“I didn’t leave you, Willow. I went in, acting as if I didn’t care. I didn’t want to act on impulse and make the situation worse. If I went in blind, guns blazing, we don’t know what would have happened,” I tell her for the fifth time since she got out of surgery.
“Doesn’t change the fact I felt like you abandoned me.”
“And I will work every day from here on out to make sure you don’t feel that way ever again.”
“Wha—” Willow is cut off by the ringing of my phone. “You should answer it.”
“You sure?”
“Answer the phone, Chase.”
I pull my phone out of my pocket and see Nate’s number flash across the screen.
I swipe right, answering.
“What’s up?”
“Hey, how’s Willow doing?” he asks.
“Same as I was when you left this morning,” Willow gripes.
I pull the phone from my ear and set it on the bed.
“You’re on speakerphone,” I tell my brother.
“Awesome. Look, we may have some trouble.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, watching Willow frown.
“Well, the coroner is here.”
“At school?” Willow asks, trying to sit up.
“Willow,” I say, sitting up and reaching for her.
“I can’t lay down anymore,” she huffs. “Tell us more, Nate.”
“Apparently someone found a dead cheerleader in one of the bathrooms.”
“Suicide?” I ask.
“Hailee heard she had white powder under her nose and a baggie of drugs next to her.”
“Shit, she brought drugs to school?” Willow asks, eyes wide.
“Or she bought them there,” I throw out.
“The bag was marked.”
“With what?” I frown.
“It had seven-seven-seven on it woven into a spiral heart.”
“Have you ever heard of that?” Willow asks me.
“No, which means someone is trying to move into our territory.” I sigh, rubbing a hand over my face. “Look, grab Hailee and come home. We can talk more once the two of you get here.”
“Sounds good. Be there soon,” he says.
We watch the phone screen go black.
“If it’s not one thing, it’s another,” Willow murmurs.
“Think you can handle it?” I raise a brow.
“I don’t know, you tell me.” She reaches forward, weaving her hand behind my head, pulling me toward her.
Leaning in, I give her a kiss on the lips. “Love you, babe.” I feel her gasp against my lips.
“Love you, too,” she murmurs, kissing me again.
