Page 169 of Theirs to Ruin

The pulsating wail of sirens drew nearer. I heard the door crash open downstairs. Feet thudded up the staircase. Then the EMTs flooded in, their movements practiced and efficient. One kneeled beside Ty, checking his pulse and vitals, while another prepared an IV.

“Ma’am, are you alright?” one asked as I shakily got to my feet and out of their way.

“Just—please—help him,” was all I managed to stammer out. I felt disconnected from reality, like I was watching the scene unfold from outside my body.

After putting an IV in Ty’s arm and grabbing the pill bottles on his desk, they quickly loaded Ty onto a stretcher, securing him with straps. “Is he going to be okay?”

The EMTs didn’t answer, just pushed the stretcher out of the room while navigating around two police officers who identified themselves as Officers Monroe and Williams. Williams took my statement, which I gave in a dull, monotone voice, but I broke off mid-sentence as the other cop started opening Ty’s desk drawers and rifling through his closet.

“What are you doing? You can’t go through his things!”

“It’s fine, miss,” Officer Williams said while Officer Monroe paid no attention to me. “The pills are contraband. We’re searching for more.”

“But—but—” Shit. I’d had no choice but to call 911, but it suddenly dawned on me that Ty’s physical well-being wasn’t the only things at stake here. Contraband meant illegal and that meant Ty would be in trouble, both with the school and the law. Granted, it was no secret that Crimsonvale had dirty cops on the force that did favors for students and their families all the time, but I didn’t know if Monroe or Williams were two of them.

“Camille?! Where are you? Camille!”

The second I heard Kage’s shout from downstairs I started crying again. “Kage! I’m here!”

Kage barreled into the room and I threw myself into his arms. “I think Ty overdosed on pills! His heart stopped beating and I had to give him CPR. Kage, he almost died!”

He hugged me tight. “It’s alright. They’re taking him to the hospital and I’m here now. It’s going to be okay.”

I wanted to believe that so bad, but for the life of me, I didn’t see how. Not when I was watching both police officers, grim expressions on their faces, baggie up Ty’s stuff, including several weapons and more pills.

Chapter 69

Kage

At the sight of cop cars and an ambulance in front of the chateau, I swear my heart stopped. I’d thrown open my door and been out of Alex’s car even before it came to a complete stop. I’d gone out with him and Samir, who was in the backseat. By the time I made it to the front door, the EMTs were pushing Ty out the door on a stretcher.

At first, I thought he’d attacked Camille. That she’d fought back and taken him down. Then I thought maybe someone had broken into the house and attacked them both. That Ty was alive but Camille…

I’d run into the house shouting Camille’s name and when I’d heard her voice coming from upstairs, my knees almost gave out. Now I was holding her in my arms and I never wanted to let her out of my sight again.

She clung to me as her sobs faded, her attention on the two officers who were raiding Ty’s room. I saw how that upset her, so I scooped her up into my arms. She was tiny, feather light, so fragile in that moment it tore at my insides. Every protectiveinstinct I had roared to life. Her fingers dug into my shirt, holding onto me as if I was the only anchor in her stormy world.

I carried her into her room, laying her gently on the bed. My fingers brushed away the stray hairs that had fallen across her tear-streaked face. Leaning down, I pressed my lips to her forehead. “You’re okay. Do you want me to get you anything?”

She shook her head, clung to me, and pulled me down until I was lying on the bed with her and had her wrapped in my arms again. I pulled her closer, trying to absorb some of her pain. My phone buzzed several times but I ignored it.

We might have remained like that for hours if one of the cops hadn’t suddenly knocked on the open doorway. “Officer Davis is trying to get in touch with you, sir.”

“He can fucking wait,” I gritted out, pulling Camille closer.

The cop nodded. “I’ll tell him. But he said to tell you, in case you said that, that he has news about your sister Ava.”

Chapter 70

Camille

“Ava was pregnant?”

When Kage had returned to my bedroom after speaking with Officer Davis, he’d refused to say what they’d talked about, but I could tell by his grim expression that it hadn’t been good. I hadn’t pushed, figuring he’d tell me when he was ready. Plus, I’d wanted to call the hospital to check on Ty. Only when I moved to do just that, Kage said Officer Davis was checking and would give us an update. Twenty minutes later, Davis called with news that Ty was in stable condition. Kage had just told me about Ava.

A heavy weight descended on my chest. Pregnant. Ava. Fuck.

“Kage, I have to tell you something. I went to Devil's Engine last week. I asked questions about Ava. If anyone had seen her with a guy.”

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