Page 61 of Devoured By You

“Let’s go, shall we?” Her gentle coaxing without answering my question was a testament to her worry. I glanced over my shoulder at my three friends gathered at the spot where Blay’s blood had soaked into the carpet. As I did, another woman was stretchered out, Scarlett Rose by her side, holding on to her hand. Her eyes briefly cut to mine, then away.

Marlowe bustled me into a car waiting on the quayside. Aspen climbed into the other side. Blay was nowhere to be seen. Nor was Nolen. He must have gone with Blay. The compression in my lungs reduced my breaths to a shallow wheeze. I rubbed a fist against my chest.

“I don’t understand what happened.”

“Neither do I. One thing at a time, though, yes?” Marlowe rubbed my arm. Aspen looked shell-shocked, her skin the color of alabaster. I bit my lip, staring out the window. Not all that long ago, we were out here, waiting to board the ship. And now… and now…

Tears broke free, streaming down my face. I let them fall. Marlowe handed me a tissue. I took it, plucking it to shreds. She handed me another one. I managed a grateful smile.

“Blaize is tough. Trust me. I’ve known him most of my life, and if anyone can survive two bullet wounds and come out the other side, it’s him.”

“Two?” I’d clocked the wound to his leg. Where was the other one? Oh God, not his heart. Or any other vital organs.

Marlowe bit her lip. “He took one to the shoulder.”

“Whoever did this…” Aspen’s bitter voice snapped through the air. “I’ll see them in hell.”

The fifteen-minute journey from the port to the hospital was the longest trip of my life. I stumbled out of the car before the driver brought it to a complete stop, and ran into the building. Aspen and Marlowe ran after me. Marlowe went up to the reception desk and found out where they’d taken Blay. Nolen rose to his feet as we arrived in the waiting room. He wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her forehead. The moment of intimacy made my chest ache. I’d known Blay for less than two weeks, yet our connection was just as strong. Would he ever hold me like that again? Would he kiss my forehead and encase me in his arms?

“He’ll be fine.” The icy rage on Aspen’s face had dulled, but her eyes burned with a desire for vengeance. I understood her feelings all too well. “What did the doctors say?” She directed this question to Nolen.

“He’s in surgery.”

“Did they give a prognosis?”

Nolen shook his head. He grimaced as he looked at his wife. “They said he’s lost a lot of blood.”

My knees gave way. I stumbled to a chair and sank into it. Nausea swirled in my stomach. I doubled over, clutching my abdomen, breathing through my nose to quell the sickness.

“Here.” Nolen handed me a bottle of water. “Take small sips.”

I couldn’t manage a smile. Unscrewing the top, I did as he suggested, and it helped a little.

“Have you called your parents?” Marlowe asked.

“Yeah. They’re on their way, but it’ll take them a few hours to get here. I called Kadon, too. He headed straight for the airport.” He sat beside me. Marlowe took the seat on his other side. Raking his hands through his hair, he left them there.

“Did he say anything in the ambulance?” I was glad Aspen had the presence of mind to ask questions, because I couldn’t manage a single one.

Nolen shook his head. “He was pretty out of it. They gave him something. No idea what.”

I stood and began pacing. Sitting felt redundant. Walking felt like I was doing something, even if there was nothing I could do. On my tenth turn, Addison, Kelsey, and Raya barreled toward me. They surrounded me, just as they had back on the ship.

“We brought you your phone, in case you needed it.” Kelsey handed it to me. “We can go, or stay. Whatever you want.”

“Stay,” Aspen answered before I could. “The more support he has, the better.”

Despite the love in this room, I felt alone. Alone and desperate and so very frightened. The feelings I had for Blay had crept up on me with the stealth of a panther, but they were undeniable. The possibility of losing him had fast-tracked me to where I now was. Facing up to the reality that I’d fallen in love with a man I’d known for less time than most family summer holidays.

Would I ever get the chance to tell him? I doubted he felt the same way, but the scent of death in the air was a leveler. To love a man like Blay made me luckier than most, and whatever his feelings for me, he deserved to know.

“The police are here.”

I jerked at the sound of Nolen’s voice. It had been a while since anyone had spoken. He rose to greet them. I did the same. Aspen joined us, too. Preliminary inquiries, they said, but wanted to know if we had any information to share.

Aspen told them about the man we’d seen running away. I was glad she’d seen him, too, so the weight of giving a description hadn’t fallen only on my shoulders. I backed up what she’d said as the police officer took notes. After we’d finished, Nolen led the police officer to one side, away from me and Aspen.

“What’s that about?” I queried.

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