Fever (50 page)

time to pass knowing that Jace would be home much earlier than usual.

Even after all of that, she was eager to see him.

She sighed, knowing full well that she’d forgive him and they’d move on. The question was

whether Jace would truly make the effort to control his temper and hold his tongue in the future. Some

might say she needed to develop a tougher skin, but to hell with that. No one deserved to be flayed

alive because someone else was in a crappy mood. Shit happened to everyone. It was no excuse to

take it out on others.

Anger felt much better than the pathetic weariness she’d displayed the evening before. She could

deal with anger. It made her feel stronger, less vulnerable. Despair and damn tears were for the birds.

But there was also the fact that trust took
time
. Was she really being fair to Jace? He’d only known

her such a short time and trust was earned. What had she really done to earn it yet?

Calm settled over her. They could work this out. Trust wasn’t automatic. Sometimes it took months,

even years to fully achieve. Nothing about her life or her past was exactly conducive to gaining

instant faith. And Jace was trying. She knew that without a doubt.

Her cell phone rang and she automatically reached for it. She glanced at the LCD screen, holding

her breath as she realized she hoped it was Jace. She frowned when she saw Kaden’s name as the

identifying contact.

“Hello?”

“Miss Willis, this is Kaden. I tried to call Mr. Crestwell but he’s currently unavailable. So I

wanted to let you know that Mr. Kingston is back at the apartment.”

She sat up fully in bed. “Jack’s there?”

“Yes, ma’am. He returned a half hour ago.”

She threw off the covers and swung her legs over the side. “Where are you right now? Are you still

there?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m coming over. Stay there, please. Jace wouldn’t like if I was there alone. Just don’t let Jack

leave before I arrive, okay?”

Kaden hesitated a brief moment. “Okay. I’ll be here and I’ll go up with you. Those are the

conditions.”

“Of course,” she said hastily. “I’ll leave right away.”

She disconnected the call and hurried out of bed to dress. She looked like crap but she wasn’t

going to take the time to shower and make herself look any better. Jack might not be there that long.

Who knew what he was thinking?

A few minutes later, she went down to the lobby and asked the doorman to get her a cab. Twenty

minutes later, she arrived at the apartment building. Kaden was waiting for her just outside the main

entrance.

“He’s still here?” she asked breathlessly as she ran up to the door.

“Yes. I’ll go up with you now. I left a message with Mr. Crestwell’s receptionist, but I was told

he’s in closed-door meetings for the next while.”

“Yes,” Bethany murmured as they got into the elevator. “He’s really busy this morning.”

She used her key to get inside the apartment and Kaden came in with her, sticking close to her side.

“Jack,” she whispered when she saw him standing by the bar in the kitchen.

Jack’s head came up and his eyes sparked with surprise when he saw her.

She flew around the bar and hugged him fiercely.

“Jack, I’ve been so worried. Where have you been? Why haven’t you called? Why did you let me

think the worst?”

Jack pulled her away and grinned crookedly at her. He looked awful. Paler and thinner, more

gaunt. And he had shadows under his eyes that told her he hadn’t slept in forever.

“Had shit to do, babe. Told you that.”

Anger whipped up her spine. “That’s bullshit! You had a nice place to stay. Jace did this for you.

All of it. And you didn’t even stop to think that I was worried sick about you.”

Jack’s eyes grew hooded. “He didn’t do it for me, babe. He did it for you and we both know it.”

“Does it matter who he did it for?” she all but shouted.

“Yeah, it does.”

She turned in agitation and glanced over to where Kaden stood, his expression indecipherable.

“Can you give us some privacy?”

Kaden didn’t look thrilled at that prospect.

“He’s not going to hurt me,” she said in exasperation. “You can stand just outside. No way for

either of us to go anywhere as long as you’re guarding the door.”

Kaden’s shoulders heaved and then he reluctantly went to the door, walked out and then closed it

behind him. Then she turned back to Jack.

“What the hell is going on with you, Jack? What about the drugs? What are you into?”

A bleak expression entered Jack’s eyes. “Let me make you a cup of hot chocolate. Already made

me one. We can talk then. You’re cold and hate to say this, babe, but you look like shit. Crestwell not

taking care of you like he promised?”

The accusation in Jack’s voice just pissed her off even more. He busied himself making another

cup of cocoa and set it next to his to stir in the mix while she stood there and continued to stew.

“Jace is taking care of me just fine. This isn’t about me. This is about you. You have the chance to

do something better with your life. Why are you so determined not to take it? He’s willing to let you

stay here as long as you need to. You could get a real job. Get out of the life you’re in now.”

Jack finished stirring and then turned back to the sink to drop in the spoon and put away the milk.

She grabbed one of the mugs from the counter and walked into the living room to sit on the couch. She

was angry and she needed to get it under control. But it ate at her. This wasn’t the Jack she knew. He

seemed like he didn’t give a shit about himself one way or another. It infuriated her that he had a

chance to be better now and he was just pissing it away.

She sipped at the chocolate, allowing it to burn a warm trail into her belly.

Jack came in and sat across from her in the armchair, his own mug in his hands. But he didn’t drink.

He just watched her with sad eyes.

“You can’t worry about me now, Bethy. You have a life. You have a man who cares about you.

You need to focus on that and quit worrying about me.”

She made a sound of exasperation and downed half of the chocolate.

“I can’t just stop worrying about you, Jack. I’ve been worrying about you for too many years. That

just doesn’t go away because my circumstances have changed. Why don’t you care more about

yourself?”

“I came back because I’d planned to call you from the phone here,” he said quietly. “Wanted to say

good-bye.”

Alarm raced down her spine. “Good-bye? Where are you going?”

“Away,” he said simply, not elaborating.

She finished off the cocoa and set the cup back down on the coffee table with a
thud
.

