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"Be great It’s freezing out there," I reply

Lacey nods, too, just once Pippa goes aboutits irritated ruainst china, and Lacey dips her chin into the throw, staring at the floor I’m about to ask her if she’s okay when nize I answer the call, getting up and pacing to the"Hello?"

"It’sfrom your number? And where the hell are you?" I hiss

Silence from the other end of the phone Perhaps Zeth Mayfair isn’t used to people being so hostile with hi luck If he thinks he can just dump his responsibilities on et rid of the other one," his gruff voice infor To California to try and get your sister back Forgotten already?"

Well fuck I can’t really chew hiotten," I snap "It’d just be better under different circuotten your way and you were co for the ride?" His sine all too plainly tugging persistently at the corner of his e of those full lips bowed into a knowing curve

"Yeah, that’s exactly what I s, two of them clasped precariously by the handles in the one hand, the other carrying just the one I turn onna be back?"

Caring for Lacey is hardly a job I would have volunteered for, but et his ass back to Seattle also pertains totime It seems impossible that she should be kept away frorowls "Don’t worry I’ll be around to take care of you as soon as I’m done

My cheeks blush hotly "No, I do not need you to coing me to use that key the second I hit the city liance in his voice Equally, I hate that I lie to myself and tell myself it doesn’t turn me on, too Every dark, hazardous aspect of hi in the dark, velvet folds of his voice even now, hly sexual dip in his tone Fucking get a grip, Sloane! "Just bring my sister home okay, buddy" Buddy? Where the hell did that cos but he isn’t a buddy A deep, throaty chuckle meets my ears

"I’ on his next words "Just keep an eye out, okay? There’s a chance so you"

What The Fuck? So fork "Why? Why would so ht have put people onLacey to you," he says h my chest to pool in the pit of my stomach

"Seriously?" I try and fail to keep my voice down Both Lacey and Pippa look up from their hushed conversation, entirely one sided by the looks of things, to giveuys? Do I need to call the cops?"

"Fuck no! Just sit tight I got you covered"

I don’t ask questions about that Got you covered can only h the streets of Seattle, lurking in the shadows "Alright, Zeth," I sigh "Just get your ass back here the first second you get I’m not cut out for this" Which has to be the understate Not cut out for babysitting Itto others, the hospital, the vast nuh the doors, the responsibility and the weight of all that knowledge pressing down on me, but I havede up withthere accounts for the ht person to be there when a pair of hands are needed inside the chest cavity of a wounded person The right person to be there when an arterial bleed needs steical, h for that But the other side of things--the nerves I haven’t allowedAlexis back; the pressure of trying to be there for Lacey in an e I have no idea how to deal with

Zeth onna do just fine, Sloane," he tells me, his voice softer than I’ve heard it before And then he hangs up the phone

Lacey’s story makes me sick to my stomach I try to leave Pippa and the other woether, but she reaches out and grabs hold of th It seeers, and out of Pip and me I’m the familiar face I plant myself on the other end of the couch, determined to remain ily difficult as Pippa asks Lacey question after question and the girl answers in a stiff, emotionless voice