Page 70 of Riot

“Mainly me,” he admits with a chuckle that makes me grin. “Come home and we can play.”

“I’m heading to the studio first. We can play later. Get your work done,” I order.

“If I’m good, will you let me stay with you tonight?” he asks sweetly.

“I’ll consider it.” I glance over my shoulder, flipping off a black Mercedes as it cuts me off. I accelerate around it and slide into the lane to get my own back, ignoring the honk. I speed through the next two intersections before stopping at a red light, tapping my fingers impatiently on the wheel. “I want steak later. Take me out,” I tell him.

“Are you asking me on a date, Fallon?” He gasps teasingly. “I’m honored.”

“I can take someone else,” I warn.

“You’ve got it, sweetheart. It’s a date.”

I can’t help but smile as the light turns green. “And no stealing my panties.” I know he probably already has.

His laughter fills my car. “Too late?—”

My head turns as something catches my attention. I’m just creeping through the green light, but a huge black truck is coming right at me. It doesn’t slow. Instead, it speeds up, and everything around me slows down.

“Sweetheart?” comes Kage’s voice as I stare at the truck, knowing I won’t be able to avoid it.

It’s barreling right toward me.

It’s on purpose, I realize.

“Kage!” I exclaim as I press down on the gas pedal, but it’s no good. The truck hits the back end of my car. I scream, my hands gripping the wheel as I spin, and then a car in another lane hits my front end. I jerk, pain flashing through me, and then the truck hits me again, ramming me. I try to peer through the darkened windshield, but I can’t see anything as the truck forces me off the road and down the embankment.

I start to flip, and everything happens so fast, I can’t react.

Suddenly, it’s silent.

My heart hammers in my chest, and my body is so cold, I can’t even feel it.

Everything is buzzing, but sound slowly comes back to me, my ears still ringing.

“Fallon, answer me right now!” Kage roars.

“Kage,” I whisper. “I think . . . I think I’m okay.” I look down, and my body appears intact. “A car hit me . . . . I’m okay . . . . I think I’m okay—” My vision spins, and I reach up with a shaking hand, touching my head and pulling it away to see blood covering my fingertips as two hands appear before me.

“Kage, I don’t think I’m okay,” I croak. “Kage . . . Kage . . .” Everything starts to go dark. “Help me.”

“Where are you? Fallon!” His shouts follow me into the darkness, but I can’t answer, even though I hear the pure terror in his voice.

I wake up to the sound of sirens and voices, but I must pass out again because the next thing I know, I’m looking at the inside of an ambulance before I’m under again. The next time I wake up, I see an off-white ceiling, the godawful color all hospitals have. Groaning, I turn my head and pain spasms through me, making my eyes slam shut as my vision starts to swim.

A hand grips mine, and when I open my eyes again, I blink to find Kage’s worried face above me. “Sweetheart,” he murmurs with a shaky smile. “There you are. I was worried.”

“What happened?” I ask, my memories hazy.

“You were in an accident. You’re in the hospital. I got you the best private room and doctor?—”

“More like ordered it. You have every single doctor and the hospital administrator at your beck and call,” a laughing voice comments. I turn to see Elijah sitting in a chair on my other side, typing away. He winks at me when he catches me looking. “He wouldn’t have anything less.”

“Sounds like him,” I murmur as I look back at Kage. “The other driver—” Everything comes back, and I gulp. “It was on purpose.”

“Shh, just rest,” he murmurs, propping me up and sitting on the side of my bed as he runs his eyes over my face.

“I must look like shit, huh?” I joke with a cough. He grabs a cup and lets me sip from it. “Kage, you’re worrying me.”

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