At a loss of what to say, I run a hand down my face and lean back. The migraine throbbing at the base of my skull is growing by the second.
“Korea rocks.”
Seemingly pleased with my response, she asks a follow-up question…one I don’t fucking understand.
Dammit. I’ve got nothing.
“I love my Korean fans—”
All of a sudden, the door swings open and a swarm of people rush inside.
Words jam in my throat when I see Storm holding a limp girl in his arms.
I can’t see her face because it’s buried in Storm’s neck, but her limbs are black and blue and there’s dried blood caked on her clothes. A lot of it.
“Phoenix,” the girl croaks.
My gut recoils. Quinn.
I bolt up. “Put her on the couch.” I look at Skylar since she’s the closest to me. “Call an ambulance.”
Skylar fetches her phone out of her purse. “On it.”
“No.” Quinn moans as Storm lays her on the couch. “Please don’t.”
Lennon kneels down beside her and reaches for her hand. “We have to, honey. You’re really hurt.”
“I’ll get better. I always do.” Her eyes find mine and the desperation swirling in them gnaws my insides. “Please don’t call an ambulance. I’m begging you.”
Fuck.
I make a split-second decision. One I hope doesn’t backfire.
“No hospital.” I turn to Chandler. “Call that doctor you know, and set up the private plane if he needs it. I want him here as soon as possible. Tell him we’ll make it worth his while.”
Nodding, Chandler plucks his phone off the floor. “I’ll see what I can do.”
In the meantime, we’ll need to get her comfortable.
I eye Storm, who looks like he’s about ready to kick someone’s ass. “Go grab some ice and a first aid kit.” I turn to Memphis next because I know this is his area of expertise, thanks to Josh. “Go find some painkillers.”
“I’ll make sure the crew stays out of here,” Skylar says.
Lennon blanches as she takes in her blood-stained shirt. “I’ll go get her some clean clothes.”
“Don’t leave,” Quinn croaks.
Lennon stays put. “I won’t.” She goes to touch her forehead but hesitates at the last second, like she’s afraid it might hurt her. “I’ll stay right here.”
That’s when it dawns on me. “How did you get here, Quinn?”
It’s a three-hour drive from Chicago and there’s no way she went on a bus like this.
Her eyes flutter open and what she says next has me reeling.
“Mom.”
My chest tightens with a weird mixture of pain and gratitude.
She finally put her kid first.
“She has three bruised ribs, a dislocated jaw, two wounds that needed to be stitched up, numerous contusions, and what appears to be a concussion.” The doctor hands me a bottle of pills. “These are some painkillers. Don’t give her more than four in a twenty-four-hour period. Call me if she has any new symptoms, although once again, I recommend you take her to a hospital.”
“No,” my sister protests from the couch. “They’ll call him.”
“Relax, Quinn.” I lead the doctor out of the greenroom. “I appreciate you coming here. Skylar said she already Venmoed you the money.”
A shit ton of emotions filter through me as I sag against the door, but only one emerges the winner.
Rage.
The kind that burns villages to the ground and starts wars.
As if sensing the hurricane brewing inside me, Lennon glances up with a worried expression. “What are you gonna do?”
There’s only one thing I can do.
One thing that will end this bullshit for good.
I’m gonna fucking kill him.
CHAPTER 55
LENNON
I pace back and forth in my hotel room, my mind racing a mile a minute and my stomach flipping like a gymnast on speed.
“They’ve been gone a really long time.”
Detective Skylar ended up finding Quinn’s address a couple hours after Quinn was dumped in the parking lot by her mother, and Phoenix took off in a cloud of rage.
But not before instructing Storm and me to stay back with Quinn because he wanted the two people he trusted the most to look after his sister.
I was scared when he left.
But now? I’m fucking terrified.
Because that was over nine hours ago.
“Well, Phoenix hasn’t called me to bail him out of jail yet, so that’s a good sign,” Storm unhelpfully supplies.
Quinn sits up in bed, wincing with the movement. “We should go there. My dad might hurt him. He’s really strong.”
Storm and I exchange a glance. Phoenix is stronger.
Which only makes the panic rising up my throat churn my insides.
Crossing his arms, Storm peers down at her. “You’re not going anywhere, juvie. Lay down.”
Quinn shoots him a dirty look.
Storm’s right, though. Quinn isn’t going anywhere.
I am.
I grab my purse off the table. “I’ll be back later.”
Hopefully.
Storm snatches my arm. “Do you want Phoenix to kill me, too? Because he specifically told me not to let either of you out of my sight.”
I’m a grown-ass woman, goddammit.
“Sorry, Storm.” I pat his shoulder with my free hand. “I’ll send flowers to your funeral.”
I’m halfway to the door when it opens.
My hands fly to my face and I gasp when I notice the purple bruise surrounding Phoenix’s eye. “Holy shit.”
Those lips curl into an arrogant smirk. “You should see the other guy.”
Part of me wants to run into his arms and hug him harder than I’ve ever hugged anyone, while the other part of me wants to slap him for being so unfazed by all this while I was going out of my mind with worry.
“What the hell took you so long?”
Another gasp leaves me, and I clutch my chest. The entire room spins like some kind of rotating carnival ride. “Oh god. You didn’t actually kill him. Did you?”
Phoenix is far too pretty for jail. Plus, I’m fairly certain they don’t allow conjugal visits for fuck buddies.
“He nearly did,” Chandler mutters. “Thankfully Memphis pulled him off in the nick of time.”
Quinn pales. “Do I have to go back there?”
Phoenix’s gaze breaks from mine and locks with hers. “No. You’re staying with me.”
While I’m happy to hear it…I’m also extremely confused.
“How is that possible?”
Skylar smiles wickedly. “The power of good ol’ extortion.” She studies her nails. “Works every time.”
Quinn blinks, appearing bewildered. “I don’t understand.”
That makes two of us.
Phoenix grabs a bottle of water from the mini-fridge. “Let’s just say I made it crystal clear that he had no choice but to let you stay with me. If he didn’t, I was going to let the entire world know that the honorable sheriff was an abusive piece of shit.”