“Where?” she persisted. “What are your plans? Don’t do this, Jack. Please, I’m begging you. Stay

here. I’ll help you find a job. You can have a good life. You can turn this around. Please, I love you.”

He gave her a tender look. “You don’t love me, Bethy. Not like you love him. I see the way he is

about you. You deserve that. You deserve more than I could ever give you. You being happy is

enough for me. That’s all I ever wanted.”

“Just because I love him doesn’t mean that what I feel for you is any less,” she said emphatically.

“It’s a different kind of love. You’re my brother, Jack. Family.”

“I’m not your brother,” he said quietly.

It was then she realized. It hit her and she wondered how she could have been so blind. She sucked

in a deep breath and the room went swimmy around her. She blinked to ward off the sudden dizziness

but the room continued to sway around her. She frowned and shook her head to clear it.

“You have feelings for me,” she whispered. “You don’t see me as a sister.”

“Now you see it,” he said, an edge of bitterness to his voice.

She bowed her head and closed her eyes but then struggled to open them again. God, what was

wrong with her? She suddenly couldn’t think clearly, couldn’t even summon the words she wanted to

say.

“I’m so sorry, Jack.” Her words slurred and her tongue felt too thick in her mouth. “I never knew.

Never realized . . . I love Jace. Completely and utterly love him. I love you absolutely, but not in that

way. I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”

The room was starting to blank around her. She tried to stand but her legs wouldn’t cooperate. She

staggered upward, pushing herself. She saw Jack’s look of alarm and then utter panic entered his

eyes. He glanced down at his cup of hot chocolate and then reached over to grab hers, swearing when

he found it empty.

“Jack?”

It came out as a whimper. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong with her.

“I don’t feel so well,” she whispered.

The last thing she saw was Jack lunging for her, but he wasn’t in time. She hit the floor and the

world blanked around her.

chapter thirty-nine

“Mr. Crestwell, I’m sorry to interrupt, but you have an urgent phone call from a Kaden Ginsberg. I

told him you were in meetings but he insisted on speaking to you at once.”

Jace rocketed up from his seat and strode from the office where he, Gabe and Ash were on a

conference call with the group of investors for their Paris hotel. Gabe and Ash both rose in concern,

but Jace left to go into his office without another word.

“Crestwell here,” Jace barked when he picked up the phone.

“Mr. Crestwell, you need to get to Roosevelt Hospital as fast as possible,” Kaden bit out with no

preamble.

Jace’s blood froze and he had to sit down before his legs gave out. “What the fuck is going on?”

“It’s Miss Willis. I called her this morning to tell her that Kingston had come back to the apartment.

I escorted her up myself and stayed with her. I stepped just outside the apartment so the two could

speak privately. When I came back in, she was unconscious on the floor of the living room.”

“What the fuck?” Jace exploded.

“Sir, it’s not good. She’s not good. Looks like an overdose,” Kaden said quietly.

Jace’s heart fell and panic seared through his brain, rendering him incapable of thought or speech.

Overdose? Oh God. Had she tried to kill herself? Had he driven her to this?

“Overdose?” he croaked. “Are you certain?”

“I’m not certain of anything. I called for an ambulance but her respirations were so light I could

barely detect them. Scared the shit out of me. I did mouth-to-mouth. She still had a very faint pulse.

When the medics got there, they intubated her and loaded her up as fast as they could. We’re en route

to the hospital now. Should be there in a couple of minutes.”

“I’ll meet you there,” Jace said shortly.

He hung up the phone and lunged from his chair. He ran headlong into Gabe and Ash, who’d both

been standing at the door listening.

“What the fuck is going on?” Ash demanded.

“Bethany’s on her way to the hospital. It’s not good,” Jace choked out. “Overdose.”

“Jesus,”
Gabe breathed.

“I’ve got to get to her,” Jace said, trying to push past his friends.

“Fuck no. You aren’t in shape to be driving anywhere,” Ash said, holding his arm. “Gabe and I

will drive you.”

“I don’t give a fuck who drives. I just have to get there
now
,” Jace roared.

“Cool it, man,” Gabe said. “Get your head on. Last thing you need is to lose your shit. Take a deep

breath. Be strong for Bethany. We’ll get you there. Ash, call for the driver. Mine is on standby. I’d

planned to take Mia to lunch after our meetings so he’s waiting. Have him pull to the front

immediately.”

“How can I cool it when I fucking did this to her?” Jace asked in a haunted voice.

“Jesus,” Gabe cursed again.

“Come on, we’re wasting time,” Ash clipped out.

They ran out to the car that had just pulled up when they exited the building. Gabe climbed in front

and directed the driver while Jace and Ash got in back.

His mind was numb. His heart flayed open. The only thing he could feel was paralyzing fear. It

choked him until he couldn’t breathe. He was absolutely gutted. All he could think of was last night,

the look on her face, the devastation in her eyes and her accusation that he didn’t trust her, that he’d

never trust her. Her saying she wanted out, to leave. Her saying she didn’t want to sleep next to him.

Memories flooded him. Bethany the first night he’d seen her. Her beautiful eyes. Her breathtaking

smile. How she’d responded to his touch. And now that could all be taken away in one cruel moment

because he’d been the worst sort of ass. He could have prevented this. If only he’d stayed with her

this morning. He should have worked it out. He should have made certain she
knew
that she was the

single most important thing in his life. But he hadn’t and now she was on a stretcher in an ambulance

fighting for her fucking life.

“Jace, man, you have to breathe,” Ash murmured. “Keep it together. You need to be strong for her.”

He lifted his gaze to meet Ash’s. Cold and numbness crawled through his body until it blocked

everything else. “I did this to her. Jesus Christ, I drove her to this. You were there. You know what I