Page 44 of Heat Island
“Trinity?”
This voice cuts through the fog, both familiar and unwelcome.
Egret’s face appears in my narrowing field of vision, his expression a mask of concern that doesn’t reach his eyes.
“She’s with us,” he says to someone I can’t see. “We’ll take care of her.”
No. No, no, no.
I try to speak, but my tongue feels thick and uncooperative.
“Don’t try to move.” Brendin’s voice now, his hand on my shoulder.
“I’ll carry her,” Saren offers, already bending down.
Alarm surges through the pain. I can’t let them take me. I can’t be alone with them. Not like this.
“I’m fine,” I insist, though my voice sounds distant even to my own ears as I push Egret’s hands away. “Just give me a second.”
Irwan appears in my blurry field of vision, his face contorted with panic.
“Ms. Jones, I’m so terribly sorry! We had a sign posted directing guests to use the garden path instead of walking through from the pool area.” He gestures frantically toward a yellow caution sign that’s fallen over several feet away. “I’ll have someone mop all this water right away.”
Egret rounds on him immediately. “A sign? A sign that’s not even visible is your safety protocol?” His voice shifts into that cold, authoritative tone I remember all too well andhate with every fiber of my being. “Perhaps Heat Island isn’t worth our business if you can’t ensure basic safety for your guests.”
Irwan pales. “Sir, I assure you?—”
“It’s fine,” I repeat, more forcefully this time. I push up onto my hands and knees, then attempt to lever myself into a standing position with a hand on the counter. “I wasn’t looking where I was?—”
I stumble as I get halfway up. Black spots dance across my vision, and my knees buckle.
Egret catches me before I hit the floor again, his arm sliding around my waist with practiced ease.
“Yes, you’re clearly fine,” he says, sarcasm dripping from every word. “The swollen bump forming on the back of your head and the fact that you can’t stand up without help are excellent evidence of that.” He tightens his grip as I try to pull away. “But I’m happy to let you go and see what happens next, if you’re insisting.”
I open my mouth for a cutting response, but the throbbing in my skull intensifies. Nausea rises in my throat. Any comeback I might have managed dies as I consider the wisdom of throwing up on Egret’s expensive shoes.
He turns to Irwan, who’s hovering anxiously nearby. “I want a doctor sent to her suite immediately.” His tone leaves no room for argument. “And I expect the resort to cover any medical expenses.”
“Of course, sir. Right away.” Irwan pulls out his phone, already dialing.
Another wave of dizziness prevents me from arguing as Egret lifts me easily into his arms and pushes through the gathered crowd.
I hold myself rigid in Egret’s arms, keeping as muchspace between our bodies as physics allows. The throbbing in my head intensifies with each step he takes.
“So this pack of yours,” he says, his voice vibrating through his chest. “Four alphas, was it? That’s quite a collection.”
I stare straight ahead. “One of them is a beta.”
“And how did you meet them? Through work, I imagine?”
“No.”
“Friends of friends, then? Or a dating app?”
I press my lips together, refusing to elaborate.
“Must be challenging, balancing four men with your career. You always seemed so career-focused.”
