Mad Boys (Blue Ivy Prep, #2)(19)

Jonas’ expression was one of absolute fear, while Lachlan’s bordered on fury. Fuck, they needed to stay here and out of it, but I didn’t think they were going to listen. Who knew, maybe it would give them something to talk about that didn’t involve Jonas trying to relocate Lachlan’s jaw.

KC never let go of me for the whole ride to the hospital. I finally had to take my hand from hers when they wanted to move her to a hospital bed, and they put me in the bed area next to hers. I endured all of the checks while I kept an eye on her.

By the time Aubrey arrived, I was ready to collapse. The news about KC seemed good. Mostly smoke inhalation. They wanted to keep her on oxygen and keep an eye on her throat. Observation for a few hours and then she’d probably be released.

They said pretty much the same about me. I met Aubrey’s gaze when she went to close the curtains between our cubicles. Anger was in her expression, but there was gratitude in her eyes.

I understood both emotions. Head back, I closed my eyes and let her off the hook.

A fire.

Fuck, that was close.

Too damn close.





Eight





KC


Eight hours we were in the emergency room of the local hospital. I was out for a few hours of it, at least, that was what Aubrey said when I woke up to her sleeping sitting up next to me. The first thing she did when I opened my eyes was call Yvette. I had a hard time talking with the oxygen mask. I wasn’t allowed to take it off, but the croak of my voice wasn’t something I wanted to hear again anyway.

“Bitch,” Yvette said, her French pronounced as it usually was when she was distressed. “You scared the shit out of me.”

I’d apologize, but, yeah, she was a wreck. No cosmetics, her eyes reddened, her nose shiny, and a hint of chap around her lips. It had been a long night for her.

“I wanted to come down, but Aubrey said to wait until we knew whether you were getting out of there.”

Was I getting out of here? I glanced at Aubrey as I tried to sit up.

“Hang on,” Aubrey said before she set her phone down and then helped me adjust as she lifted the bed. I didn’t try to pull the oxygen mask off. My throat was legit killing me.

Retrieving her phone, Aubrey perched on the edge of the bed next to me. She tucked her cheek to the top of my head. Even with the mask on, the smell of smoke seemed to cling to everything.

“The doctor said he’d have recommendations for us within the next couple of hours.”

“How long?” I managed to push the two words out from under the shattered glass coating my throat.

“It’s almost six in the morning,” Yvette said and I groaned. So much hurt, I also felt scummy. “The fire was at midnight?”

“Give or take,” Aubrey said. “We woke to smoke. That was before the alarms started going off.”

I was trying to put it together while they spoke. “What happened to the sprinklers?” Yvette demanded. “Weren’t those buildings brand new?”

They were…they’d just opened them the year before. I coughed, wincing with every squeeze of my chest.

“I don’t know,” Aubrey said. “The police came by, and so did campus security.” She glanced down at me. “They will want to talk to you when you’re up for it. They were being pushy, but TA Douchebag chased them off.”

TA Douchebag? Tired swarmed over me. I’d played back-to-back sets for hours and been less tired at the end of the day. “Ramsey…” I croaked out the name. “He—helped.”

“He’s okay,” Yvette assured me before she cut a look at Aubrey. I followed her gaze. Aubrey let out a little sigh, then pressed a kiss to the top of my head. The wrap of her arm around my shoulders kept me grounded, and I leaned into her as much, or maybe more than she leaned into me. “Aubrey said he’s right there in the hospital with you.”

He was? Before I could look around, Aubrey huffed out a hard sigh. “He’s a cubicle over.” Her voice was low, probably to not carry. Adding to the surreality of the entire experience, I had on an oxygen mask, and we were surrounded by the sterile environment that wavered between blinding white and fugly green. What was it with hospitals?

I tried to clear my throat, but it hurt. A second attempt brought a nurse into our cubicle. Her smile was warm and almost too friendly. Guilt niggled inside of me, but I was too tired to focus on that particular fact at the moment.

“Hi there, I’m Jesse,” she said. “I’ve been your nurse for the last few hours.”

Aubrey scooted out of the way as the nurse checked my vitals. There was an oxygen monitor on my finger, and she got the blood pressure cuff in place.

“The doctor will be in to speak with you shortly, but can you tell me where you are?”

I stared at her for a long moment, then tried to say hospital but the word came out garbled and harsh.

She grimaced in sympathy for me. “That sounds rough. Let’s try some ice chips. We can do those in tiny amounts, and I can switch you out to a nasal cannula. Sound good?”

Honestly, anything sounded great if it involved getting something to drink. There was an IV in, and the numbers didn’t seem to worry the nurse too much.

While she said it wouldn’t take long, it seemed to take forever for them to switch me from oxygen to a cannula. It was easier to breathe, and the ice was ambrosia. Aubrey helped me with the ice chips. Why the fuck was I so weak?