Chapter 2
Cam
When I get to the urgent care, Mia sits in the waiting room.
I look at the doors to the back and know they probably won’t let me in to see Evan.
Hawk must be back with her. He wouldn’t have left her side.
I head over and drop into the seat next to Mia.
I waited with Evan last weekend and then for her. I guess I’m doing that again now.
Except my skin crawls with the need to go and make sure she’s really okay. My stomach is tied in knots. Someone fucked with our girl.
“Do we know anything?” I ask. My knee bounces as I stare at the door. I already texted Hawk about the flower and he said the doctors don’t think it was anything too toxic. She’s already doing better.
Mia shakes her head. Her face is pale and her lips tight. “She had blisters on her fingers. Maybe we should have taken her to the ER.”
She looks about two seconds from bursting from her seat and storming back there to get Evan and take her to the hospital instead.
“This was closer. Hawk says she’s doing better.” I blow out a breath and rub my hands together. I didn’t see our girl before they took her back, but if Mia is worried... Fuck. “If they thought she needed the ER, they would have sent you right away.”
That’s for Mia, but I need to hear it too. It wasn’t bad enough for the ER.
Mia nods and rubs her hands together. “Who would do this? I would have noticed if Jackson slipped in. Wouldn’t I?”
That question comes out shaky. She seems just as worried as me.
“He might have someone on the inside.” It’s what keeps going through my head. Who does he know at our school? Anyone could be bought, or someone could be jealous of Evan or us.
Fuck, it could be Mia. She’s been friendly enough and even handed over her phone without hesitation. But she could be playing us. This could be her game to get Evan out of the picture so she can fuck us.
Girls have done crazier things for stupider reasons.
It would be better if we knew the real motive, but all we can do right now is guess.
“Brandt’s play was going on at the same time.
I saw Abby during the break. We were chatting.
She really doesn’t like Evan.” Mia releases her breath and leans back in her chair.
“But I can’t see anyone doing this to her intentionally.
Yes, making snide remarks or bitching about her.
But to physically harm her? That’s fucked up. ”
“You’re new to this school. Anteros is super competitive about everything.” I train my gaze on the doors to the back. “There are plenty of people who would stab you in the back to get your part.”
Mia shakes her head.
The outside door bursts open. A woman similar in features and build to Evan races up to the front desk. I sit forward.
“Can I help you?” the receptionist asks.
“EvanAnn Ward. She was brought in. I’m her mother.” Her hands shake and there’s this anxious air around her.
After a second, the receptionist says, “She’s in the back. I’ll buzz you in.”
“Thank you.” Mrs. Ward goes to the door, and it buzzes, letting her back.
Heather Ward. At least she shows up when it matters.
“You can head out if you want,” I say to Mia.
She shakes her head. “I’ve got nowhere else to be, and I want to make sure she’s okay.”
I get my phone out and text the group chat.
Me:
Fair warning
Evan’s mom is here
Hawk
The nurse comes in to irrigate the wounds another time and to check how Annie is doing.
Glancing at Cam’s text message, I sit in the chair next to her bed, holding her other hand.
Annie’s mom is here, but I’m not pretending I don’t give a shit about Annie.
I’ve probably lost a few years off my life between her and Damon’s accidents.
I’m ready to wrap her in Bubble Wrap. Or better, tie her to my bed for the rest of our lives to protect her. It’s not rational, but fuck, I need to find a way to keep her safe. Damon tracks and records her, but I’m the one who ends up having to save her.
“Does it still burn?” The nurse doesn’t look up from what she’s doing.
“Not as much.” Annie’s voice is soft and a little hoarse. She watches the nurse intently like she can see what was in her wounds. It took time for the pain to become more manageable. Every minute was excruciating, watching her face contort with pain and not being able to do anything to help her.
The door opens, and everyone turns to see Annie’s mom in the doorway. Her face is pale and she seems braced for the worst possible news.
“Evan, are you okay?” Heather looks at the nurse and wrings her hands, like she’s afraid it’s something much worse. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine.” The nurse finishes and wraps the wounds in bandages. They’re too close for Band-Aids, so they’re currently wrapped in gauze. “Some sort of irritant was on the thorns that cut her. We treated her for an allergic reaction and flushed the wounds.”
