Closing my eyes again, it doesn’t take long for sleep to drag me back down. It’s a lighter, more carefree sleep this time. As if I’m just taking a little afternoon nap instead of recovering from almost drowning.
The next time I come to, I am being carried off the boat. I can’t even move my arms because my whole body is swaddled in a blanket. Blinking my eyes open, I squint up and find that Banks is the one carrying me this time. I stare up at him for a long moment, taking in his features. I know it’s stupid and that I have other, much bigger things to worry about but I kind of want to kiss him. Just to see if all of this is real, if I really did almost die, if they really did save me.
“Where do you think you’re taking her?” Shelby squeaks. She sounds out of breath, like she’s been running or something.
“We need to get her to the hospital,” Banks snarls, his tone razor sharp.
His response pulls me from my dreamlike state and I start to panic.
“No,” I croak. “No hospital.” His pace slows when he hears my voice, concern etched into his handsome features.
“Please, I just want to go home and go to sleep,” I plead. The last thing I need is to go to the hospital because then my father will be called, and I’d much rather die than deal with him right now.
Eventually Banks stops walking all together his gaze flicking around. When I follow his gaze I find Sullivan, Oliver, and Shelby all standing around us.
“I told you she wouldn’t want to go. She hates hospitals,” Shelby says, all matter of factly, her arms crossed over her chest.
“Are you sure?” Sullivan asks, looking at me, his eyebrows pinched together as he examines my face, like it’s hiding all my secrets.
“I promise. I’m fine. I feel better already. Nothing a little soup, and sleep can’t fix.”
The guys exchange a look, what this look is, I don’t know. I can’t even really explain it. It’s like they’re agreeing on something without even speaking.
All three of them nod their heads and then Sullivan speaks, “Fine, but you’re coming with us.”
“What?” Shelby practically screams.
“She’s coming with us, at least until she’s feeling better,” Sullivan announces, which only seems to peeve Shelby off further.
“Wait, you’re telling me that you’re going to take her back to your house? You guys? The same people who hate her?”
“We don’t hate her.” Banks interjects.
“Pfft, could’ve fooled me, it was probably one of you that pushed her off the boat.”
The statement is a bold one, and whatever response Shelby was trying to get out of them she earns because Oliver takes a menacing step towards her, his finger pointed at her.
“Oh yeah, because I’m going to shove her off the fucking boat, and risk my life jumping into the same waters to save her, for what? Fun?” Oliver’s face twists, morphing into something I’ve never seen before.
Shelby snarls, “I don’t know, maybe? It seems like all of this is a game to you guys. Who’s to say you don’t want her dead? Or maybe you just want to play the hero?”
A cruel bubble of laughter pushes past Oliver’s lips, “If we wanted her dead, she’d be dead already.”
Okay, so I felt that one right in the heart.
“Enough you two.” Sullivan barks, “It’s already been decided. She’s coming with us.” He turns toward Shelby who is rolling her eyes.
“You don’t own her. Nothing has been decided at all. I’ll take care of her.” She argues, and I swear I see her stomp her foot in anger.
“Shelby, it’s okay. I’ll just go with them.”
“Fine,” she finally huffs. “But they better not hurt you,” she gives all of them a stern look, one that says don’t fuck with me or my friend.
“You okay?” Banks leans down, whispering into my ear.
Am I okay? Someone tried to kill me. I don’t know. I don’t have the strength to fight with anyone right now. All I know is I don’t want to go to the hospital and if that means I have to go with them, then I will.
“Can we just go?” His grip on me tightens and I can feel the tension in his muscles. He gives me a lopsided grin that would normally leave me feeling all fuzzy inside.
“Of course, Princess.” He says and starts to walk again.
“Dude, where are you going?” Oliver’s voice filters into my ears.
“To the house. If you guys want to stay and argue you can, but I’m taking our girl home. She needs a warm bath, rest, and something to eat.”
“If anything happens to her, I’m coming for all three of you!” Shelby yells, somewhere off in the distance, but all I can focus on is Banks’ words.
“I’m taking our girl home.”