as she taps Alexis’s profile in her contacts list.
Pressing the phone to her ear, she impatiently bounces her foot. “She’s not answering. I’ve got to go. I’ve got to go there now.” She shoots up from her seat, grabs her keys, and heads for the door.
“Carly!” I call out. “I’m coming with you.”
After driving to the City Towers precinct and being informed by one of Bryce’s employees that he and Alexis are fine and that Alexis has been taken to the Alfred hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation and shock, we head there instead.
“If Bryce and Alexis are okay, and the kids are staying with Rick this week, then who died?” Carly says as we take the front steps, two at a time, and enter the hospital through sliding glass doors.
I scurry behind her, trying to keep up. “Maybe no one died. Maybe the media got it wrong.”
“I hope s—” She turns a corner and slams into a guy. “Sorry, I— Oh, hi.” Carly smiles with relief when she realises it’s Will she slammed into. I almost smile too but remember I’m supposed to despise him, so I groan, feigning anger instead.
Carly glares at me then mumbles like a seasoned ventriloquist, “What’s your problem?”
I match her skill and utter, “Nothing.”
“Hey, Jaws,” he says to Carly before his eyes land on mine and light up like a Christmas tree.
Jaws is a weird nickname, and not one I’ve heard her called before, so my what the fuck? expression is genuine.
“And nice to see you again, Labia.” His lip curls seductively, eyebrows waggling.
Oh no he didn’t.
My glare is genuine too.
“You don’t happen to know what room Lex is in, do you?” Carly asks. “It’ll save me the trouble of asking.”
“I know what room they’re both in.” Will licks his lips, eyes glued to my chest.
My nipples tingle, and I can’t help but fiddle with my hair.
He winks, so I inconspicuously grit my teeth and shake my head at him.
Carly looks between us as if we’re hiding something, which clearly we are, so I panic a little to try to throw her off her scent.
“Yes, these are breasts, Will,” I hiss, shoving my hands on my hips. “They are two protruding glands and their purpose is to secrete milk after childbirth.”
He licks his damn lips again. “They have more purpose than that, sweetheart.”
Oh my God, I want to kill him, but I also want to take off my bra and let him prove what he’s saying.
My thighs tremble and my tummy tightens, so I cross my arms over my chest and heighten my glare. “You’re a pig!”
“Wait a minute.” Carly holds up her hand. “You just said both, as in plural.”
He diverts his gaze to her. “Yeah, Alexis and Derek.”
“Derek!” she shrieks. “Derek’s here? Why is he here?”
“Calm your farm, Carly,” he says, touching her shoulder. “He mustn’t have had time to call you yet.”
“Where is he? What happened?”
“He was one of the first responders on the scene. He’s just in for routine observation—mild smoke inhalation.”
“W-what? What room?”
“Level 3, room 11.”
She starts for the elevator. “Lib, do you mind waiting down here?”
I’m about to say no when Will drapes his arm over my shoulders, pulls me to his side, and says, “She’ll be fine. I’ll take good care of her.”
I push him away as the elevator doors open and she disappears inside. “Labia?” I gripe, sucking on my tooth. “Really?”
He bursts into laughter. “You wanted a performance, so I gave you one.”
Huffing, I step up to his chest and throw my arms over his shoulders, breathing him in. “Are you okay? What happened? How’s Bryce and Derek? You must’ve been so worried.”
He rests his forehead against mine, and I’m acutely aware that someone we know might see us. I just don’t care right now. He seems fragile, and I want to know he’s okay.
“Gareth blew up the apartment.”
I rear back. “Who’s Gareth?”
“Bryce’s cousin.”
“His cousin! But why? Why would he do that? And how…?”
He shakes his head. “Don’t know. Apparently, he wanted to kill Alexis.”
“Oh my God!”
“He’s a creepy fuck. Always has been.”
A shiver runs the length of my spine. “Was anyone else hurt? The news report said someone died.”
“Yeah. Gareth did.”
Resting my head on his chest, I squeeze him tight, glad he wasn’t there when this unfolded. “How awful for Bryce.”
“Dude’s a mess. I’ve never seen him like this.” Will presses his lips to my head and inhales. “I’ve missed you.”
I smile. “It’s only been four days.”
“Four days