The nurse straightens on her stool. “She should be fine, but we can go over her discharge instructions again if you’d like.”
Heather turns and sees me. Her brow furrows when she focuses on me and my hand holding Annie’s.
The nurse stands and says, “I can print those out for you.”
Heather nods and checks over Annie before returning her gaze to her hand in mine and then her bandaged hand. Heather swallows slightly. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Annie’s voice is shaky, but she makes sure to meet her mother’s gaze. Her face is pale and streaked from tears. She’s exhausted, and I just want to tuck her in my arms and never let anything bad happen to her again.
“I’ll be right back.” Heather examines Annie for another moment before she releases her breath and follows the woman.
Annie takes her hand from mine with a small smile and touches her bandages. “Mom doesn’t do well with hospitals or doctors. We spent a lot of time in them during Dad’s illnesses because of the treatments.”
I bring her hand to my lips and press a kiss to her knuckles.
When she lifts her gaze to mine, I ask, “Is it better now? How do you feel?”
She blows out her breath. “Sore. Still burns a little, but nothing like when it happened. It felt like my hand was on fire, burning and melting from the inside out.”
I touch her hair, tucking it behind her ear. “Cam’s got someone looking into it, but we can also get the rose to the police.”
“The police?” Heather says, catching the tail end of our conversation when she returns. She looks me over again, noticing how I’m still holding Annie’s hand.
I don’t let go and I’m not going to. I’m done pretending Annie’s not mine.
Heather presses her lips together and narrows her eyes on me. “You’re one of Damon’s friends?”
Annie closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, like she doesn’t want to deal with this. I’m not going to make this a thing like Damon would, but I’m also not going to deny that I love this girl.
“Yes, Hawk Wilker,” I say, but I don’t move away from Annie. She may not be ready to say I’m her boyfriend, but I’m not about to pretend I don’t care about her. “I’m part of EvanAnn’s cast. I was there when it happened.”
Heather stands near the door. Her arms wrapped around her middle. She’s almost as pale as Annie. She focuses on Annie. “I still don’t understand. You picked up a rose and the thorns cut you, but they treated you for chemical burns and an allergic reaction? You aren’t allergic to anything.”
Annie swallows and glances at me before returning her gaze to her mom.
“Someone left a rose on my desk during the play. I picked it up to move it out of the way, and it cut me. But it wasn’t just a prick.
It burned and the wounds blistered. The pain was intense and I couldn’t even think.
We didn’t know what was happening, so Hawk had Mia drive me to urgent care.
The staff couldn’t figure it out either, but there must have been something on the stem that got into the wounds.
The actual cuts aren’t severe. Just a lot of them.
There was some swelling and blistering so they wanted to make sure I wasn’t having an allergic reaction. ”
Heather steps into the room. She still seems really off. Like something is bothering her about the whole thing. Like she’s missing a piece to the puzzle.
“Isn’t Chase in your play?” Heather asks. “I’m surprised he didn’t help you. He always seemed so nice.”
Annie gives me a wary glance before meeting her mom’s eyes. “Did you get my text, Mom?”
She smiles and waves her hand. “Yes, you two broke up. That happens in high school sometimes, but it doesn’t mean you two don’t care for each other still. It may come back around. Maybe he gave you the rose to apologize?”
“If he gave me the rose, it didn’t work. Besides, I don’t think we’re going to get back together.” Annie glances down at her hand.
She doesn’t think they’ll get back together? What the fuck? What all was in that text to her mom? Just that they broke up? Not all the shit Chase put her through? All the reasons they shouldn’t be together? Obviously nothing about us.
Because if Heather knew what Chase had done, she’d be the worst mother ever if she wanted her daughter to get back with that asshole. And while Damon’s opinion of Heather is low, I don’t know what to think about her.
Heather cocks her head. “Do you want to talk about the breakup?” She glances my way.
“Maybe later? We could watch our favorite movies and have pizza on the couch.” Her eyes sparkle and she smiles as her eyes light up, which makes her look more like Annie.
“Just the two of us tonight. What do you say? Girls’ night. It’s been forever.”
When Annie turns to me and gives me a smile, I return it and squeeze her hand. We take what we can get from our parents. Her mom wants to spend time with her. Besides, I need to fill Damon and Cam in on everything, and we need to figure out who targeted our girl.
