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Harleigh
A concussion. Bruised ribs. A broken nose and countless cuts and bruises. Nix was a mess. But he was alive, and he was okay.
I pressed closer into his side, needing to hear the steady beat of his heart. I didn’t think I’d ever been so scared as when Zane burst in Max’s bedroom and told me Nix was hurt.
“How is he?” Zane and Kye came back into the room, both wearing grim expressions. They’d left earlier when the nurse came to check on Nix, insisting we give her some space to work.
I glanced up at his sleeping form and managed a small smile. “He’s okay. He’s been out a little while.”
“And you, B?” Kye sat in one of the chairs. “How are you doing?”
“I… honestly, I don’t know. If I hadn’t run—”
“Don’t do that to yourself. If it wasn’t tonight, it would have been another night.”
“We spoke to Jessa,” Zane said, running a hand down his face. I’d never seen him look so scared as he had tonight. “Joe’s in some hot water with Vince Colombo and it looks like things went sour.”
“I know. I was there the morning they got back from NYC. I overheard some stuff…”
“She’s done. Whatever Joe did.” Zane stared past me, a haunted look in his eye. “He broke something in her this time.”
“Yeah, probably when he tried to beat Nix half to death.” Kye gritted his teeth, pain flickering in his eyes as he looked at his broken and bruised best friend.
None of us said anything.
What was there to say?
“Your old man’s still here?” he asked, and I nodded.
“He’s downstairs with Celeste and Max.”
Celeste told me earlier that Max had insisted on coming to the hospital with Michael. But the two of them had stayed away so far. Which I was relieved about.
“What a fucking shitshow,” Zane murmured. “He knew. Nix always said that one day he’d kill Jessa—or him.”
A chill went through me at the severity in his tone.
Nix began to stir, moaning with pain. I stroked his forehead, whispering, “Shh, I’m here. I’m right here.”
“Birdie?” His eyes fluttered open.
“Hey, how are you feeling?”
“Like I got hit by a truck.”
“Do you want me to call the nurse?”
“No, I’m okay. I have everything I need right here.” He lifted his hand and stroked my cheek with his thumb.
Zane made a gagging sound and muttered, “Good to know you’re still as pussy-whipped as ever.”
Nix flipped him off over my shoulder, and he chuckled.
“How long was I out for?”
“Not quite an hour. I thought the nurse was going to ask me to leave but she didn’t.”
There was a knock at the door, and we all looked up to find Michael standing there. Nix grew tense, groaning with pain. I went to climb off the bed, but he snagged my wrist, panic flaring in his eyes.
