Page 86 of Ready or Knot

He holds her head between his palms, leaning over to catch her gaze. “Hi Faedra,” he says. “I’m John. We’re going to get rid of some of the pain, alright? And then we’ll get you to the hospital so they can fix it.”

She pants, the edges of her lips taking on a bluish tint that has my heart in my stomach. He looks up at me.

“She allergic to anything?”

Fuck if I know.

That’s something I should know, right?

It’s only been two months. Maybe it’s not something I’m supposed to have in my back pocket.

Violet calls out a random antibiotic name. He glances over his shoulder. “Anything else? Any history of anaphylaxis?”

Violet shakes her head, pulling out of Jasper’s grasp and closing the distance between her and John. “Just really awful hives.”

John nods.

“You take it, Marcus. You’ve done them more often than I have.”

The second paramedic presses a large needle into the other’s palm before cleaning Faedra’s chest. Most of me wants to look away, nausea sitting heavily in my stomach and making my throat itch. But if I see Melanie again, I’m going to lose my shit. Faedra’s glazed look catches on me, and her hand flutters at her side.

“One. Two. Three.”

Faedra cries out, the sound crackling, and John palms her shoulder, keeping her still.

“Is that better, Faedra?” John asks. Her tongue brushes over her lips, her breathing growing marginally less shallow as she nods once. The others continue to work, and before I can decide where it’s best to stand, more first responders are edging past me, helping get Faedra onto a stretcher. They have her up and into the ambulance nearby in a matter of moments. They’re racing off before I can figure out where I’m supposed to be to join her.

“You’re the fiancé?” a petite woman with ice blonde hair asks me, her blue eyes keen. Another woman stands behind her, both in the half uniform of the local fire department.

“One of them,” I say. The taller woman cocks an eyebrow, but the other nods.

“I’m Tiffany,” she says, holding out her hand. She nods to the other woman. “This is Elise. We’ll take you to the hospital. Is the rest of your pack coming, too?”

Elise frowns, looking at Tiffany. I glance over at our disorganized group. Violet catches my look, and she shakes her head, waving me on while Logan and Carter are giving statements.

“They’ll follow later.”

* * *

LOGAN

Carter and Jude are still in the waiting room when I get back with dinner from one of the nearby restaurants. They glance up as I set the bag on the table between us, and that weight that’s been sitting heavy in my stomach gets even worse.

“No update?” I ask.

Jude shrugs, opening the bag and pulling out containers, separating the orders without comment. His eyes are bloodshot, his hair disheveled. And despite having a new set of clothes, he looks like he hasn’t gotten a moment of peace since everything happened several hours ago.

Carter says, voice low, “Doctor just went in a few minutes ago. Nurse has been in and out. Dominic made Violet take a walk after she got her arm stitched.”

“Rylan and Jasper go to the game?”

Jude nods.

“Detective called.” I offer after a moment, picking at the food. “The judge has denied them bail.”

Carter’s eyes sharpen. “Good.”

A door down the hall opens, and we all look up. Faedra’s doctor heads towards us, her steps long and sure, her face a careful neutral that has that weight clogging my throat. We don’t offer a greeting. We’ve been here long enough that they know who we are.

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