Page 136 of Pretty Poisoned

"Jesus Christ, lady! You're insane!"

"That's right, I am. And my friends—they're even worse. Get us to the address and take your money or you're going to lose a lot more than your fucking job, Carl. And for fuck's sake, take the corners slower. We've got a sick girl back here, and besides, you don't want my hand to slip. And if one of your hands leaves the steering wheel even a little bit, my handisgoing to slip."

"Okay, just…take it easy," Carl says.

"God, you're so fucking sexy, baby," River says. "I'm so fucking wet right now."

"Yeah?" Hazel asks. "Show me."

River hikes her dress up around her hips and spreads her legs wide.

"Hey!" Hazel snaps at the driver. "Eyes on the road, mother fucker. Don't fucking look at my wife."

A few minutes later, the car pulls to a stop on the side of the street.

"Not here," Hazel says. "Pull around to the alley in the back."

He sighs, then pulls back out into traffic. The car turns twice more before he parks in a small, dark alley.

"We're here," Carl says. "Now get the fuck out of my car!"

"Don't. Get. Mouthy. Carl," Hazel grits.

Before he can reply, the passenger side door opens, and Luca hops in, removing his wallet from his back pocket. "All right, you can put the knife down, Haze," he says.

She does what he says and leans back in her seat.

"He was going to throw Teagan out on the sidewalk," River tells him.

"River," Hazel laughs, shaking her hand. "You really want to see this man bleed, don't you?"

Luca hands Carl a wad of cash. "You're fucking lucky nothing happened to my girlfriend. You mention this to anyone, and I'll give her what she wants, Carl, who lives on South Green Street."

He climbs out of the car and opens the back door. "All right, come here, Teag."

River guides me toward Luca, who takes me into his arms and carries me through the back entrance of the building.

I clutch Luca's shirt in my hands, breathe in his scent, and cry.

"It's okay, angel," he says. "You're okay. I've got you." He kisses the top of my head and the side of my face. "How bad was it, Riv?" he asks.

"Really fucking bad," she tells him. "She shouldn't be here; she should be in bed. She's shivering, and she threw up in the car."

He turns into a room and lays me across on an old brown leather sofa. Everything about the room is old and much too bright. Fluorescent lights lining the ceiling burn my retinas. I squeeze my eyes closed, and Luca covers me with a black hoodie…which smells like Declan.

I think I'm going to vomit again.

"You want something to drink, baby?" Luca asks.

"No!" River says. "Don't give her anything to drink or eat. She's vomiting."

"Can you guys turn the lights off in here?" I ask. "Please."

Someone must hit the switch because the room goes dark, save for the light coming through the open door.

"Sit up for a second, Teag. I'll warm you up."

I pull myself up and then lie back down against Luca's chest, closing my eyes again.

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