Chapter 14
Nausea crept up on me.
Will had gone to check on Lissie. On his way back, he talked on his phone and winked at me, letting me know she was still soundly sleeping.
“Handle it, Ethan. Do it before we land. I don’t want delays at Gatwick to create risk.”
Panic rushed up my spine.
Were they talking about me?
Will kissed my hand as he sat on the sofa bed, frowned, and then pressed the back of his fingers to my cheek. He disconnected the call with his brother.
“Your skin is on fire, Elle.”
My head spun with dizziness.
“Why do they want me dead? I don’t want anything from them,” I whispered.
More spinning. Buzzing.
My thoughts were random, incoherent, or maybe not. I really didn’t know.
“The Crown doesn’t support this, but we can talk more about it later. You’re quite unwell right now, baby.”
A cold-sweating panic consumed me, and I prattled on.
“Why doesn’t someone make them stop?”
I covered my ringing ears, then pointed at my bag.
“Medicine. Please.”
As Will grabbed my bag, the cabin spun, and I collapsed.
His words, whatever he’d said, and his hands fumbling for the amber-colored bottle inside my bag echoed as if coming from the end of long corridor.
He read the label before giving me one pill and my water.
My throat burned.
My skin burned.
“I’m so hot, Will.”
“I’ll get something cold.”
Seconds later, he came from the lavatory with small towels soaked with cold water. He put one on my forehead and another on my neck.
Nausea hit me harder, taking control of my body.
Covering my mouth with one hand, I clawed at the bedding, desperate to get to the lavatory. Will understood. He lifted me and set me inside the door next to the toilet.
I fell on my knees with him behind me.
He held on to me and held up my hair.
“Jesus, Elle. You haven’t eaten enough. You’re tearing up your stomach.”
I was sicker than I’d ever been during an attack.
But finally, I collapsed backward in Will’s arms.
The tempo of my heart beat erratically.
Will settled on the floor with me, his big body half in and half out of the little bathroom. He ran his fingers through my hair and soothed me with protective words.
Violent tremors began to shake my body.
Disjointed thoughts overwhelmed me.
I was frightened.
My blood turned cold, so cold.
I was freezing now.
A heavy blanket tightened around me, suffocating me.
My mind rebelled against it, but my body had no fight left.
“Please don’t kill me,” I whispered.
“Look at me, Elle. Focus on my eyes and try to stay awake.”
Will’s strong, warm arms held me, wrapping me up tightly…not a blanket, not suffocating me.
“Your mind isn’t clear. We need to get fluids in you.”
I dug my fingers into his arm, and he pressed my face against his bare chest, kissing the top of my head.
“I won’t let go, Elle. I promise.”
My body, my lips trembled.
“S-so cold.”
Will stretched to reach his phone and called his younger brother in England.
“Thomas, have a paramedic waiting, and not a fucking ambulance driver. What? You’re breaking up...”
After the call cut off, he lifted me from the floor, tucked me into the bed, then went to the front of the plane, quickly returning with a sports drink.
He took off his jeans and got beneath the blankets with me.
Will’s skin seared mine as he pulled me against his body and put his scorching arms around me. The kisses he placed on my forehead and my temple were like fire.
“Try to sip on this drink,” he said.
I shook my head.
“I’ll give you a couple minutes, then you must.”
My ice-cold body melted into Will’s heat. My trembling slowed to light shivering, and at some point, soothed by the thundering of his heartbeat against my face, I fell asleep.
But he woke me over and over to make me drink.
And I did drink, but after the last time, another wave of nausea rolled through my wasted body.
Will put the blanket around me, and we sat on the lavatory floor again. He gathered my hair and waited patiently.
I fell back against him and closed my eyes.
“Open your eyes, Elle,” he ordered.
I tried but I couldn’t focus on his eyes.
“Do not shut your eyes, goddamn it.”
But I had nothing left to give, so I let my lids shut, leaving my fate in his hands.
Senseless, daunting thoughts ran wild inside my head, tormenting me. I couldn’t fight the dark, eager lyrics in my mind…the thoughts convincing me I couldn’t feel my heart, telling me someone had killed me.
I’d fallen very ill, but that wasn’t the worst part.
My mind really had broken.