Page 125 of Vicious Sentiments

“She’ll be better if she goes back to sleep.” Cape grips me and yanks me into his chest, snuggling his lips into my neck.

“Actually…” I squeak. “I want to check on Marney.”

Cape’s eyes open and they find Julian’s. They look at each other, holding a gaze over my body and sharing a sort of resignation. I feel both their anxieties mingle with mine and then they slowly untangle themselves.

Chapter Sixty-Three

The ICU is on the third level, and even though Margo said nothing has changed, I feel an unease in the center of my chest as we take the elevator up. The line between Cape’s brows has reappeared and his body has gone stiff. The only thing keeping me from the urge to throw up is Julian.

He has a hold of my hand and is rubbing comfortingly with his thumb. His chin is held high with all the optimism I wish I had and it’s clear he really believes Marney is going to pull through.

I hope that in the last half hour somethinghaschanged for the good, that Marney is awake, and Dillon can go back to his regular antsy self. I shudder to think what deep end he’s going to go off if Marney—

No.

I’m not even going to think it because that is not a possibility. That just can’t happen. I have sleepovers planned and more recitals to go to and a sister to watch grow up. And I’m going to try harder with Dillon for Marney’s sake. She doesn’t deserve to have a weirdo for a brother. She’s going to be fine, and I’m going to win over Dillon, and everything is going to be okay.

One look at Cape as we step off the elevator has me second guessing all of that though.

Right.

Don’t look at Cape.

I curl closer into Julian’s side hoping to steal some of his confidence and I nearly trip when he halts. I look up to see Dillon standing in front of us.

He’s in the same clothes as when I found him in the closet and they’re crumpled, stretched out and saggy. His hair is sticking out on the side like he’s been tugging at it and his face is blotchy, lips dried and cracked. If I didn’t know any better, I would think he’s a patient that needs attention.

“Any news?” Julian asks mildly, clearly ignoring the demented look on Dillon’s face.

Dillon’s puffy eyes dart between Julian and Cape and the one black eye gives him a foreboding shadow to his usually boyish face. I find myself shrinking in on myself, but Cape takes a step closer to me as if noticing this, and I relax an inch.

“We are in a hospital,” Cape says to Dillon. “So you can try it if you want. They will bring you back when I put you down,” he speaks low enough that the nurse that passes us doesn’t hear him but deep enough that my stomach tightens, because I do not doubt that Cape will kill him.

I hear Julian’s jaw clamp, and I know what he’s thinking, that Cape isn’t helping the situation.

Dillon’s chest expands as he takes a choked breath in but it does nothing to calm the ire in his eyes. They flick to my hand in Julian’s and when he looks up at me I feel pure hatred boring into me. He pushes past us without breaking eye contact and gets into the elevator.

Marney really needs to wake up soon.

When we make it to the waiting room, Margo is standing with her lips set in a firm line. At least she doesn’t look green in the face anymore and isn’t wringing her hands. She seems to be more solid, except for the sling on arm. Thankfully, that was her only injury, excluding a myriad of bruises that she got from her tumble down thestairs.

“Good. You’re here.” She doesn’t wait for us to come to her and instead meets us in the middle of the room.

There is only one other person in the room, an older woman with a rosary wrapped around her wrists and she gives Margo a disdainful look. Margo side eyes the woman and then huddles us over to the far corner.

“What’s going on?” Julian asks.

“Don’t mind that right now.” Margo waves a hand. “Listen. We have to have a meeting about Marney and everything that’s happened… and Dillon.”

“What did he do?” Cape barks, and the woman snaps her head up at us.

“Nothing!” Margo glances at the woman and gives a flat, patronizing smile to her before turning back to us. “But he’s not doing so well and I think I might have to speak to a doctor on his behalf.”

“For what?” I ask.

She takes a deep breath. “I was hoping that there would be better news about Marney by now but I don’t think the waiting game is doing Dillon any favors. I can’t force him to talk to a doctor or take any medication that he used to be on but—”

“Have him fucking committed,” Cape snarls.

---