Series: Cobalt Empire Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 234
Estimated words: 226965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1135(@200wpm)___ 908(@250wpm)___ 757(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 226965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1135(@200wpm)___ 908(@250wpm)___ 757(@300wpm)
“Oui.” She rests an emotional, tear-stricken smile on the cardboard box. “Where would they be without you? Terrifying, really.” Her chin quakes before she mouths the word, thank you.
I did nothing to help her. I just called our brothers.
“Je t'aime comme les arbres aiment la terre, ma petite sœur,” I murmur from the depth of my soul. I love you like the trees love the earth, my little sister. “Toujours.” Always.
“Toujours,” she repeats. “Et je t’aime comme les étoiles aiment la nuit, mon frère préféré.” And I love you like the stars love the night, my favorite brother.
Eliot gasps. “Am I not your favorite?”
Laughter ensues, along with more banter, and I cradle the sounds against my ears. I love my family. I will always love them, which is why I know now that I have to leave. Very soon. This is going to be the hardest thing I ever do in my life, but I never should’ve considered staying. And I’ve delayed it for too long.
I should’ve stuck to the original timeline. Then this would’ve never happened tonight. If I left New York weeks ago, Audrey would’ve never taken that pill. Hell, if I never came to the city after Beckett asked me, this could’ve all been avoided.
We arrive at Metropolitan Medical. It’s the closest to MVU. Audrey is admitted. Our parents were already headed to New York when they realized Audrey snuck out. So they rerouted to the hospital when my brothers informed them of tonight’s disaster.
Now they’re here. My mom’s heels clip-clapping across the hospital floors like she’s setting them on fire. My dad’s calming hand in hers. I don’t speak long to either of them. I tell them I’m okay when they ask. They should be focused on Audrey.
Neither one blames me. They reinforce, “This is not your fault.”
“Ben?” My father’s steadfast blue eyes search mine. We’re in the hallway near Fizzle vending machines. Security is hovering to where we receive only a few glances from nurses and doctors. “Can you talk to me?”
“What is there to say?” My throat is torched. It hurts to speak, but I’m trying. “My frat gave Audrey fentanyl.”
Yeah, the doctors figured out the drug in her system. She could’ve so easily died tonight if Beckett didn’t have Narcan in his car. I am one small move away from killing one of my siblings. That’s what it feels like. Not to mention, her ankle is sprained. She made the varsity cheer team, so she’ll be sitting out until her foot heals.
I tell him, “I’m upset. I’m angry. I wish I could take it back with everything in my body, but I can’t. All I want to do is move on.”
“Okay,” he nods, examining me with deeper concerns. “Where’s Harriet?”
“Asleep. I told her not to worry—that I’ll see her later.”
“When you get home?”
I tighten my eyes closed as my head hammers. “No, um.” I rub at my eyes and shake my head harder. “She has an essay she planned to write, and I can’t be the reason her GPA drops. I’ll probably go back to the apartment and pass out anyway.” That’s what I told Harriet too. She said she doesn’t care about her grades as much as she cares about me, but I care. I can’t be the dynamite imploding her goals. “After that, I’ll see her. So it’ll probably be later tonight.”
It's two a.m.—technically already Saturday.
“Can you do something for me?” he asks, drawing my gaze back to his.
“What exactly?” I ask so I don’t make a promise I can’t keep.
“Go see Ryke. As soon as you can. Or have him meet you.”
I nod a lot, even if there is pain in my neck, in my whole body. “Yeah, I can do that.” He sees I’m telling the truth, and he relaxes. I relax too.
I call Jane. I ask if she’ll meet me in Philly at her billiards bar. “I know it’ll be late, or early.” By the time I get there, I think it’ll be four a.m.? Five? “But I have some cats—”
“I’ll be there, Pippy.”
I plan to go alone.
But Charlie and Beckett hop in the car. My bodyguard is driving, and I don’t waste time arguing with my older brothers. When we arrive at The Independent, I’m about to step out of the SUV.
I turn and ask, “The cat…the seventh one I couldn’t find. He was dead, wasn’t he?”
Beckett is barely breathing. He looks to Charlie. But it’s enough of an answer if Beckett is afraid to tell me the truth.
I nod, about to leave with the beer box.
Charlie reaches across Beckett and snatches the back of my shirt, forcing my ass on the seat.
“Fuck. Charlie.” I glare since I jostle the kittens.
“You aren’t going to cry?” he asks me. “A cat is dead. It died. It is gone. It’s not coming back.”