Page 73 of Never Your Girl

I shake my head. “Nothing.”

He straightens, irritation flashing in his eyes. “Are you kidding me? We’re just supposed to let this keep happening?”

“Apparently,” I say, my jaw tightening. It feels like I’m hitting a brick wall at every turn.

My phone buzzes, and my pulse kicks up as I yank it out of my pocket. Holland hasn’t responded to any of my texts this afternoon. After everything that’s gone down between us lately, I thought things were slowly changing. That we were… Hell, I don’t even know what I thought. Clearly it was wrong. Her silence has me feeling like we’re right back to square one.

Instead of Holland’s name flashing across the screen, it’s my father’s.

Great. Just what I need.

I shove the phone back in my pocket and exhale sharply. “Have you seen Holland?”

“Nope, not since this morning.” Steele stretches his legs out and crosses them at the ankles. “Should we slap her face on a milk carton?”

I level him with a look. “You’re hilarious.”

He smirks, unfazed, but before I can press him for more, there’s a knock at the door. It swings open before anyone can answer, and Lilah steps inside. She flashes me a smile before her attention shifts to my cousin.

The second he sees her, he sits up straighter. “Hey,” he says, his tone softer. “What are you doing here? I thought you had a date with that basketball guy.”

“Cameron,” she corrects.

“Whatever,” Steele mutters, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

“My plans fell through at the last moment.”

Steele’s gaze sharpens as he tries to play it cool. “Huh. That’s too bad.”

I snort. “Is it, Steele? Is it too bad that her date didn’t work out?”

He shoots a glare at me. “Don’t you have somewhere to be? Weren’t you looking for Holland? Maybe you should continue your search somewhere else.”

Well, shit. He’s got a point.

“Right.” I roll my shoulders. “Maybe I’ll stop by her place.” Then, looking at Lilah, I smirk. “Tell Cameron I say hello.”

She grins. “Will do.”

As I climb the stairs, I glance over my shoulder to find Steele flipping me the bird. With a chuckle, I shake my head. That guy is in so deep with Lilah, he can’t see straight.

Once I reach the landing to the second floor, I pull out my phone and hit Holland’s number. Just as it rings, a muffled chime comes from inside my room.

That’s weird.

I push open the door and freeze when I find Holland curled up in my bed, cocooned in my comforter like a burrito. Her normally bright skin is pale as her lashes rest against her cheeks. Her hair is a mess around her face, and she looks so damn vulnerable that it sends all my protective instincts surging to the surface.

I carefully step closer. “Holland?”

She stirs slightly as her eyes crack open. “Yeah?” Her voice is hoarse, barely above a whisper.

“What’s going on?” I crouch beside the bed, brushing my fingers over her forehead. Her skin is hot to the touch. “Jesus. You’re burning up.”

With a shift, she tries to wave me off. “I feel shitty,” she mumbles.

I let out a harsh breath, frustration mingling with something heavier in my chest. “Why didn’t you text me?

“It’s not that big of a deal, and I didn’t want to bother you.”

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