Page 7 of Double Dare

“I’d never tell you that, baby.” She moves to lean against the railing with me, looking out over the bay. She snugs up the blanket around her shoulders, takes a long drag, and says, “Life’s a bitch, but there’s good bits mixed in with all the bitchy parts.”

Mom has no idea what happened in the truck. She doesn’t know I kissed Laken, crossed a line, and had a fight with Jed about it. She’s not stupid, so she knows something is up, but she doesn’t know what it is and I’m not ready to tell her. As far as she knows, I’m still just that pathetic twat pining over my brother’s girl.

“Just gotta wade through the bitchiness is what you’re saying?” I ask.

“Nah, you gotta be bitchier. You’ve got it in you.” She nods at the door. “Feed Mule.”

Dismissed. She makes me think she's going to one-up me with wisdom, and then she throws me aside like I’m not worth her time. I laugh, loving her ways. Always a mindfuck with that woman.

I walk inside, get mauled by Mule, and wonder why he’s even here. What’s going on with Dom, and why won’t Laken tell us? Pouring some food into his bowl, I set my shit down and rummage through the fridge for something to eat.

“Wanna go sledding?” Jed asks. “Snowmobiles are already out.”

I grab a bag of baby carrots, munching as I think about it. It would be fun to get out on the machines, and it’s a good chance to be around him without having to talk. The roar of the engines will drown out any conversation, and I’m perfectly okay with that.

“Yeah. Where’s everyone else?”

“Waiting.”

Family trip then. Even better. No time for thinking while they’re all there being twats.

Chapter 4

Crouching in front of the couch in Dom’s living room, I press the back of my hand to a sweaty forehead. Whoever he is, he’s shaking terribly, drifting in and out of consciousness.

“What’s happening?” I ask Dom. “What’s wrong with him?” He’s a young guy, somewhere around my age, with dark blond hair and a pallor to his face that isn’t healthy.

Dom passes me a thermometer, shaking his head at himself. “Fuck…he’s detoxing, Lakes. I thought since you…” he pauses, half-ass admitting he knows about my former pill addiction.

I shove the thermometer under his tongue and hold his jaw closed. “From what?” He’s clammy and hot to the touch, but he’s shivering like he’s freezing. He’s definitely not in a good way.

“Opiates,” Dom admits, fear in his voice. “He was doing really good, and then…fuck, he just had a setback. I’ve been trying to help him and keep him safe, but I have no fucking idea what I’m doing!” He paces, his hands in his hair.

The thermometer beeps, showing a high fever. I brush his hair off his forehead and try to figure out how best to help them both. “What’s his name?”

“Liam.”

“He has a really high fever, Dom. Has he been shaking like this for long? Diarrhea, vomiting, the chills, dry heaving?”

He nods. “Yeah, all that. It gets better for a bit and then comes back. I can’t get him to keep anything inside, and whatever bits of water he manages, just come back up.”

I stand up to face Dom. “He’s in hell right now, Dom. This withdrawal isn’t easy, and it’s pretty dangerous. I’m going to call Genevieve to see what she recommends.”

“No!” He snatches my wrist, his eyes pleading with me.

“She’s a doctor. She’ll know what’s best for him.”

“No, Laken. No.”

“Why not?”

“Because…because I’m not ready for them to…know.” He looks straight into my eyes and then looks away.

Oh. Oh, Dom. “Are you forgetting who your family is?”

He shakes his head. “No, I’m just not wholly comfortable with it myself yet. I’m not ready.”

I can respect that. “Then we need to take him to a hospital. We aren’t qualified to get him through this. He needs medical supervision to get him through the detox.” I grab both his hands as Liam stirs, trembling. “Don’t be selfish about this. He needs help, and we have the power to get him help. Let’s do it.”

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