Page 88 of All Your Lies
“Yes and no,” I say honestly, because every time I think about it, I still find a “but” in my thought process.
“What can I do to make you trust me?”
“Time.”
His upper lip picks up a fraction as he looks over at me and grabs my thigh roughly, causing butterflies to invade my belly. “Time is something we have a lot of. I can deal with that.”
When we arrive at Vic and Rosie’s house, I rush to the room Vic gestures to, paying no attention to the guys.
“Okay, spill, there’s no way you’re too sick to be in the Maldives with a bikini on, toes in the sand, and a piña colada in hand,” I say as soon as I walk into the room. She smiles as she looks at me, and I study her messy bun and pale face as she sits in bed, clutching a bowl in her lap.
Her hand goes into her front hoodie pocket. “Close your eyes and open your hand.”
I place my left hand over my eyes and outstretch my right hand. A featherlight plastic object lands on my palm, causing me to uncover my eyes and glance downward, where I find a positive pregnancy test.
“Surprise, Auntie Alexa.”
“No fucking way!” I say as I jump on the bed next to Rosie and pull her in for a hug. She’s going to be a mom. Gage is going to be an uncle, and I’m going to be an aunt. I’m so excited.
“I said the same thing as I threw up in the toilet earlier.”
“How does Vic feel about it?”
“He’s ecstatic. I think he was trying to get me pregnant from day one,” she says with a silly smile. I love that my best friend is in love.
“It happened so quick.”
“We didn’t use protection. Don’t remind him, though, his head is already big enough as it is,” she mutters as she rolls her eyes, making us both laugh.
We sit around discussing what the gender could be and possible baby names until the door slams against the wall, making us both jump. Jenna comes into the room with a limp. She’s disheveled from head to toe, no shoes on her feet, with dirt and blood caked everywhere.
“Jenna, are you okay?” I ask as I walk over to her.
“I’m sorry. I really tried,” she says with a grimace as she pulls her palm away from her right thigh, which is covered in blood. She grabs the edge of her long-sleeved black shirt and rips the whole sleeve off, then wraps it around her wound before pulling it tight with a grimace.
“What are you talking about? What happened?”
“There isn’t enough time,” she says, shaking her head.
“You aren’t making any sense. You need to see a doctor for your leg. It’s bleeding bad.” I point at her blood-soaked thigh, which needs stitches, and quick from the way the makeshift tourniquet is already soaked in blood.
“Shit, get on the bed. Now!” she hisses as she pushes me away. I slip in my socks and fall back onto the hardwood floor with a thud while I regard her as if she’s lost her fucking mind.
In a split second, Jenna takes her place quietly by the wall. As Rosie gasps, my gaze follows hers, and I spot a figure entering the room. Their black tactical boots announce their presence with a menacing squeak. My eyes gradually travel upward, taking in the sight of someone dressed in black cargo pants, a black shirt, and a mask that obscures their face. As I scramble to grab my knife, my fingers close around... nothing… Panic sets in when I remember not bringing it along, relying on Gage to keep me safe. When am I going to learn my damn lesson?
The guy takes two steps in our direction, causing Rosie to release a bloodcurdling scream. That gives Jenna enough time to creep up behind him, jump on his back, pull up his mask, and slice him across his throat from ear to ear. I watch the blood trickle down his neck as he drops to his knees, prompting Jenna to gracefully jump off him before he falls face-first onto the floor.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Jenna!”
“I’m sorry,” she mutters, out of breath as she takes her knife and cleans it against her black pants before placing it into her back pocket. What in the hell is going on?
I clamber to the side of the bed and use it to help myself up, then I glance over at Rosie, whose ragged breath was almost to the point of hyperventilating. I crawl on the bed and grab her arm, which is quaking with the rest of her body. “Ro, it’s okay. You’re safe.”
She looks right through me as if I’m not in front of her, which scares the hell out of me. The memories of her recent attack and abduction must be flooding back, causing her to relive the trauma all over again. I know little about being pregnant, but I’m sure this isn’t good for her or the baby.
“Rosie. Look at me,” I murmur as I grab her hands in mine. They’re clammy and cold, but once I have a good grip on them, she looks at me and not through me. “That’s good,” I say in asoothing tone. “We’re going to breathe together. Let’s breathe in for three seconds and then out for three. Okay?”
She blinks, but not much else. We do three sets of the breathing exercises together, which usually helps me. She calms down slightly, but I’m still worried. “You’re doing great. Let’s keep taking those breaths, okay?”
