Page 134 of Relapse

“I don’t know, Silas,” I repeated.

“Don’t ever…do that again.” Silas’s warning came out weak.

I smiled through my pain. Even in as much shit as we were currently, Silas still wanted to be in control. Laying in piles of our own blood and he still had time to boss me around. I guessed part of me had missed him and his snarky attitude.

“You got it,” I answered.

Then I felt it—Silas’s fingers brushing mine. He was reaching for me even though he couldn’t move. I found the strength in me to push back, closing the gap between us. I slid my palm against his until a few of our fingers locked. I didn’t let go.

Then everything went dark.

My next memory didn’t include Silas beside me. Panic shot through me immediately.

“Oh god, Noah.” Damian was there, at my side. His face was a welcomed greeting in the fog. Seeing him eased my worry.

“I’m sorry,” I rasped, before succumbing to the darkness once again.

Sirens wailed somewhere nearby.

Chapter thirty-three

We all Have our Skeletons

DELANE

Ididn’t have time to think about the club, or how much fun I had with Noah.

My phone was ringing, waking me up from the dead of sleep. I wasn’t sure why I got up to answer it at four in the morning. But something told me to.

It was Damian.

He told me Noah was not okay. That there was some sort of attack that happened after he had left my party at the club. That I might consider coming to the hospital to see him once he was stabilized, just in case.

I wasn’t dumb. I knew that Damian wanted to ask me questions. I had been with Noah last. He needed to pick my brain for any information, in case I might be able to help. And of course I went, that was a no brainer. Noah had been there for me at my lowest. I was determined to be by his side when he woke up, and this time, I wouldn’t be leaving, not even for a second.

I hadn’t realized how bad it was until I got there.

I came to the hospital every day. Most of my time was spent in the ICU waiting room. At this hospital, visitors weren’t allowed to remain inside while doctors and nurses worked on patients. Family members could only step into a small viewing area and look through the glass for a few minutes before being asked to leave. Entering the room itself was strictly prohibited unless medical staff gave permission.

Because of Noah’s condition, he was under constant monitoring. His vitals were unstable, and his brain had swelled before arriving at the hospital. Damian had explained that the best course of action was to place him in a medically induced coma and give his body time to heal.

It had been several days of waiting, and I didn’t know if he was going to make it.

The uncertainty was eating me alive.

Sitting there, staring through the glass, I couldn’t stop wondering if I was somehow the problem. If I was a curse disguised as a person. Everyone I cared about seemed to get hurt the moment they got too close to me. I was some fucked up version of King Midas—not turning items to gold with my touch, but ruining every beautiful thing I cared for. Everything around me either got hurt or died. Deep down, this really made me consider if I was the reason for it.

So I waited.

And I listened.

While I was in the hospital, I learned more than I bargained for.

I learned that Noah hadn’t been alone when he was attacked. Once again, he had been protecting someone else from an even worse beating. Someone who was in worse shape than he was, lying just down the hallway in the ICU.

And as I listened, I heard more. As I waited, I saw more.

I watched the Thorne family begin to arrive at the hospital. I saw Noah’s best friend, Alex, hand in hand with one of them. His gaze caught mine briefly and he seemed…uncomfortable.