Page 102 of Them Bones

“I agree,” Cary said, continuing his conversation with Shane like she wasn’t even there. “I’m not happy about this.”

“Me either."

“I have your word you aren’t supplying anything for her?” Cary asked.

“Do I have yours?”

“Um, hi?” Laney said, waving her hand between the two of them. “Right here?”

“I’venevergiven her drugs,” Cary spat, ignoring her.

“No, but your friends have.”

Dead.

Silence.

Oh shit.

NICK

Nick’s phone was ringing.

Who is calling me at 8:00am on New Year’s Day…

He ignored it, rolling over in bed, still a little drunk.

It had been a bad week. Between the whole debacle with John and Linette, Laney’s OD, and his constant terror that the prick Laney was dating was going to tip Cary off that he’d been seeing his sister, Nick had been drinking too much and sleeping like shit for days.

His phone rang again, and he pulled a pillow over his ears.

It was obvious thatShane– Nick couldn’t even think his name without a sneer – was whipped for Laney. If he hadn’t been able to tell from the sucker punch at the rave, it was glaringly obvious from his face when he’d heard Laney was in the hospital. Still, seeing the guy on the floor outside her hospital room… As sickly jealous as Nick was that he and Laney were obviously together, he’d never seen a man look so thoroughly broken as Shane did that day.

Cary had been a close second.

Nick hadn’t liked it, seeing Cary and Laney together. Shane, he understood – heloathedit, but he got it – but Cary…It wasn’t right and made Nick’s skin crawl a little. The way he looked at her…

And Sarita! Puffing herself up like Laney wascompetitionor something… The whole thing was just... wrong.

Nick had always cut down the snow he kept on him for friends. He had his own ‘pure’ stash, sharing the watered down version with buddies or Laney. It had never occurred to him to tell her, to explain that not only did he give her less volume but that it was also already a lower dose…

He felt guilty but was also angry. It wasLinette’sshit that messed her up. Not Nick’s.

His phone rang again, this time without stopping, and he threw back his covers and padded into the kitchen.

“WHAT?” he shouted into the receiver.

“Nick, it’s Laney…”

“Laney?” Nick shook his head, trying to clear the alcohol fuzz. “Laney, are you okay? I was at the hospital, I’ve been wanting to call you…”

“No time,” she said. “You need to leave.”

“What? No, look, Laney, I miss you, okay? I really miss you, and I know you said not to call you anymore but – ”

“Nick!”she said in a harsh voice. “You need to leave your apartment. Now. And get gone, for… a while.”

“Why,” Nick asked, his heartbeat starting to race.

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