Her eyes dart sharply over us before she gives in and does as she’s told.
“Wow, she listened. Shows you the power of a title,” Mason mutters.
I glance over the food area, and not seeing Layla, I keep scanning through the room. My eyes fall on her where she’s standing with Stephanie and Kingsley.
She drops the plate she was holding, and when Stephanie takes hold of her shoulder, I begin to walk toward them.
Suddenly Layla sinks to her knees, and panic flashes over Stephanie’s face. Alarmed, I begin to run, and when I reach them, Layla coughs as if something is stuck in her throat.
“She’s choking?” I ask, moving in behind Layla who scares the shit out of me when she slumps backward, losing consciousness.
“No, it’s an allergic reaction,” Stephanie says, an urgency to her voice while she digs in her handbag. She pulls something out which looks similar to a marker. “Hold still, kiddo. Mom’s got you.” She places her left hand on Layla’s thigh then jabs the pen hard against the outer side of Layla’s leg. “Five, four, three, two, one,” she counts before removing it. Glancing up at me, she asks, “Has anyone called 911?”
“I don’t know.” I shift my body so I can slide my arms under Layla, and picking her up, I say, “I’ll get her to the hospital faster.”
As I turn and begin to run toward the exit, Stephanie calls after me, “Tell them I administered an EpiPen!” The last thing I hear from the hall is Stephanie yelling, “Lake, get your car!”
Mason darts by me, and I hear him shouting at the valet, “Cars! Now!”
There’s a rush, and as soon as my car pulls up, Mason opens the passenger door. I set Layla down on the seat and strapping her in, my eyes dart to her face. It looks like she’s been in a fucking fight and lost. Fearing the worst, I run around the car.
“I’ll clear the way for you,” Mason says as he slams the door shut and rushes toward his Bugatti La Voiture Noire.
Mason quickly starts his car and shoots past me. As I pull away, I glance in the rearview mirror and see Lake and Stephanie getting into his Koenigsegg Regera.
I don’t care about speed limits as I press my foot down on the gas, and luckily, the first light is green. We weave our way between the other cars, and nearing a light which just turned yellow, Mason floors it. The Bugatti rockets forward, and as the light turns red, he brings the car to a screeching halt in the middle of the intersection, the ass of the car swerving to the side.
I fly past him, and he takes off, repeating the action at every light until we finally reach the hospital. Speeding toward the side where the emergency entrance is, I slam the brakes too late and turning the steering wheel sharply, I bring the car to a jolting stop as the left backside hits a pillar.
I rush out of the car and quickly get Layla.
“Allergic reaction. Her mother gave her an EpiPen,” I ramble the information to the first emergency staff member I see.
It feels like I’m caught in a nightmarish daze as I set Layla down on the bed they point out to me. My steps feel unbalanced as I slowly move backward.
I look at all the people rushing toward her, but I can’t hear what they’re saying as they begin to work on Layla.
Someone places a hand on my shoulder, and through the haze, I see Mason.
When Lake comes to stand on my other side, covering his mouth with both his hands as if he’s praying, the thought hits.
What if I lose Layla?Chapter 24FalconWe’re still standing to the side when I hear a nurse talking with Stephanie.
“Her blood pressure has come down from one-forty-two over eighty-nine, to one-thirty-three over ninety-three. She’s responding to treatment. We’re going to move her up to ICU so we can keep an eye on her.”
Stephanie nods. “I’ll go complete the paperwork while you get her settled.” She even smiles at the nurse before she walks over to us.
How is she so fucking calm?
My world is lying unconscious on a hospital bed, looking like she’s been beaten to within an inch of her life.
Stephanie gives me a comforting smile, which isn’t comforting at all, seeing as I can see the worry in her eyes. “She will be fine, Falcon. Don’t worry. She had the EpiPen, and the doctors are taking care of her.”
“Will –” My voice is too hoarse, and I clear my throat. “Will she be okay?”
Stephanie looks at the three of us, then points to a waiting area. “Layla will be fine after all the effects wear off. It’s happened before, and as long as we act quickly, she’s fine. Honestly, the three of you look worse. Go sit down. I’ll get you all something to drink after I’ve signed all the forms at reception.”