Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94686 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94686 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
He gripped my thighs with his hands. “I’ll take you while you’re on the phone.”
“You’re insane.”
“You’ve known that for a while.”
Grinning, I held the phone to my ear. “Hello.”
“Jasmine, where are you?” Troy asked.
“Why?” I checked my screen. Vivian’s name glowed in green. “Troy, why are you calling from Vivian’s phone?”
“You’ve got to come now. Viv took something. I don’t know what. It’s just lots of pills all over the coffee table. I called 911 and—”
“Pills?” I climbed away from Chase.
“She took something.”
“Please say you’re joking. This isn’t funny.” I quickly rose from the floor and searched around for clothes. My knee bumped into a chair. “Damn it!”
This can’t be for real. There has to be a mistake. Vivian wouldn’t do anything stupid like this.
“Viv’s foaming at the mouth.” Troy shattered my thoughts. “She sent some crazy text. I called her back to see what it meant. She didn’t answer the phone. I turned the car around to check on her. She didn’t answer the fucking door so I used my key and rushed in—”
“What do you mean foaming at the mouth? Is she at our apartment? Did you call anybody?” My heart slammed against my chest. My breaths came quick, so fast I started to hyperventilate. Chase handed me my panties and bra as he rushed to grab his own cell and talked into it.
“Jasmine, where is he now?” Chase asked me.
I covered the phone. “My place. Something’s wrong with Vivian.”
“Okay.” Chase stood up and said into his own cell phone, “Put Sampson on now.”
I returned to Troy. “You called someone?”
“Yes. Dammit. I called 911 and they said they were bringing someone over,” Troy explained. “They’re still on the line on my phone.”
“I’m coming right now.” I stumbled around, looking for my dress. “I. . .um. . .is her pulse. . .?”
“What?”
“I don’t know. Is it normal?”
“Her heart is beating, but her eyes are just . . .weird,” Troy replied. “I gotta go.”
“But—”
“I’ll call if the ambulance gets here before you.” Troy hung up.
I dropped my phone on the closest table. My fingers shook as I dressed.
Please, God, let Vivian be okay.
I tried to step into the leg hole of my panties but kept missing as I scanned the area for my dress. Chase put on his pants and talked into his phone.
“Get a police escort if you have to, but get there right now.” Chase slid his thumb across the phone’s screen and tossed it on the table. “Calm down, baby. I have some men running over there just in case. My assistant is going to notify the hospital and prepare a private room for her. We’re taking my limo and we’ll run every red light from here to your apartment.”
“Thank you.” I finally put on my panties and stumbled backward. “I need my dress and. . .shoes. My keys. I don’t know where they are. I think they’re in my purse. Fuck. Where is my purse?”
Chase seized my arms and pulled me to him. My breasts pushed against his chest. “Calm down, Jasmine. Breathe.”
She’s foaming at the mouth.
“I’m fine.” I shoved him away. Tears blurred my eyes.
Vivian, why would you hurt yourself? I was coming. Why would you do that?
Rage mingled with anxiety. My stomach clenched into tight little knots that crowded my core.
You fucking die and I’m going to kill you. Tears streamed down my face. “I have to call Benny and Troy. No. Troy is there. I have to—”
“Breathe, Jasmine.” Chase placed his hand on my chin and steered my attention to him. “I’m here with you. I have people going over there. You don’t need to do anything but get dressed.”
“Benny would want to be called.”
“My assistant can do it.”
“I should call myself.”
“Then you can do it in the limo.”
I wiped at my face and hurried with putting on my bra. “I should’ve never left. I knew she sounded different. I should have—”
“Stop.” He tugged me into him.
I buried my face into his chest and sobbed as I inhaled and exhaled. His scent soothed me. His arms enveloped me in warmth. Calm poured over me, not enough to make my worries disappear, but enough to keep me brave for whatever I had to deal with in the next hours.
“It’s going to be okay.” He leaned away from me and stared into my eyes. “Do you believe me?”
“Yes.” I bit my lip.
“Both an ambulance and my men will get there, and once that happens she’ll be fine.” He brushed strands away from my eyes. “I’ll take care of anything you need me to.”
“Okay.” I swallowed down my fear, spotted my dress, and headed to it.
A knock sounded at the door. I jumped. Chase held his hand out.
“Relax, baby.” He rushed over and stood by the door, but didn’t open it. “It’s probably my bodyguard, Oscar, telling me the limo is ready. Put on some clothes, please.”