The Fall Up (The Fall Up, #1)(9)

After stripping the oxygen mask off my face, I raced out the side door where Devon had parked. My chest was tight, and my voice had all but given out. The night air was cold, but my lungs burned for a completely different reason.

“Levee, wait!” Henry shouted, chasing after me.

“You didn’t have to come,” I squeaked, drying the steady stream of tears on the sleeves of my sweater.

“Yes, I did. And Devon was right to call me too. So don’t you dare give him any shit.” He threw his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest.

“I’m…” My voice trailed off for a second before I finished the thought. “I’m fine.”

Nothing in my life is fine.

“You have to stop coming here,” he whispered, rubbing his hands up and down my back.

“I-I had to bring her that stuff,” I stuttered, desperately trying to get my emotions under control—and failing miserably.

Blowing out a hard breath, he kissed the top of my head. “You have to stop this. All of it. You’re not Mother Teresa, Lev. You can’t take on the world.”

My hands trembled at my side, and he reached down, moving them between us.

“Especially when it affects you like this.”

“I’m okay,” I assured him with more lies.

Leaning away, he tipped my head back to catch my eyes. “You just passed out in the middle of a hospital. I don’t give a damn what you say—you’re not okay.”

“I am. I’m great.” I forced a smile, but my traitorous chin quivered. I quickly buried my face in his chest. If I cried, there would be no way to keep the fa?ade up. Not with Henry.

I swallowed hard.

I could fake it all with a smile.

I was good at that.

A f*cking professional.

No tears.

Stepping away, I plastered on my stage face. I really should have been an actress.

Henry’s expression disagreed.

Narrowing his eyes, he put his hands on his hips and asked, “When was the last time you ate?”

Food?

A little girl was about to lose the battle of her life and he wanted to talk about food?

“Who the hell cares about me. She’s going to die!” I yelled.

He grabbed my shoulders and gave me a quick shake. “I care! Jesus Christ, Levee. Half the f*cking world cares. It seems you’re the only one who doesn’t.”

If only he knew how true that statement really was.

But I wasn’t about to inform him of that.

Devon’s voice caught both of our attentions as he leaned against my black SUV. “Everything okay?”

“I’m going to need help getting her in the car!” Henry called back to him.

“What?” I immediately backed out of his reach. “No! I have to go back inside.” My eyes anxiously flashed between Henry and Devon as they both approached. “I told the nurse I’d take a picture for her niece.”

“Then have Stewart send her an e-mail, because I’m taking you home, and you’re not leaving until the concert tomorrow night.”

“You are not my father, Henry. You don’t get to make decisions for me,” I snapped.

Leaning into my face, he bit right back, “Well, until you start taking care of yourself, it’s obvious someone needs to. Food and sleep are not optional.”

He forced me toward the car while Devon watched uncomfortably.

“You know I’m the one who signs your checks, right?” I spat the words at Devon as I attempted to shake Henry’s arm off. “Let. Me. Go.”

Henry let out a huff and loosened his grip on my elbow. I started to step away but then lost the ground beneath my feet.

“Not this time,” Henry gritted out, throwing me over his shoulder. “I’ve let you do this bullshit for the last three years. I’m done, Levee. And so are you. Just because you’re helping people doesn’t mean you aren’t hurting yourself.”

“Get your hands off me!” I screamed, but he marched to the SUV and less-than-gracefully deposited me onto the black leather backseat.

Just as I began to scramble toward the other door, a bright flash illuminated the inside of the SUV.

“Shit,” I breathed as Devon quickly circled around to the driver’s side.

“Back up,” he ordered as numerous flashes fired off. “I said, ‘Back. Up.’”

Henry groaned before straightening his shirt, pasting on a smile, and climbing in beside me. Tossing his arm around my seat back, he asked, “You done yet?”

I shook my head.

“Well, pretend you are. And put your head down. Your makeup looks like shit.” Dropping his arm around my shoulders, he curled me into his side.

And just like so many times before, I hid my emotions in his chest as our car pulled away.




“Let me carry her up.” Devon’s voice woke me from my sleep.

“I’ve got her,” Henry replied. “Shhhh,” he whispered into my hair as I began to stir. “Lock up when you leave,” he told Devon as he started up the winding stairs with me securely cradled in his arms.

“I’ll feel better if I stay for a little while. Make sure she’s okay and everything. I can drive you home later,” Devon replied.