Page 65 of Devoured By You
“No.” His eyes crinkled with a smile. “Thank you.”
Chapter 24
Jill
You’re a Kingcaid now.
The only thing that made me leave Blay’s side was an urgent need to pee and a raging thirst. I left Kadon sitting beside his bed and went in search of a bathroom. I was on my way back to the ICU when I caught sight of Nolen talking to the police.
What were they doing back here? Had they found out what had happened?
I rushed over, Nolen’s red face and fisted hands sending prickles racing along the back of my neck. Whatever the police were saying, it had infuriated him. Marlowe stood on his other side, her hand at his elbow, her lips pressed together.
“What’s going on?”
The police officers glanced at me, then back at Nolen. “We’ll be in touch, Mr. Kingcaid,” one of them said. They spun on their heels and made their way toward the exit.
“What is it?”
His face contorted with rage, his eyes like balls of fire. “Let’s find somewhere private.” He beckoned to Aspen. “Go get Kadon so I only have to say this once.”
The hair at my nape lifted, and goose bumps covered my arms. “Is it bad?”
Nolen grimaced. “It ain’t fucking good. Wait here. I’ll find a private space for the family to talk.”
Unsure of whether that included me, I crossed over to where my friends were sitting. They’d stayed here the entire night. As much as my heart ached for Blay, it burst with love for these women.
“What’s going on?” Addison asked, straightening from where she’d slumped in her seat. She looked as exhausted as I felt.
“I’m not sure yet. But listen, you should go and get some rest.” Would they be allowed back on the ship? It’d be a crime scene, wouldn’t it? And if so, where would everyone stay?
“You need rest yourself,” Kelsey said.
“I’ll rest when Blay’s awake. There’s nothing you can do, though. Go get something to eat and have a break. Really. I’ll only worry if I know you’re here hanging around when there’s nothing you can do.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
Kelsey nodded, nudging Addison and Raya into standing. The three women individually hugged me, and then we had a group hug. Addison glanced over her shoulder as the three of them walked away. Making a phone signal with her thumb and little finger, she mouthed, “Call me.”
I nodded. My heart squeezed as they disappeared through a set of double doors.
“Jill?” Nolen cocked his head, beckoning to me. “You coming?”
Guessed it included me after all. I trudged after the five of them. Nolen waited for me to enter the room he’d secured, then shut the door.
“Before I start, what’s said in this room goes no further. We have enough press nosing around trying to dig up dirt without one of us letting something inadvertently slip and giving them a fucking gigantic payday.”
“Dude,” Kadon said. “We hardly need a lesson on how to zip it.”
“I think he means me.” Nolen opened his mouth, possibly to refute what I’d said. I held up my hand, smiling. “It’s okay. If I were in your shoes, I’d feel the same. You’ve been kind enough to include me, but you don’t know me. Not really. It’s smart to proceed with caution. And in case it needs saying, if there’s a leak, I guarantee it won’t have come from me.”
He nodded curtly. “The police arrested the man you guys saw running away from Scarlett’s penthouse. He came clean pretty quickly. Turned out he’d been hired by Jeremy Herdson to steal Scarlett Rose’s jewelry.”
I frowned. “Who’s Jeremy Herdson?”
“Scarlett’s ex-hubs,” Aspen said.