Alluring Temptation (Bayou Stix #3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

wait with a grin.
    “Jessie
    You mean MY girl? I’m the one who put a ring on her finger, asshole. What’s been going on?”
    He did indeed ask her to marry him. And she said yes.
    “Liam
    You did. You did. Same old. Same old. When are y’all coming back?”
    His reply is not instantaneous, so I decide to start picking up the leftovers while I wait for him to text back. I do miss having him around and with Jude and Lexi on their honeymoon and Dade in the Caribbean, it’s been quiet. I’m not used to that. Thankfully, I can always count on Cruz to be around. He never goes anywhere or does anything.
    Finally, my phone pings.
    “Jessie
    Aw, you DO miss me! No worries, bro. We’ll be back by the end of the week. You can have your Jessie fix. Blue is missing everyone, too. Well, when I let her out of bed that is.”
    Rolling my eyes, I mutter, “I do not need that visual, asshole.”
    As I’m about to text him back, I hear a guttural scream from upstairs and then Cruz is hollering, “ LIAM! Dammit, Liam! Get up here now. Something is wrong. Something is wrong with Clove! Bring your phone and hurry!”
    Without missing a beat, I race up the stairs. As I hit the top, I hear another pain filled scream, and I then I see that Cruz is asking Clove what’s wrong with panic in his voice.
    Tearing into her room I see her on her bed. She’s in the same short shorts and tank, but her tank is plastered to her with sweat and she’s as white as a ghost. She writhing and moaning in pain.
    What the hell?!
    I shout at Cruz. “What the fuck?! What’s wrong? What did you do, man?!”
    He looks at me in horror. “I didn’t do anything. I knocked and knocked and she didn’t answer. I was putting the pizza down and heard moaning and screaming. So, I knocked again and when she didn’t answer, I tried the door. It was open and she was like this.” He gestures helplessly to the bed. “What’s wrong with her?! What do we do?”
    I look at Clove and her face is creased with pain. Her eyes are scrunched shut and tears are rolling down her face mixing with the sweat. Crouching in front of her, I ask, “Clove? What’s wrong? Look at me.”
    She won’t open her eyes. It’s like she doesn’t even hear me. I throw my phone at Cruz and tell him to call 911. He punches in the numbers and I try to talk to her to have her tell me what’s wrong. I hear him talking, but can’t make out the words. She still won’t open her eyes. It’s like she thinks the tighter she squeezes her eyes shut, the less pain she’ll be in.
    I’ve never seen anyone writhing in that much pain in my life. What’s happening? I need to call Dade.
    I try to talk to Clove again. “Clove. Clove, please open your eyes. Tell me what hurts. Tell me what’s wrong? Clove… CLOVE!! ”
    Nothing… She curls tighter around herself and then she screams again. My blood runs cold at the sound.
    It seems like hours later, but was probably a few minutes, Cruz is ushering paramedics into the room. I never saw him leave to open the door. As they move her to the stretcher and start an IV, one of them, a female says, “Are you allergic to anything, Miss Rodrigue?” Clove doesn’t answer, just screams again. The pretty medic looks to me. “Is she allergic to anything, sir?”
    I shake my head. “I don’t know. I don’t know the answer to that.”
    As Clove moans again, the female paramedic tells the male to start a drip and she looks at me. I’m standing in the middle of the room trying to comprehend what is going on and thinking I’m in the twilight zone. I realize her lips are moving. She’s talking to me.
    “You can ride with her or follow us. We’re taking her to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital.” I nod. I can’t drive. What?
    Cruz grabs my shoulder and says, “Come on. I’ll drive.” He answers the pretty paramedic. “We’ll follow you if that’s ok?”
    She looks at him and then at me and nods. Then they rush to get Clove down the stairs as her pain