Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Nine
Ruby
The world feels dark around the edges. Muted. Hazy. Like I’m standing here, but I’m not. Xavier’s arms are wrapped around me, strong and solid, one hand rubbing slow circles along my back. I cling to the front of his shirt like it’s the only stable thing left in the room.
My stomach churns. My throat burns. And it takes great effort to lift my eyelids open. The back door slams open as Emily rushes in. Dale is right behind her, carrying the medical bag.
Emily’s eyes sweep the room. Me. Xavier. Ramirez. Lindsey who is now cuffed to the chair and muttering under her breath. Jake. Their eyes meet; Jake gives her a short nod. She greets him in return as some silent understanding passes between them.
She marches across the room. “Dale, collect the pills off the floor.”
“On it.” Dale pulls gloves from his pocket as he crouches beside the overturned table.
Emily steps directly in front of me as I pull out of Xavier’s arms. Her hands come up to my face. “Ruby.” Her voice is calm. Steady. But her eyes are sharp and focused. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
I shake my head. “I don’t think so. I mean, I’m sure there will be bruises, but I don’t think I’m bleeding.”
“What kind of pill was it?”
“I don’t know, but I think a sedative.”
“How long ago?”
“Maybe fifteen minutes.”
“How many did you make you take?”
Fear twists violently through my chest again. “One.” My voice shakes. “I swallowed one, and a second one dissolved in my mouth.”
Xavier wraps his arms around me from behind, pulling me hard against his solid frame.
Emily doesn’t react. “Okay.”
“I pretended to take more.” My breathing starts shaking harder. “But they’re in the sink where I tossed them when she wasn’t looking.”
“They’re in the sink?”
“Yes.” I cringe. “I did throw up after everything. I’m not sure if anything else came up. Or if I missed the pills.” I wrinkle my nose. “I’m sorry if you have to dig through it.”
Xavier keeps one arm around me while we move toward the sink.
“You won’t have to dig.” Dale drops several pills into a small evidence bag before glancing toward her. He gives the official name of the drug and then the generic name when I stare blankly at him. “Confirmed sedative.”
Emily leans over the sink. Two partially dissolved pills sit near the drain in a shallow layer of vomit, along with what looks like more of the chalky substance. She exhales through her nose as she studies the contents.
For one horrible second, panic claws higher into my chest. Then Emily straightens, her shoulders relax, and some of the tension in Xavier’s body eases with hers.
“That’s reassuring,” she says.
My throat tightens. “Reassuring? But I basically swallowed two.”
“I know.” Her voice softens. “Two doses of this medication usually aren’t considered dangerous early in pregnancy.”
Usually…. Emily must see the panic flash across my face because her hand squeezes my shoulder.
“I’m not worried about what you’re describing,” she says. “But we’ll get you checked out, okay?”
The tightness in my chest snaps all at once. Relief crashes into me so hard it almost hurts. I bury my face against Xavier’s chest and sob. Not quiet tears. Not controlled crying. My whole body shakes with it.
Fear. Shock. Adrenaline crashing all at once. Xavier’s arms squeeze around me. Not trying to fix it, just holding on while I fall apart.