The Luminous Rock Series Box Set

by K E Osborn

  So this seems a little like a moot point for me.

  “Yeah…. maybe,” I state as he pulls me into his side, and I swallow hard while looking to Raoul and all of our security team, who are now pulling members of Swift Division apart from each other as they continue to fight amongst themselves.

  I take another long sip of my drink and Jett smiles at me.

  His finger slides out and he wipes the condensation from the edge of my cocktail glass then he smiles wide. “It’s a nice drink, isn’t it?”

  I nod, and continue drinking not knowing what else to do. But this cocktail must have a hell of a lot of alcohol because the buzz is hitting me already. I pull back and take a deep breath as a wave of dizziness hits me, and my stomach starts to swirl.

  “You okay, cupcake? You’re looking a little… hazy?”

  I blink a few times, my vision is starting to become blurry as I fall forward slightly into the table.

  Jett puts his hand on my back to comfort me. “Whoa there, cupcake… I think you need to relax a little. I can help you with that.”

  I shake my head as I try to stand, nerves running through me as I stumble on the spot and almost fall back to the seat. Jett stands with me, and takes me into his arms holding me upright.

  “I don’t feel so g-good,” I stutter and he stifles a laugh.

  “It’s okay, cupcake. I got you. I’ll make you feel sooo good.”

  I try to shrug out of his grip, but he starts to walk with me on my unsteady feet. My body isn’t doing what I want it to, as he practically drags me along with him toward the exit. “I need to go to my room, I don’t feel good,” I say as I sway in his arms. A wave of undeniable dizziness swarms my head like a typhoon and I can’t seem to get my bearings. The music is blaring and my body feels like a hurricane is rushing through it. I can’t even seem to see straight as everything is blurring into itself. Waves of color and shapes swirl around me.

  I feel sick.

  I can’t focus.

  I’m panicking.

  Jett drags me out of the party and into what I’m guessing is the foyer—the worst part being I’m incapable of stopping him.

  My eyes focus just long enough to catch a glance of Mercs. “Mercs, h-help m-me,” I whisper.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  MERCS

  Chatting to Kiera when she’s having a bad day always manages to get me down. I hate that she’s feeling sick today, but I love the fact that when she needs to talk to me she isn’t afraid to call me, just to hear my voice. I miss her like crazy, and I wish I could do something to speed up the treatment process for her, but now with my debt to Hex I feel like I’m in deeper than I was when I started. But I will find a way to help Kiera.

  I have to.

  But right now, my girl is at the after party downstairs waiting for me, and I need to go and spend some quality time with her. I make my way into the elevator, the crappy music doing nothing for me, but I smile casually with the knowledge that the music and atmosphere in the bar will be a thousand times better.

  The elevator doors open and I walk out, not really paying much attention. The dull thumping of the music makes me grin slightly wondering what craziness is going on in there already.

  I glance up toward the bar, and I get a shock at the sight in front of me.

  Effa, in the arms of Jett.

  She’s hanging off him like he’s her lifeline. Her eyes glancing up at him as if she’s completely lost in his gaze as he holds onto her tightly. I stop on the spot as I tense up swallowing hard, and then Effa stumbles. Furrowing my brows it appears as if she’s completely drunk.

  Surely, Effa couldn’t have gotten blink drunk in the short amount of time she’s been down here? She’s only been here all of thirty minutes.

  Jett’s grip around her tightens as he starts to lead her away from the party.

  Anger ignites inside of me, and I race forward. I don’t know what his game is, but I sure as hell am not letting him take her anywhere. Effa begins to trip and fall against him as his grip on her tightens. Jett hoists her up against his body.

  I run faster.

  My feet barreling like a mad sprinter to get to her, as I try to piece together what the hell I’m seeing.

  Jett’s eyes are firmly looking at Effa, watching her, studying her inebriated state as she sways against him. But Effa looks up to me. Her eyes are glassy, almost closed, as I run as fast as I can to get to her. My chest squeezing tight from the amount of adrenaline running through my system.

