Page 99 of My Secret Bandit

Every movement fell into slow motion and my sight took on a darkness around the edges.

Finally, framed by the glittering black flecks, I saw him.

Laying on the ground.

Motionless.

And my body melted into a puddle of nothingness on the floor.

“Thisdoes notlook good for Mateo Linx.“ The commentator’s distorted voice oozed out of the television speakers like acid as the last bit of darkness crept in, Mateo’s echoed shout forever etching itself into my memory.

“Jamie!Jamie!Wakeup!”

I crawled from the black hole with a rough shake of my shoulder.

“Fucking finally. You scared the shit outta me,” Xander said through a huff of air.

“Where’s Mateo?” I asked, immediately sitting up, lightheaded and still on the floor of the press box.

“They’re taking him to the hospital.” Xander looked awful, with red-rimmed eyes and a pale face, but who could blame him. It wasn’t every day your brother got trampled and the woman who was supposed to be there for him fainted like a goddamn dimwit.

“Let’s go!” I yelled, jumping up to my feet. Neither my unsteady Bambi legs or my still black-framed vision would be the reason I wasn’t by his side.

Xander held me as we ran out of the stadium. He drove at an alarming speed that on any other day would’ve left him getting scolded but right now I didn’t care.

I needed to get to Mateo.

The cool, sterile air of the hospital met us first, then Benny.

“Go,mija. You’re the one he’ll be asking for.“ She pushed me to the door held by a waiting physician.

I felt torn as I looked at their worried faces. Part of me thought I shouldn’t be the first one seeing him, especially when his parents were here and his sister—the same sister that would be leaving for another tour overseas in a couple weeks. But the other part of me knew I needed to see him. I needed to be by his side when the doctor delivered whatever news they had. I needed to be his support and over everything else, I needed to feel his arms wrapped around me.

Was that selfish?

Maybe.

Probably.

No, it definitely was, but I never said I wasn’t prone to a little selfishness from time to time.

“He’s right in here.” The doctor ushered me to the room at the end of the hall. I peeked inside, all breath leaving as my body refused to take that first step, afraid of what might be waiting.

But then I watched his head turn and felt his gaze lock onto me. I ran to him with unshed tears brimming my eyes.

“Hey, baby,” he said with a small smile.

“Are you okay?” I asked, brushing my fingers through his curls then cupping his jaw.

“I’m fine.” He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. I relaxed as the smooth skin brushed over the back of my hand.

The doctor cleared his throat and stepped closer to the bed, resting his hand on the rail.

“Mateo, how are you feeling?”

“Can we go home?”

“You can, we just need to go over a few things first.”

---