We stepped away from each other and I could feel the distance between us. It would always be different from this point on. “Please tell me I haven’t lost you as a friend. I care about you, Nick. You mean a lot to me.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Hadley. It might take some time for me to get adjusted, but we’ll get there. If you want, you can come out with me and the guys tonight. I think Felicity’s coming.”
I shook my head. “I think I’ll just go back to the hotel and crash. I’m heading back to California tomorrow.”
He nodded, then his gaze landed on the stage door. “Want me to go out there with you?”
The crowd of reporters could be heard through the door. “No, I got it. Thank you though. I’m sure Connor will get me through pretty fast. I’ll see you back in California, okay?”
He nodded. “Goodbye, Hadley.”
“Bye, Nick.” I kissed his cheek and started for the door, where Connor stood.
“You ready?” he asked.
Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly. “Yep. Let’s go.” He opened the door and I stepped out into the madness.
“Miss Rivers, are you and Nick going to work things out? We know he was backstage with you,” a female reporter shouted, shoving a microphone in my face.
“We’re friends, and we always will be,” I replied. Connor nudged me to keep moving.
“Are you seeing someone else? Who is he?” another reporter asked.
“I think that’s enough questions for tonight,” Connor announced.
“Mr. MacCabe, how do you feel knowing Miss Rivers’ last bodyguard was shot and killed on duty?”
Huffing, he turned around and blocked me from view. There were two security guards by the back door and they rushed up and blocked the reporters from going any further. Connor opened the back door and ushered me into the car. He watched me clasp the buckle and then pointed at something in the center console. “I was told you liked ginger ale. I got you a bottle and put it in there.”
“Oh, thank you.” I opened the bucket and pulled out the chilled bottle as he walked around front and got into the driver’s seat. “Do you want some?” I asked, holding out a bottle.
He shook his head. “Trying to watch my figure.”
I snorted at his response. Opening my own bottle, I chugged half of it and sat back relaxed. “What time do you think we’ll make it back to the hotel?”
“Fifteen minutes, probably. Lots of traffic.”
Pulling out my phone, I saw where Felicity had texted him back. I couldn’t wait to see him.
Me: I’ll be at the hotel in 15 mins. Meet in lobby?
Blake: See you there.
The traffic went to a standstill and Connor swerved around, taking another street.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Shortcut. Do you still have your seatbelt on?”
Everything started to get blurry and my eyes grew heavy. “Yeah, I . . . I think . . . so.” My words sounded like they were jumbled together. I grabbed the strap and felt it across my chest, my fingers tingling as I clutched it. “Connor, I don’t feel so good.”
“What’s wrong? Do I need to stop the car?”
My whole body started to go numb and I couldn’t speak. It was as if my mind was still there, but only not. Time didn’t seem to exist. The car picked up speed and everything went black. Connor yelled for me to hold on, but I couldn’t feel my hands and my muscles weren’t listening to my brain’s warning to grasp onto something. All I could feel was the heat of flames across my skin, yet there was no pain.
Blake
“What the fuck is going on?” I grumbled. Hadley had sent me a text hours ago saying she was on her way to the hotel. Where the hell was she? The hotel staff hadn’t seen her come in and she wasn’t in her room. I texted and called, but no reply.
My phone rang and I picked it up. “Where are you?” I barked into the phone, thinking it was her.
“I’m in California.” It was Robert and he sounded hesitant.
“Shit. Sorry, Robert. I thought you were Hadley. What’s going on?”
“Are you in New York?”
“Yeah, I just got here.”
His heavy sigh made me tense. “I think you should go to the station. There’s been an accident.”