  Something’s not right.

  Her eyes meet mine, her lips move saying something, but I can’t hear her over the dull beats of the music.

  I rush forward, finally reaching them. “Get the hell off her,” I yell as my arms reach out shoving Jett away.

  He grunts as he’s forced from her, his hands let her go with the impact of my hit, and he almost falls backward while he stumbles on the spot.

  I turn just in time to see Effa trying to right herself, but her legs collapse beneath her, and I don’t have time to grab hold before her limp body and head collides harshly with the marble floor.

  My heart leaps into my throat. “Effa,” I call out.

  Andi rushes out of the bar and over to us.

  Effa’s skin is pasty, her eyes bloodshot and rolling around in her head as she shudders from... the cold? Heat? I have no idea. “Fuck! Effa. Baby,” I call out, dropping to my knees and reaching out for her hand.

  She’s panting hard as her eyes open and look at me. “Mercs,” she murmurs, her breaths becoming more shallow and rushed.

  “I’m here, baby.”

  “My heart,” Effa murmurs.

  I tighten my hand in hers so tightly I feel like I’m breaking her bones, as I begin to shake right along with her. “Call 911,” I scream out frantically searching around the room for someone to help with whatever the fuck is going on right now.

  “My heart… it hurts… I’m so hot… I can’t… I,” she lets out a muffled moan as her eyes roll into the back of her head, and her entire body thrusts upward and then jolts back down, then continues to shudder, convulsing hard as she rolls around in a fit.

  “Fuck!” I call out, grabbing her arms and holding onto her, not knowing what to do as my heart breaks watching her body fail her like this.

  Andi holds her head as we roll Effa on her side, fitting from something that’s obviously hitting her system.

  “What the fuck have you done to her, Jett?” But when I look up, the fucking asshole is nowhere to be seen.

  “Get the medics in here. Now. We’re losing her,” Andi calls out the words I was dreading to hear, while bile rises in my throat.

  “Effa! No. Effa… c’mon, baby. C’mon. Stay with me,” I call out as she slowly ceases seizing, her body going limp in my arms. My breathing catches as I lean my ear in over her mouth to check for her breath.

  And there’s nothing.

  No sign of life.

  My heart stops as I gasp, dread filling me entirely.

  “Andi, she’s stopped breathing.”

  Preface

  “Why be crying, fearful, lonely, when you have the whole universe? Be still, listen to your heart, breathe, and know you need nothing.”

  ― Jay Woodman

  Chapter One

  MERCS

  Puff.

  Puff.

  Puff.

  The air forces out of my lungs with such intensity, I hardly have time to catch it for myself. My lips are dry as my heart pummels against my chest with such a tenacious beat, it’s as if the devil is clawing at my skin to rip me open from the inside out.

  I move up, taking my lips from Effa’s, her eyes still closed as her head sways to the side with my frantic movements. My hands race back to her chest. My fingers lace together on top of each other as I thrust down rapidly not even knowing if I’m doing it fucking right.

  Pump.

  Pump.

  Pump.

  I continue pumping for around thirty
pumps and then give her another three breaths. I’m not sure if it’s correct, but it’s something I vaguely recall seeing on a flyer once. Well, the flyer said two breaths, but I want to do an extra just to make sure. Sweat races in rivulets down my temples as Andi sits back, tears slowly sliding down her face.

  People are gathering around watching me as I work frantically, but I don’t care. All I care about is that Effa’s not fucking breathing, her heart has stopped, and I’m working my ass off trying to get her back, and no one is doing a damned thing to help me.

  “C’mon, baby, come back to me,” I murmur, pumping furiously as I grunt out in frustration while watching her skin turn a very pasty color. “Effa. Fuck! C’mon…” I groan as I duck back down pressing my lips to hers again.

  Puff.

  Puff.

  Puff.

  Her chest rises and falls with each breath, and I hope with each movement that this will be the one to kick-start her heart back into gear.

  But there’s nothing.

