I am. I smirk and she grunts before twirling around and marching down the hallway. “I’ll empty the boxes in the bedroom.”
I know exactly what she’s up to – the little snoop – but I give her a few minutes to enjoy herself before following. She’s squirming underneath the bed when I enter the room. What is she expecting to find under there?
Beckett and River placed the bed there less than an hour ago. Does she think I slunk in here to hide all my sex toys under the mattress in the meantime? And doesn’t she know sex toys should be easily accessible?
“If you’re looking for my vibrator, you can stop what you’re doing now.”
“What?” She squeals before there’s a thud.
“Elizabeth?”
No response. I kneel down and peek under my bed. “Elizabeth?” I repeat.
Again, she doesn’t respond. Crap. She’s out cold.
“River!”
“I’m kind of busy in here,” he huffs.
I sprint down the hallway to the living room where he’s carrying the sofa inside with Beckett’s help. “You need to come quick. Elizabeth’s hurt.”
He drops the sofa and Beckett howls. “My foot!”
River ignores my brother and races to the bedroom. I’m hot on his heels.
“Why is she laying under the bed?” he asks as he drops to his knees. “Bessie?”
When she doesn’t answer, he crawls under the bed. “Her head is bleeding. What happened?”
How to explain? “I’m not certain.” It’s not a lie since, technically speaking, I don’t know why she was under the bed.
“We need to get her out of here.”
“You shouldn’t move someone with a head injury.”
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
“Fine. Whatever. What do you want me to do?”
“Pull her out by her legs while I keep her head and neck steady.”
I lift her feet. “Ready?” At his grunt, I drag Elizabeth out from under the bed.
“Damnit. I’m never going to get my deposit back,” I grumble when I notice she’s dripping blood all over the carpet.
“What happened?” Gabrielle asks when she enters the room and notices me on the floor with Elizabeth.
“Klutzy girl strikes again.”
“Is she okay?”
Elizabeth moans as she regains awareness. “Where am I?”
“I think we should take her to the hospital to get checked out. She hit her head and lost consciousness for a while.”
“Good idea,” River agrees.
Gabrielle presses a towel in my hand and I place it on Elizabeth’s forehead.