46. No Sleepin’, Ragdoll
Chapter forty-six
No Sleepin’, Ragdoll
“I’ll be back.”
I watch through almost-closed eyes as Carter stands and pushes back through the crowd.
“Where’s he going?” I start to struggle against Lauren, small noises pulled from my throat.
“Try not to move.” She runs her fingers through my braid, avoiding my neck. “He’s coming back.”
“I’m… scared,” I whisper. My body feels numb. As if it’s not functioning properly. I look up at her. “What happens now?”
Lauren wipes her nose on her shoulder. “I don’t know.”
“That was really gross,” I mutter. She coughs, caught between a laugh and a sob.
“Ragdoll.”
I try to turn my head.
“Don’t move,” a voice murmurs. Warm hands carefully cup my cheek. Boone leans over me, his eyes wet. “You still with me?”
“I…” I stop. Try to catch the thought. They’re becoming harder to form. “I… missed my friend, too.”
Boone closes his eyes. “Carter’s right here with me.”
But my alpha doesn’t look at me as he kneels beside Boone. It’s strange, seeing them so close together. I say the words again, enunciating each one carefully. “I want to go now.”
Our bags are packed. We can finally leave.
No, something whispers. Not possible—
“I know you do.” Carter finally looks at me, his skin almost grey. He strokes his thumb across my cheek. And he’s crying, I realize woozily. I can’t remember the last time I saw him cry like this. “But I can’t take care of you right now, baby. Not the way you need.”
My breathing stutters. “So we’re going.”
That’s why we have to go. And he’ll take care of me, and I’ll take care of him. That’s what we’ve always done. What we always do. Rosie and Carter against the world.
Lauren’s fingers tighten around mine.
His face crumples. “Not this time, Ro.”
My eyes feel so heavy. “I don’t...”
He wipes his eyes. “You need more than I can give you right now, okay? So you’re going to go with Boone for a little while. I’m going to get things fixed up here, and then I’ll come for you. I promise, baby. Not for long.”
Boone twists his head to look at Carter, They exchange a long glance as I look between them. Finally, Boone nods. He offers me a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, Ragdoll. But we’ve got to go, love. Need to check that neck out. Everything else can wait.”
“That’s right.” Carter’s voice shakes. He pulls his hand away when I reach for it, his voice cracking. “Nothing else matters right now, Ro.”
I blink. Everything is swimming. “We’re going now?”
A sob comes from his chest. “Take her now. Go.”
Boone reaches for me, sliding his arms beneath me as I reach out for Carter. “Come on, baby. Time to go.”
He lifts me carefully, Lauren rising with us and adjusting my head. “Don’t move your neck, Rosie.”
My hands drop as Carter steps back, his head down. Panic creeps in around the haze. “Carter?”
He’s not following. Why isn’t he following?
All roads lead to Rosie.
“Go.” Carter doesn’t look up. Doesn’t look at me.
“Carter,” I croak. His name climbs to a cry in my throat as faces flash by me.
But none of them are his. Boone pulls me closer to his chest. “We’ll come back for him, Ro. I promise.”
But he’s taking me away, and Carter still isn’t following.
“Keep your neck still—”
“Hospital—”
“No, the house—”
The voices fade out as I slump back, and Boone looks down at me. His voice rises. “No sleeping, Ragdoll, you hear me? Get those medics in now!”
But I no longer hear anything at all.