  She’s been out for nearly two minutes, and as I pull back starting to panic, I ball my hand into a fist and bring it back down, thumping hard onto her chest. I don’t care. I know I need to get her heart started.

  Effa’s body convulses with the force of my blow to her chest, and my eyes open wide as I gasp for air.

  Andi sobs as I look at Effa for a sign. Anything. But she goes back to not moving, and now she appears even paler.

  “Fuck! Effa… stop dying on me,” I scream, and in frustration, I slam both my fists onto her chest as hard as I possibly can. Her body convulses upward, as she finally lets out a gasp for much-needed air just as the medical team rushes through the door. I didn’t even hear them arrive or enter through the lobby—the sound of the fucking droning music teamed with my frantic beating heart are the only things I can hear.

  Effa falls back to the floor as I rush my ear to her mouth. I can feel slow, uneven breathing coming from her, and I let out a relieved sigh as the medical team push in beside me and pull me out of the way.

  “Sorry, I need to get to her,” the guy instructs, making me fall flat on my ass banging my back against a pole. He moves in to help Effa, while the other guy wraps a blood pressure cuff around her arm. They get to work immediately as I sit back feeling like the world’s slowly imploding around me.

  All the noise seems to fade out to a persistent ringing in my ears. I can’t seem to get a fucking grip on reality as I close my eyes. There seems to be a frigid cold sweeping over my entire body, and I’m shaking. Uncontrollably. My fucking teeth chattering as I sit hoping, praying, that I did enough to pull Effa through.

  “Okay, let’s get her out of here,” I faintly hear the words through the ringing in my ears.

  Slowly, I open my eyes to see Effa now on a gurney and the medics wheeling her out of the foyer. She’s attached to a ventilator. It’s helping her breathe, and the sight makes me feel physically ill.

  Andi looks down at me and wipes the tears from her face as the medics start to take Effa away. “I’ll come back to get you. I’ll make certain she’s in the ambulance, and ensure Alana is with her. Okay?” Andi tells me. Her words are enough to snap me out of my damn haze, and I stand up abruptly, stumbling slightly on the spot while shaking my head.

  “No, I’ll go with her. You find the others and tell them. I’m not leaving her side,” I choke out.

  Andi nods, pats my shoulder as she sniffs, and we follow the medics wheeling Effa through to the exit.

  I move up to the side of Effa’s gurney and look down at her. Her eyes are closed like she’s simply sleeping. I don’t know what the hell damage this has done, but I hope like fuck she can pull through it because if I lose her, I won’t be able to stand it. Especially if this is because of some vendetta Jett fucking Jones has with me.

  I reach out grabbing her hand and hold on tightly. She doesn’t hold me back, not that I expected her to, but I wish like fuck there was something there. Some kind of reaction. But there’s nothing. I feel numb, in a sort of shock I suppose, as I bring my hand up and wipe some hair off her face.

  I gaze over at the medic and sigh. “How bad is it?”

  They both look at me.

  “I think once we get her to the hospital, and the doctors get a better look at her brain activity, we will know more,” he replies.

  Brain activity.

  Was she without oxygen for too long?

  She could be brain dead for all I know.

  Or, even if she does wake up, there could be issues.

  Effa could be severely disabled.

  She could never sing again.

  She could be a vegetable.

  Fuck!

  How the hell did this happen?

  What the fuck did Jett do to her?

  All I know is, for now, I can’t think about all the pain I want to inflict on Jett—and fuck knows I want a world of hurt to rain down on that cunt for this—but for now, I need to concentrate on my girl. To support her through this—whatever the hell is happening to her—because she needs me more than my fist needs to be firmly implanted in Jett’s face.

  I need to be here for Effa.

  No matter the outcome.

  Whatever hell is awaiting me.

  Chapter Two

  MERCS

  Pacing the halls of the hospital is making me anxious. Effa’s having a bunch of tests done, and I have to fucking wait. The ride over here with her was torturous, and one I’d rather forget. She crashed again, and they had to shock her with those damn paddle things to get her heart back into a normal rhythm. But it seemed once that happened, everything settled down again.

