Chapter 13 #2
I saw him. He was physically ill. And what the hell does his dad and challenges have to do with any of this?
We sit in silence and my muscles tighten, my stomach ties into knots, and my head is about to explode. Coming over here was a bad idea. Now I’m even more confused and frustrated.
I stand, getting ready to leave. “I’ll let him rest. When he feels better, will you please tell him I stopped by?”
“Of course, honey.” She gives me a sad smile. “Thank you for loving him. He needs that.”
I nod, but I want to roll my eyes because she’s speaking to me like I should understand everything she’s alluding to. Obviously, I don’t.
I stride over to him and kiss him on the forehead. His eyes open and connect with mine. His are bloodshot, red-rimmed, and empty.
He blinks a few times. “Lily, is that really you?”
“Yes, love. It’s me.”
“It’s blue.” He reaches up and touches my hair, which is hanging over my shoulder and near his face. His gaze ticks around my face like a slow-moving clock. “Did something happen to you? Did they get to you and I missed it?”
“Who?” I race to make the connection. “What would you have missed?”
“Honey, he’s rambling.” Mrs. Mayze softly swipes her palm over Callum’s eyes, closing them. “He should go back to sleep.”
“Yeah, of course.” I stand and when I do, my attention is pulled to the pill bottle on the table.
I recognize it because I’ve done them plenty of times. Painkillers.
I scan over the other medication for more clues as to why Callum is so sick but can only get the name of it. Doxycycline. Not knowing what that’s used for, I burn it into my memory.
I turn to the door. “Make sure he knows I love him.”
“I love you, too,” he mumbles. “You’ll be around, right? You won’t leave me, will you?”
I twist back. “Never. I’m always here for you. Always.”
His body relaxes and his breathing slows. He’s out of it again. I say goodbye, more concerned than before.
What the fuck is going on with him? I’m in a daze as I return to my car.
“Livianna!” John yells from their adjoining yards. “Do you have a second?”
“Sure.” My defenses go up.
Why would he want to talk to me?
He doesn’t want Callum and me together, and I know that from what his past actions have told me. John glances at Victoria’s house, advancing on me.
He stops a few feet from me. “Sorry to take your time.”
“No problem. Just tell me what you have to say so I can get on my way.”
“Yeah, um… I was wondering…” He bites down on his lip. “You and Cash were doing great. I mean, about staying clean. Did something change that night at Leon’s house?”
My stomach drops. “Are you asking if we…?”
John’s brows come together. “Did you two do any drugs that night?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“That’s what I was afra—I mean, that’s what I thought.” John rubs his neck. “Can I ask what you did?”
“It was some designer drug called Floating V. Why? Do you think that’s what spurred on Callum’s migraines? Did he have a bad reaction to them?” I smack my forehead with the heel of my palm. “Of course he did. He was sick the entire next day.”
The stuff Leon gave us. It knocked me out and was nothing like Leon described it would be.
It must have hit Callum poorly and caused this medical issue. This is all my fault.
Once again, I’m responsible for someone’s pain. “Shit! I need to fix this.”
John pumps the air with his hand like he’s telling me to calm down. “Stop, Livianna. Panicking won’t help him. He needs peace and quiet.”
“Okay, but I was the one who got him to do it. I didn’t think it would hurt him.”
John pulls back. His jaw tightens and he studies me.
He shakes his head and a shield goes over his eyes. “I don’t think you were involved, but were you two with—”
“John. Livianna.” An angry, deep male voice comes from behind me.
I jump from the surprise and turn around to see Leon stalking toward us. His expression is tight and his gait is stiff, like he’s about to blow if someone says one wrong word.
“Leon. Hi. I didn’t know you were stopping by.” John shrinks in stature by at least two inches.
“I can only assume since she’s here, he’s inside.” Leon charges by us. “He will get his ass to work. Even if it means I have to drag him there by his balls.”
“Leon, he’s been…sick.” John hurries to catch up to Leon.
I stand with wide eyes, trying to process what the hell is going on. I decide to stay back. Something about Leon’s aggressive stance is causing a slight tremble in me.
“You and your family think you’re smart enough to get around me.” Still marching toward the house, Leon glares at John. “What I can promise all of you is if he doesn’t get on board and get his ass to the studio, one by one, I’ll take each of you down.”
“No, no, Leon. You’re misreading the situation.” John rushes to get in front of Leon. “Cash really is ill.”
“I don’t give a fuck about his stupid little head injury. He better get over it or else I’ll be forced to release all the information I have about the Mayze family.” Leon jerks his flexed chest toward John. “You don’t want me to do that, do you, John?”
He cowers and shakes his head. They get to the front door and stop. When John doesn’t move to open it, Leon explodes.
“Don’t make me kick this fucking door down because if I do, that will be minor in comparison to what I’ll do when I get inside!” He bares his teeth.
Holy hell. I don’t know what this is about, but I’m afraid to find out. I’m frozen in terror.
Leon’s chest rises and falls in quick succession as he waits. In a split second, he must realize I’m witnessing all of this. He squares his shoulders and makes direct eye contact with me.
Something sinister spins in his gaze and he points my way. “And if I have to use you to get it, I will.”