Page 63 of Best Kept Secret

My confession poured out of me, bitter on my tongue. "I believed her parents, and kicked her out. I need to find her and make this right. I will."

"Please, let me know how it goes. I've tried to reach her but…her phone is disconnected or something."

"She had a burner phone." Did she have enough minutes for when I'd try to find her now? Why didn't I give her some money when I kicked her out? Fuck, she wouldn't have taken it anyway. She even left the phone I got her. "I'll contact you as soon as I know how she is."

Because I didn't know right now, and it was killing me.

"You take care of yourself and Pari…and Mira. Those two girls deserve the best of everything. You need anything from me, all you have to do is call."

"Thank you." My voice was tight; I was barely holding it together.

I walked out of the office, feeling very much like I was sinking into quicksand and couldn't find a way out. The world outside felt harsh, the sunlight too bright, the air too thick.

As the driver took me to the helipad, my mind raced with everything I'd just learned. I'd pushed Mira away when she needed me the most. How the hell had I let this happen?

I was just about to get into the helicopter when my phone rang. I pulled it from my pocket, my heart already heavy, and glanced at the screen.

It was Katya. She was on my mother's side on this, and I didn't want to deal with her, but I worried something was wrong with a family member so I answered, "What?"

"Beau," her voice came through, tense and urgent. "Where are you?"

"Atlanta."

"Get back right away."

I gritted my teeth. "Who's hurt?"

There was a pause. "Mira. She's in the ICU, here at Memorial Health. And…it's not looking good."

My heart stopped.

"What the fuck happened?" I demanded, my voice thick with panic.

"She…she overdosed."

"What? On what?"

"Ambien. It was…the medics said it was her sister's prescription."

Did she take too many pills by accident? Or…what?

"She attempted suicide, Beau." Katya sounded like she was in pain.

Oh God! My Mira tried to kill herself, because of what I did. Because I tore her away from the one person in her life—Pari. Because I treated her like trash.

"Are you her doctor?"

"No."

"Good, keep it that way. I don't want you or Mama near her. Got it?"

"Beau, I'd never hurt Mira," Katya said, affronted.

"I think we've hurt her enough. Your animosity and Mama's meddling…fucking hell, Katya. I did this to her."

She stayed silent, not replying. She'd been happy when Mira was sent away—everyone had, except for Nova, who called me an idiot for thinking Mira could ever hurt a fly. Roxy and Nova were the only two people in my life who had never wavered in how they felt about Mira.

"I don't know what to say," Katya said softly. "The medics said that she kept asking for Pari, asking if…Pari was sleeping."

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