27

They drove in silence. Grey couldn’t believe that someone else she knew was in the hospital. Her thoughts ran so wild she couldn’t even think about calling Ela and finding out how she was. West had them at the hospital in a few minutes. Grey recognized Sky’s dark blue sports car. Sky hadn’t given them much information, but Grey’s mind was already assuming the worst.

They climbed the elevator and got to Lewis’s floor. Mia was there too, so was Ela who stood quickly to give Grey a hug. Kevin was there too. It was the same hospital Connor was in.

“It’s awful, they won’t let us see him.” Ela said.

“They’re still… working on him.” Sky pounded his fists together. Mia tried consoling him, by rubbing his back, but Sky wasn’t feeling it, but he wasn’t pushing her away either.

“What exactly happened?” West asked.

It was the moment of truth. Sky stared at the ground. West noticed Kevin flinch. He obviously wasn’t getting answers from his cousin so he narrowed down on Kevin.

“Dude?” West pressed.

Kevin unfolded his arms and scratched his beard. “I don’t know man. We were drinking at a party, next thing… he’s gone with a girl and Sky finds him later… you know.”

“What girl?” West asked.

“He didn’t say. He did say we know her.” Kevin said.

“Is it that bad?” West asked again.

“We don’t know, but what I do know is I’m tired of all this tragedy.” Ela blurted out.

Grey understood her friend’s fear and frustration, but everything was just a freak accident with Connor and they couldn’t say for sure if Lewis was indeed poisoned. Grey couldn’t think of a single person who would want to hurt fun loving Lewis. He would have understood if it was Sky. The number one suspect would be Brandon. Grey couldn’t come up with a name of the mysterious woman Lewis was with. She could have significant glues or be the reason why they were there worrying about Lewis, but she couldn’t come up with a reason why.

“It isn’t like these things happen on purpose Ela.” Sky said, mirroring Grey’s thoughts.

Sky and Grey’s eyes met. He must have seen the sympathy there because he looked away.

“Are you kidding me?!” Ela blasted. “Connor gets into an accident and every knows he was with someone, someone no one knows and still hasn’t been identified. Now Lewis is in the hospital yet after being with an unidentified woman. Harley was murdered too for crying out loud!”

“You’re paranoid Ela.” Mia snapped.

“And you’re too relaxed. Three people who run in the same circle? Who’s next?”

Grey’s heart slammed against her chest. She didn’t want to buy into the conspiracy, but the little voice in her head was telling her to consider the options and look out for herself. If there was someone watching and waiting to get them in the shadows she needed to be careful.

“Ela, Lewis is going to be fine. When he wakes up he’s going to tell us exactly what happens. When Connor comes out of his coma he’s going to do the same thing. The women could be two totally different people too.” Kevin said, bringing Ela into his arms and stroking her back.

Grey could see Ela wasn’t convinced and judging by the stare they gave each other both girls were now high on fear and paranoia.

***

West and Grey walked quietly to the cafeteria. A nurse had come to inform them that Lewis was out of danger, but they couldn’t see him because he was asleep and under observation. West draped his arm around Grey’s shoulder and pulled her to his chest.

“Awfully quiet.” He whispered, pulling her into a corridor before they reached the cafeteria.

“I’m just worried.” She sighed.

West cupped her cheeks and stared into her eyes. “Don’t.”

“West, how can I not be worried?”

“Ela’s in over her head. This… it can’t be premediated who would want to hurt either one of those guys.”

“But shouldn’t we be worried? I mean Harley… she’s dead.”

West’s grip on her face tightened, “Hey, you don’t have to worry about that. You have nothing to do with Harley.”

Grey gripped his hands, but he wouldn’t release her, “The person who killed her is still in the wind, haven’t you thought about that?”

West growled, his hold on her loosening. This time Grey wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheeks against his chest.

“You know I won’t let anyone hurt you right?” West said.

“Who’s going to protect you?” Grey whispered.

West chuckled, he pulled her back so he could look into her eyes. “No one can touch me babe. If someone is behind any of this. No one’s going to lay a finger on you either Grey.”

Grey swallowed. She knew her man had secrets to spare, ones she knew he would never share. She had her own that would push him away. Ones she couldn’t bring herself to utter. No moment was right to spill the truth. He lowered his head and captured her lips. He dragged her bottom lip with his teeth and darted his tongue between his teeth. Grey responded by letting her tongue meet his half way. West fisted the back of her hair and pulled away.

“We’ve been here long enough, how about we leave? Head back to my place.”

Grey smirked, “That could work.”

“Great.”

Grey led the way to the elevator then paused when her phone pinged twice in succession. West’s phone went off at the same time too. She tried to grab it out of her bag, but the dang thing was buried too deep under her things. West go to his phone first and scanned the text. His eyes went dark, Grey still hadn’t gotten to her phone yet. Judging by West’s face it wasn’t good, it made her rummage faster.

“Maybe we do have something to worry about Grey.” West said, not taking his eyes off his phone.

“What do you mean?” Her fingers finally wrapped around her phone.

West invaded her space and caged her against a wall. Pure annoyance rolled off him.

“What are you hiding Grey?”

Grey’s heart rate spiked. She thought she was going to collapse. What the hell did West know? What did that damn text say? She couldn’t even peak at her phone.

“I’m not—”

“Someone clearly knows what you’re hiding. If there’s something you’re not telling me! Damn it spit it out now before the whole school knows.”

Grey swallowed. What the hell is going on?