“I need to get going anyway. I’ll text later.” Standing, I run my hands over my jeans. Every instinct wants me to lean in and kiss Annie goodbye. Honestly, I don’t want to leave her, even if it’s with her mother. I blow out a breath and turn to Heather. “It was a pleasure, Mrs. Ward.”
She gives me an odd, assessing look. “You can call me Heather.”
I nod and with a quick look back at Annie, I head out.
Damon
I grab the towel to wipe the sweat off my face and pick up my phone. There are multiple texts on the group chat with the guys. And more recently, a few from Evan.
I click on the ones from Evan first.
Little Devil:
I’m okay
Hanging out with my mom tonight
My brow furrows. She was at rehearsal and should have been home an hour ago. Dinner isn’t for another half hour. I grab my water bottle and head upstairs while opening the texts from the guys. A rock settles in my gut with every text. Evan was hurt at rehearsal, and Hawk took her to urgent care.
Cam has someone looking at the rose that apparently hurt her so severely she needed to go to urgent care. What the fuck.
Me:
Come over
Hawk:
On our way
I walk out of the gym and make my way through the house to where I know Heather and Evan will be. I just need to see her with my own eyes.
The movie is loud and the lights are dimmed as I walk in the back of the rec room where I showed Evan my blackmail. She’s curled into the corner of the couch under a blanket. Something happens on screen and they both laugh.
My gaze flicks to Heather, who sits close and has everything within reach for Evan. She’s taking care of her daughter after ignoring her for weeks. My lips press together.
The need to scoop Evan up and take her upstairs where I can check over every inch of her is almost overwhelming. My gaze zeroes in on the bandages on her hand. She turns suddenly and locks eyes with me. Her smile is soft and happy, not begging me to save her.
She’s good. It doesn’t stop the need to check her over, but I can let it go while I find out from Cam and Hawk what we know so far.
I give her a small nod before I go up to my room and take a quick shower. When I walk into my room, the guys are on my couch with sodas, watching a game. I quietly dress in the background.
When I finish, I sit at my desk and lean forward with my elbows on my knees as they turn off the TV.
“She good?” Hawk leans back and watches me, like he knows I’ve already checked on her.
I nod and scrub a hand over my face. “What happened?”
Hawk goes through the whole incident. Cam lets me know what happened when he got there.
Chase just happened to be there for everything.
It was rehearsal and he’s an actor in the play, so it’s not necessarily suspicious.
It could have easily been anyone else in the cast who happened to be in the hallway, but it wasn’t.
“You said Brandt’s play was also meeting?” I glance at them. So another whole set of suspects. My mind is working on everything, trying to figure out how anyone could have gotten in the room. Who could have placed the rose? What everyone’s motives could have been.
“A lot of ants work on the weekend. Not just the drama students.” Hawk runs his hand through his hair and glances at the doorway toward Evan’s room.
“But that also means someone who shouldn’t be there would stand out more.
There’s no way Jackson snuck in and out of that practice.
Someone would have seen him and thought it odd. ”
I nod. “But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t his idea.”
“No, but why hurt her?” Cam taps his foot, like he wants to spring up and pace the room, but holds back. “Why would anyone hurt her?”
Evan shouldn’t be a target to anyone. I drag in a breath. Unless we made her one.
“Chase.” It makes sense. “We struck him hard with the catfishing.”
Neither of them deny it. From that edge of guilt around their mouths, they both must have thought it.
“He doesn’t know about Jackson though. At least we don’t think he knows about Jackson.” Cam puts his hands on his knees. “The note had pretty girl on it. That’s what Jackson calls Evan.”
“Do we have anything with Chase’s handwriting?” Hawk asks. “We could compare it to the note.”
Earlier, Cam texted us the pictures of the rose and the note.
I want it to be Jackson because then it’s his fault.
If it was Chase, then it’s possible he’s retaliating against what we did.
Whether it’s to get back at us for taking Evan in the first place or because of the other shit we’ve done to him, it would be our fault for kicking the hornet’s nest. I don’t think any of us believed Chase would strike out at Evan.
“It may not be his handwriting, but I’ll see what I can find,” Cam says.
“We need to narrow down the suspect pool,” Hawk says.
A noise comes from Evan’s room. I lift my head and watch for her. She’ll come to me. She always does.