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“When two guards finally arrived and found the mess, they thought Knox was dead too. They nearly pissed their pants when he moved and gasped, reaching for them.”

I outright wept, nestled in Reese’s arms.Advertisement

“They weren’t going to call for an ambulance at first. He was so messed up they didn’t think he’d survive long enough to make it to a hospital. They argued back and forth until one of them heard Knox trying to say something. I’m pretty sure his voice box was mangled because the guard had to get on his hands and knees, lean down and put his ear right by Knox’s bloody mouth to hear him.”

Mason looked sad as he met my gaze. “I think he might’ve tried to say your name because all the guard could make out was the word City.”

A low, keening wail left me. I didn’t know it could hurt this much just to listen to a story, but my skin felt as if a million fire ants were attacking me, stinging and burning away my flesh. My chest constricted too tight for me to breathe, and a pulse of pain echoed between my temples. All I could picture was a bloody, beaten, half-naked Knox on the floor, whispering my name on what he assumed was his last breath.

And to think, I’d given up on him after that, believing thirty years was more than I could wait.

I was going to be sick.

“Bathroom,” I gasped, lurching to my feet and grabbing my stomach.

“That way,” Reese pointed toward a hallway. “First door on the right.”

I barely made it to Reese and Mason’s bathroom in time before I heaved up the contents of my stomach. I’m not sure how long I was in there, but Asher, and Ten and his wife Caroline, were in Reese and Mason’s living room when I stumbled out, my eyes so swollen from crying I could barely see out of them.

“Holy shit. Felicity? What’s wrong?” Asher’s voice in my ear as warm arms wrapped around me made me start crying all over again. I checked out for a bit after that, burying my face in his chest, unable to think about anything but how much this hurt.

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“What the hell did you two do to her?” I think I heard Ten demand.

And then Aspen was there, murmuring my name. “Felicity? Sweetie, are you okay?”

“No.” I peeled myself away from Asher’s chest and blinked at her, but she still looked blurry. “I want to go home.”

I wanted to see Knox. I wanted to hold him and never let go.

“I’ll take you.” When Pick stepped forward, I frowned, wondering where he’d come from. Then I glanced around to discover everyone had showed up while I was having my breakdown.

He took me gently from Asher and led me toward the door. I have no idea why, but I felt sore, as if I’d worked out all week. Every muscle in me screamed for relief.

“I am so sorry,” Reese pleaded, grasping my arm as she met us at the door.

But I shook my head. “Don’t be. I wanted to know. I asked to know.” Turning back to the solemn crowd watching me from worried eyes, I found Mason and nodded. “Thank you for telling me.”

Pick led me from the apartment. I don’t remember much of the ride home. He didn’t make me talk, so I closed my eyes and let the vibration of his car’s engine lull me into a deeper state. Not outright asleep, but not fully conscious either, I opened my eyes and winced at all the sunlight when he stopped the car.

“Can you walk?” he asked. I nodded, more confident than I should’ve been because when I opened the door and slid out, I almost fell flat on my face. “Whoa there, darling.” Pick had been coming around to meet me; he had to race the last few steps to catch my arm and keep me from a painful face plant.

He didn’t outright carry me, but he did make me lean heavily against him as he walked me to my door, found my keys in my purse, and then helped me inside.

“Knox?” I murmured, glancing around, but Pick shook his head.

“I don’t think he’s home.”

So, I started crying again because I wanted to hold him so bad.

“Shit,” Pick muttered as he rubbed his face and paced in front of the couch where he’d set me down. Finally, he paused to ask, “Can I get you some water?”

I shook my head and tried to breathe through a couple hyperventilating breaths that caught me unaware. Oxygen fled my brain for a moment and I thought I might pass out. I actually welcomed the idea, but Pick returned with a glass, even though I’d told him I hadn’t wanted it. He forced me to breathe through my mouth. Then he made me drink half the water.

After that, I curled onto my side, tucked my knees up to my chin and passed out. pqdm.com