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Good enough.

I open the bathroom door, step into the hallway and immediately notice the silence… it’s too fucking quiet.

“Mariah?” I call out. “Ali?” But neither answers me. I walk past a guest room, then stop in my tracks. Is that? Mariah and Ali are both asleep. Ezra must’ve set them up in here while I showered.

Interesting.

I step inside and almost laugh at how Mariah is sprawled diagonally across the bed with one boot still on and Ali is curled beside her.

I smile, then touch Mariah’s shoulder. “Hey.” I shake her but she doesn’t budge. “Mariah.” I say, shaking her harder and she groans. Relief washes over me.

Good. She’s alive.

I move to Ali “Hey.” I say shaking her just like I did to Mariah, she breathes deeply but doesn’t wake up. “What the fuck?”

Something feels wrong. “Guys?” I call out.

I slap Mariah’s cheek lightly. “Girl, wake up.” But she doesn’t move again. So, I slap her harder and she mumbles something unintelligible while rolling away.

No. Absolutely not.

I run downstairs. “EZRA!”

The three men appear with alarming speed. Rhett comes from the kitchen. Ezra from the living room. Malakai from… I don’t actually know where the fuck Malakai comes from. He just appears. “My friends won’t wake up.”

Ezra is moving before I finish. He takes the stairs two at a time, and I’m right behind him.

By the time I reach the bedroom, he’s already beside Ali. Two fingers press against her neck before he lifts one eyelid, then the other. His hand settles against her chest as he watches her breathe.

Then he moves to Mariah and does the same.

Pulse.

Eyes.

Breathing.

Everything about him is controlled, methodical, and entirely too fucking quiet.

“Well?” I demand, placing my hands on my hips because otherwise I’m going to start chewing my nails off.

Ezra looks up. “They’re alive.”

“I fucking know they’re alive.” My voice comes out sharper than I intend, but I don’t care. “Why won’t they wake up?”

His jaw tightens.

That’s when I notice Malakai standing in the doorway. He isn’t looking at Mariah or Ali. He’s looking at me. And there’s something in his expression I’ve learned to recognize tonight.

He knows something I don’t.

Again.

“You know.” I point at him.

“I suspect.”

“Then suspect out loud.”