Page 21 of Victorious: Part I

A genuine smile crosses her lips as she rests back in her seat, her eyes slowly blinking like she is fighting to stay awake. “My team, they’re family too.”

Turning my head back to her, I nod. “Oh, yeah? Tell me about them.”

She groans, shaking her head, but only slightly. “I need to sleep, Haven.”

I punch her arm. Harder this time, causing her to whimper. “Don’t you pussy out on me, Livvy. You tell me all about those people you work with.”

The corner of her lips turns up, her eyelashes fluttering just slightly. “The nurses… they’ve been there for me through everything. They know all about Stone, and when the club comes into the ER, they understand I need to handle it. They have never judged me. Never looked down on me. Just supported me through every fucked-up issue.”

Letting out a sigh, I get it. I do. Even if it is strange hearing Alpha’s real name thrown into the middle of a sentence. “You’re lucky to have a team back you like that. But it wasn’t all bad with the club, I mean.Right?”I ask, genuinely curious about her answer.

Livvy’s head slowly turns, her watering eyes meeting mine as I flick my head from the road and then back to her.

“No, not at all.” She sniffles, turning back to face the front, her eyes shifting to the ceiling of the car. “I secretly loved it.” Tears fall freely down her face now, and I push harder on the accelerator. “But when we thought Poppy died, something in me changed. I took my grief out on the club when I should have been fighting beside them.” Her bottom lip trembles. “I’ve never told Alpha that.”

My heart pounds harder, softly smiling that she’s back to his Road Name. I glance at her again, seeing her face turning whiter and whiter. Her eyes flutter closed again.

I reach out, shaking her shoulder. “Grief makes us do crazy things. We all handle it differently. But you and Alpha remained amicable through it all. That’s a testament to your relationship, don’t you think?”

Livvy softly chuckles. “Yeah, maybe.” Her hand slowly slides out, reaching for mine. “But in a way, I guess it had to happen the way it did. He needs you, Haven. I might be his best friend, but you? You are the other half of his soul. Anyone can see that.”

My stomach tightens as I slide my fingers to grip with hers. “Yeah, maybe,” I mimic her words back to her. “But every man needs his best friend, too, Livvy. Especially when she’s the mother of his child.”

She closes her eyes, the brightest smile lighting her face. “God, I adore that girl. Even if she’s a clone of you.”

I snort out a laugh, shaking my head as I take another corner at Mach speed. “We’re almost at the hospital, Liv,” I tell her.

She inhales deeply, her body slumping like she’s fading. “Hey! What did I say? Sleep when you’re dead, and you ain’t dying today. Not on my watch.”

She doesn’t open her eyes, but she does smile. “Not sure that’s your choice to make, Haven.”

A cold shudder runs over my skin, and I swallow hard. “You wanna play hardball with me right now? Okay then, talk to me about the men at work. There’s got to be a hot doc you’ve been keeping to yourself, right?”

Livvy slowly chuckles beside me, her laughs turning to a cough. I turn to look at her as I round another corner, cutting straight through a red. Her hand rushes to her lips to cover her mouth, and as she pulls her hand back, blood covers her palm.

Our eyes meet—silence filters through the car.

We both know this means she is inreallybad shape.

Letting out a long breath, I choose distraction. “Stop being dramatic and talk to me about McDreamy.”

Livvy relaxes into her seat, closes her eyes again, and sighs. “His name is Dr. Rhodes… Lochlan. But we all just call him Lock.”

Chuckling, I nod. “Yeah, I bet you do. Oh, Lock, yes, Lock, give it to me, Lock,” I tease, turning to face Livvy, but there’s no humor in her expression.

Her head is turned to the side, her eyes closed, her breathing barely visible now. My eyes widen as I reach over, trying to feel her pulse. It’s weak. “Jesus, fuck. Livvy,” I scream at the top of my lungs.

She jumps, her eyes wide as saucers. She looks at me, and a groan escapes her. I see it, the fear in her expression. “Haven,” she whispers.

“I know, babe. I know. We’re almost there. You just hold the fuck on. For Poppy, okay? Plus, you already have the key to Lock’s heart, so don’t go locking him out of his own happy ending,” I tease.

It works because she slowly snickers beside me, though her tears continue to fall. “Haven?” she whispers when I pull into the drive of the hospital emergency.

“Yeah, babe?” I ask, driving through the parking lot like a maniac.

Her eyes meet mine, a finality in them that makes me want to hurl. “Don’t go into comedy when I’m gone.”

Shaking my head, I scrunch up my nose. “Don’t talk that shit to me. Not now. Not ever.You hear me?”Livvy’s eyes close, her breathing barely present. “Livvy, hold on. We’re here, okay? We’re here. Your sexy doctor is going to fix you right up. Just hold on, for fuck’s sake!”

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