Page 135 of Pretty Poisoned

Hazel cuts her off. "I don't know. I don't know, okay? But we need to figure it out. You should have heard him on the phone—he was fucking furious. He said we're both going to lose a lot of blood if we don't get her down there."

"He's furious?! He did it!"

"River…shhh. Don't…okay?"

She scolds her as if she worries that he'll hear them even though we all know he's not even in the same building. It makes me wonder if she knows something I don't.

It's eerie.

River sighs. "Find something that won't rub up against her cuts."

Hazel begins digging through my suitcase and eventually pulls out a pair of jeans and a low-cut cropped cami I normally sleep in.

"That should work," Riv tells her. "I'm going to take this out now, Teagan. Are you ready?"

I nod, and she removes my IV before the two of them help me into my clothes. Then, River brushes out my hair and starts braiding it.

"There's blood in it," Hazel says.

"He wants her there—he gets what he gets. I cleaned up the rest of her; I don't have time to wash her hair."

"River, I don't feel good," I tell her. "I think I need to eat something."

"I can't give you any food yet, Teagan. I'm sorry," River says. "We're going to pull you up and take you to the elevator now, okay? Are you ready? Stand up."

With one arm over each of the girls' shoulders, I bring myself to stand. On weak, unsteady legs, I move with them through the door, into the elevator, and through the first floor of the hotel.

"How are you doing, Teagan?" Hazel asks me.

"I'm cold," I tell her. "I'm really fucking cold."

"It's normal," River says. "It's not great, but it's normal."

"That's the car," Hazel tells us, pointing at a black Cadillac SUV. She opens the door and climbs in first, and then helps pull me into the vehicle.

"I want her lying down," River says. "Her feet really shouldn't be below her heart right now."

I lie across the bench seat with my head in Hazel's lap, holding my arms against my chest while I shiver.

"What's all of this?" the driver asks. "Is she on drugs?"

"No, she's not on drugs," River replies. "She's…she's hurt. We're taking her to the doctor."

"The doctor?" he asks. "This address is a concert venue. What the hell is going on here? Girls, I'm not trying to lose my fucking job."

"The doctor is…meeting us there. Just drive, okay? We'll make it worth your time," Hazel says. To us, she adds, "I'm texting Luca now."

"I don't feel good," I say through chattering teeth.

"She better not throw up in here," he says.

But unfortunately, I have no control over that. I manage to get my head up just enough that when I vomit, I do it on the floor and not all over Hazel.

"God damn it!" the driver says. "I'm pulling over, and you're getting the fuck out of my car."

"No, she can't!" River says.

"Sir…or um…Carl?" Hazel starts. "You don't want to fucking do that, Carl. Trust me." She leans forward and wraps her arm around Carl's neck, pressing a knife into his throat.

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