“I like you.”
“Exactly, which is why you should help me. Friends help each other, right?” Addi quirks an eyebrow at me.
“And what happens when you fall in love with me? When you want more than just one time?”
“I can control myself,” she says. “But I’m also not going to beg. If you don’t fancy me, that’s fine.”
“Fancy you? What are you, sixty?” I laugh. “And it’s not a matter of whether or not I want to fuck you, Addi. It’s a matter of not wanting to fuck up what we already have.”
“You really should be in bed,” she tells me.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not. Maybe I should call your mom. You need a doctor. You’re so pale.”
“I’m Russian. It’s genetic,” I grunt.
“You’re also half Italian.” Addi laughs. “But seriously, I’m taking you to the nurse. Get up.”
“So bossy.” I smile. “You know most people wouldn’t dare to boss me around.”
“I’m not most people.”
“No, you are not,” I agree and stand when she glares at me. Clearly, I’m not moving fast enough for her. The room spins. I close my eyes, count to ten, and then open them again. Nope, that did not help. “Addi, something’s wrong.”
“No shit. You’re sick.” She grabs me by the waist. “Pretend that you like me and put your arm around my shoulder.”
I do what she tells me and let Addi walk me out of the dining hall. This isn’t just a flu. I’ve had the flu before, and this ain’t it.
“Don’t let me die before I get the chance to fuck you,” I whisper into Addison’s ear.
“Charming.” She chuckles. “But you are not dying on my watch. I don’t need two mafia families coming after me because their baby died in my arms.”
“Suspected.”
“Huh?”
“Suspected mafia families, Addi. No one can prove shit.”
Addison rolls her eyes. I only just catch it before we push into the nurse’s office and darkness takes over.
Chapter Two
“Shit. Lex!” I scream as his hand reaches out, transferring his weight from me to the wall. And then he’s falling. “Someone help!”
Two teachers and the school nurse come running, stopping when they see Lex passed out on the floor. Their faces pale and they stand frozen.
“Don’t just stand there! Do something to help him!” I yell at them. My hands are on Lex’s face. His skin is so hot. “He’s burning up.”
“Okay. Let’s get him into the exam room. One of you… call the doctor and a backup. We cannot let anything happen to this kid,” the nurse rushes out.
One of the teachers, along with the nurse, manages to pick Lex up and carry him into the room. Shit.
I pull his phone from his pocket and unlock it, using the code he told me to remember in case I ever needed it. I didn’t think I would ever have to use his phone. But right now, I need to call his parents. I don’t know what else to do, but they will. I think. He speaks very fondly of his family. I’ve never met them, but I know he loves them more than anything.
Scrolling through his call log, I find the name Pakhan. That’s what he calls his dad. I hit dial. Lex spoke to him earlier this morning. Did Lex tell his dad he was sick?
The line connects and an older man’s voice comes through the speaker. “Ah, sorry… I don’t speak Russian,” I tell him.