Page 49 of Lodged

“How bad is it?” Rain breaks the silence as we make it to the interstate. Her voice is laced with panic.

“Not sure. They only said she had been in a car accident.” I don’t tell her I’m assuming it was bad since it was a medical worker who called instead of Ruin herself.

“Do you think she was with that boyfriend of hers?” I ask through clenched teeth. I’d fucking kill that bastard if he’s the reason my sister is in the hospital.

“No. As far as I know, he’s overseas visiting his family. Ruin went to Pine Shores to look for a souvenir for him since she’s planning to head back to campus right after New Year’s,” Rain says, and my anger toward the boyfriend turns into sympathy.

I wonder if Rain has a way to communicate with him. If he truly loves Ruin as she says he does, I’m sure he’d like to know she's been in an accident.

Rain and I remain quiet the rest of the drive. When we pass by Pine Shores, we notice tire stains on the ground, and a huge area of the forest has been cleared—the site of Ruin’s accident. I inhale a sharp breath as I see Rain’s eyes misting up. It’s a miracle Ruin is still alive.

As soon as we arrive at the hospital, Rain and I rush to the emergency room.

“We’re Ruin MacAllister’s siblings,” I say to a nurse who’s behind the information desk. She looks at me over her glasses and types something on her computer. Rain starts tapping the desk, the telltale sign she’s getting anxious.

“She’s in the intensive care unit. I’m paging Dr. Davies. He’ll come to speak with you shortly.”

I murmur a thanks as I guide Rain toward the sitting room. I motion for her to take a seat, but she shakes her head. We’re both restless.

As I look around the waiting room, there’s not too many people. Which could be a good thing, meaning the doctors can give their full attention to Ruin.

A man who looks like he’s in his mid-forties approaches me with a tight smile on his face.

“Dr. Davies,” I greet him as I extend my hand. We shake hands, and he clears his throat. Rain grabs my arm, bracing to hear whatever the doctor has to say next.

“Are you River MacAllister?” I nod, and he opens his tablet.

“Your sister, Ruin, is under my care. She was brought by an ambulance after the fire department spent a couple of hours chainsawing her out of her car.” I inhale a deep breath as I feel Rain clawing her nails in my arm. “From what they can tell, her brakes failed, and she was on the wrong side of the road when an eighteen-wheeler appeared. There was black ice on the road, and she couldn’t stop. Her car got hit by the truck and went down the mountain.” The doctor falls silent, and from the corner of my eye, I notice Rain trying to keep her tears from spilling over.

“How is she? Can we see her?” Rain asks, almost in a whisper.

“Unfortunately, Ruin is unconscious at the moment. We had to induce a coma to help her heal faster. She has several broken bones, and her brain is significantly swollen. She’s lucky she’sstill alive.” Rain can’t hold her tears any longer, and she buries her face in my chest. I take a couple of deep breaths, clenching my jaw as I think about what to do or even say next.

“I suggest you both go home and come back in the morning. There’s no telling when Ruin will wake up.”

“No. We’re spending the night here,” I tell him, and Rain nods in agreement. Dr. Davies nods, and we shake hands.

I pull Rain into a tight hug. I need to be strong for my family and call Mama to tell her what happened to Ruin.

Chapter 22

Gio Bianchi

It’s been hours since I texted Ruin, and she hasn’t gotten back to me. It’s not unusual for her not to text right away; I know she’s with her family. But the message is showing it’s been read. She never leaves me on read.

“Everything okay?” my sister Isa asks as she comes to stand next to me.

“Yeah, I just haven’t heard back from Ruin,” I say, a nagging feeling taking over my chest.

“Ugh, don’t be so dramatic, Gio. I’m sure she’s just busy. You guys always talk at night, right?” I nod at her, taking a couple of deep breaths.

“I’m sure she’ll have a fun story to tell you tonight.” Isa pats my back before slipping back into the pool. We’re on Luca’s patio, enjoying some pool time before the boys and I go to a racecar speedway to have some fun. I shake my head, trying to get the nagging feeling out of my mind.

“You’re right, Isa. I’m sure everything is fine.” She smiles at me as she swims toward Karina.

“Big bro is pussy whipped!” Luca shouts before cannonballing into the pool. I chuckle, deciding to try to relax, and jump into the cool water as well.

Gio: Good morning, sweetheart. Is everything okay? I miss you.

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