Fever (Breathless #2)(120)

“Man, you have to chill,” Gabe said grimly. He turned in the front seat so he could look at Jace, and his eyes were hard. “You don’t know what happened. None of us do. Until you get there and she explains it, you can’t jump to conclusions. You can’t do that to her.”

“She was barely breathing,” Jace bit out. “She may not even be alive when I get there. God, I can’t lose her. Not like this. Hell, I’m not even good for her. She tried to tell me. I knew what our relationship was doing to her. It almost happened before. She almost took a pill when I upset her last time. But I hung on because I was too selfish to do anything else. I was only looking at my wants and needs and I need her more than I need to breathe.”

“Pump the brakes,” Ash ordered. “Until we get the story, you can’t be making stupid, rash decisions. She needs you, man. She needs you more than ever right now. Whatever happened, it’s not good and she’s going to need you to be her rock. Whatever happened, you can fix it. But not if you’re already checking out and being all noble and shit by saying she’s better off without you. Do you honestly think she’s better off on the streets with f**king Kingston, who obviously doesn’t give a shit about the kind of life she has? Hell, he was pushing drugs at her. Does that sound like the kind of man she needs to be with?”

“I can give her a better life. I just don’t have to necessarily be in it,” Jace said bleakly. “I hurt her. I’ve hurt her time and time again. No one should have to put up with that shit. I can give her a better life and step away. Let her make her own choices. I’ll make damn sure she always has whatever she needs, but maybe the biggest thing she doesn’t need is . . . me.”

“Swear to God, I’m going to beat your ass if you don’t shut the f**k up,” Gabe growled. “Now isn’t the time for you to wimp out. Man up and be there for her. Find out what happened and then work it out. Bethany is fragile, but now? She’s going to be even more so. We don’t know what drove her to this. There’s a lot of questions we don’t have the answers to. And until we get those answers, the thing she needs most is you. There by her side. Supporting and loving her.”

Jace went quiet. He closed his eyes, torturing himself with images of Bethany’s lifeless body. Face pale in death, shadows from the night before still hanging permanently on her cheeks. Of her dying thinking he didn’t love her or trust her. Or her thinking she wasn’t the single most important thing in his life. Of her dying without him ever telling her how sorry he was and how much he f**king loved her.

She was everything to him and he was goddamn well going to make sure she knew it.

Gabe was right. No matter what had happened or why Bethany had done this, she needed him. He wasn’t going to let her go unless she convinced him she truly didn’t want him or his love. And even then he’d make damn sure she was always provided for. Even if it ripped his heart and soul right out of him not to be a part of her life.

“Going to marry her as soon as possible,” Jace said hoarsely. “Swear to God, if she survives this, I’m going to marry her and spend every goddamn day making sure she knows where my heart is at.”

“Now that’s more like it,” Ash said.

Jace lifted his haunted gaze to Ash. “I’m sorry, man. More sorry than you’ll ever know. I didn’t even think you did anything. Was just a shitty day and I went off without thinking. Just wanted to bite at someone and you and Bethany happened to be there at the wrong f**king time.”

Ash made a sound of impatience. “We already went over this shit. You said what you needed to say last night. It’s done. Won’t say I’ll ever tolerate that bullshit again, but it’s done. You just have to make it up to Bethany now.”

“Yeah,” Jace whispered. “If I only get the chance. God, don’t let her die. She has to live. We have to get through this. Please don’t let her die.”

Grief was choking, cutting off his air. It was a weight pressing down on every part of his chest until it was unbearable. He couldn’t lose her. Not like this. Never like this. He’d never survive this if she died.

“She’ll need help,” Gabe said in a low voice. “Counseling. If she tried to kill herself, she’s going to need professional help.”

“She’ll have whatever it is she needs,” Jace said. “However long it takes. But I’ll be there with her every step of the way. She’s never going to be alone again.”

The driver roared to a stop outside the emergency room entrance and Jace jumped out, running inside, where he was immediately met by Kaden. Jace grabbed the much larger man by his shirt, pulling their faces close together.

“Where is she?”

“They’re working on her now,” Kaden said grimly. “Doc came out briefly to ask about family. I told him you were on your way. Said it was definitely an overdose but they can’t rouse her enough to ask what she took or how much.”

“Fuck!” Jace exploded.

He dropped his hold on Kaden and then stalked toward the desk and the wary-eyed receptionist.

“Bethany Willis,” he bit out. “I want to see her now.”

She rose and walked around the desk as Gabe and Ash came up behind Jace.

“Sir, they’re working with her now. You’ll have to wait out here.”