  I’ve never felt tenser in my life. Knowing that at any moment, at any flip of the coin, she could be taken from me and it’s doing my head in. I can’t stand my thoughts, and I feel like I’m not even fucking functioning. My feet are heavy as I pace frantically, my hands running through my hair, tugging and pulling at my strands trying to feel something. Anything. But the constant ache in my chest.

  The persistent tapping of running feet down the hall alerts me to people heading my way, but I don’t look up. Instead, I keep my head down and pace trying to keep myself together.

  “Mercs,” Alana calls out.

  My chest squeezes even tighter at hearing Effa’s step-sister calling my name, her voice sounding as broken as I feel.

  Suddenly, a body slams into me. Arms envelop around me tight, warmth encasing me, as I look down to see Alana wrapping herself around me. Her face is tearstained and red from excessive crying. Slumping my body, I wrap my arms around her and hold her with a heavy sigh.

  “I’m so sorry,” I murmur tapping her back.

  She pulls back looking at me, squeezing her eyebrows together with a sniff.

  I watch as the rest of the band and some of the crew arrive.

  “Sorry? What for? This is not your fault, Mercs. She’s going to be fine. I just know it.” She gulps, her words not carrying the same tone as the fear in her voice. She’s scared, she just doesn’t want to admit it.

  “I should have been with her, protecting her from that fuck head. I swear when I get my hands on him…” I let my words hang in the air as everyone looks at each other with raised brows.

  Tank looks to me, and the deep creases in his forehead teamed with the furrowing of his brows show me his concern. He looks me up and down and shakes his head. “You look like shit, brother. Maybe you should sit down, or we could get a coffee?” he offers, and I shake my head.

  “I can’t. I need to be here for her.”

  Luke sighs and moves in next to me placing his hand on my shoulder. “You are here for her. And having a seat, right there…” he points to the chair, “… won’t stop that. What it will stop is you falling over from exhaustion, and that won’t be good for anyone. So, please, Mercs, sit down. I’ll get you a coffee,” Luke offers.

  Taking a deep breath, I weakly nod heeding his advice. I want to be here for Effa, and I will be no good if I can�
�t function. This is the waiting area and the seat’s right there, so what harm could it do?

  I walk with everyone over to the seats, and as I plonk onto the plastic chair, I let out a heavy sigh. Then I lean my elbows on my knees and make an attempt to calm the fuck down.

  Kristy sits next to me and runs her hand along my back in a comforting way, and I’m not sure why but somehow it helps.

  Wracking my jaw from side to side, I glance to Luke. “Did they find Jett?”

  Luke raises his brow and shrugs. “Why would we need to find Jett?”

  My muscles tense and I glance around the room.

  They don’t know.

  None of them know anything.

  I stand and begin to pace the waiting room again while my breaths come in short and sharp. I turn back to look at Luke and grit my teeth. “He did this!”

  Luke furrows his brows standing in front of me and looks me in the eyes. “You need to be very clear with me now, Mercs. What do you mean?”

  I let out a grunt. “I mean… I fucking walked into the foyer, and Effa looked doped out of her fucking mind. She was hanging onto Jett as he was dragging her away to do God only knows what to her. Jett must have done something to her because no shit, I was only away from her for no longer than thirty minutes and when she left me she was fine. She looked like she was smashed, Luke. When I went to call Jett out on it, he’d vanished. Left her there on the fucking… floor.”

  Andi stands from her chair and gasps. “He gave her a cocktail. He came to sit with us, and he brought her a drink. He must have spiked it with something.”

  “Jesus…” Casey trails off but says no more.

  Running footsteps down the hall makes us all look up to see Raoul barreling toward us along with one of Jett’s bandmates. I tense up, my muscles ready for a fight if I need to as they approach us.

  Liam’s face is weary. He looks deflated, and I think I even see a bruise on his jaw.