Page 3 of Black Lace

“I do,” he confirms before continuing in a surprisingly serious tone, “but if you don’t like it, you should tell him.”

“Do you think I haven’t?” I give a bitter laugh.

Dec squeezes me before removing his arm from around my shoulders, and I’m surprised by how much I miss the comforting feeling of it.

My phone rings with an unknown number, and I frown as I answer because not many people have my private number. “Hello?”

I hear some vague talking but can’t make sense of it. I cover my left ear in frustration, trying to block out the noise around me.

“I’m sorry, I can’t hear you. Give me one second,” I say loudly into the phone.

I make my way to the corridor leading to the bathrooms, and it’s slightly quieter than the VIP area.

“Hello?” I say, hoping the person hasn’t hung up.

“Am I speaking to Tiffany?” the person asks.

“Yes. Who is this?”

“It’s Dr. Timberlake,” the person says.

A sense of panic comes over me because Dr. Timberlakeis one of the highest-profile cardiothoracic surgeons in New York. He works with my dad, and I’ve met his kids at a few events.

“Is something wrong?” I choke out through my fear.

“I’m calling from Mount Sinai Beth Israel. Your grandfather has had a heart attack. Can you please come in as soon as possible?”

Nausea rolls through me as I get as much information from the doctor as I can, informing him that I’ll be at the hospital within an hour. As soon as I’m off the phone, I rush back to the VIP area, desperate to find my fiancé and sister.

“Where’s Ben?” I yell over the pounding music to the first of my friends that I find.

“I’m not sure. Why?” Danielle asks.

“I need to go to the hospital. Gramps has had a heart attack.” A wave of fear washes over me, but I push it away because I know I need to focus.

“Shit, I haven’t seen him in a while.” Danielle looks distressed as she cranes her neck to look around the club.

I frown at her, my annoyance that Ben is nowhere to be found at such a crucial time quickly buried under my worry for my grandfather. “I’m going to get Jasmine and go to the hospital. When you see him, please tell him to call me?”

Danielle nods, and I thank her before heading off to try and find my sister.

CHAPTER 2

CROSS TO BEAR

(DECLAN)

I sipmy beer as I watch Tiff return to the VIP area. My heart completes the usual flip it does in my chest every time I see her, but I immediately notice that she seems distressed after her phone call. She’s walking even more purposefully than usual, and her eyes are darting around the club constantly, and it looks like she’s searching for someone.

Her eyes land on my sister, Danielle, who’s been called Daisy by my family since birth. Tiff grabs my sister’s arm, and they have a quick conversation before Tiff spins on her heel and strides out of the VIP area. I frown as I watch her leave while I walk over to Daisy.

“Is Tiff okay?” I ask quickly.

She’s disappeared into the crowd now, but I’m worried about her response because she’d usually come and talk to me, not my sister.

Daisy shakes her head. “Her grandfather had a heart attack. She’s going to find Jazz and go to the hospital with her, but she couldn’t find Ben to tell him.”

“Fuck.”

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