“Are you a friend of his? A patient?” The blonde woman strides over to me. Up close, she is beautiful, in a cool, swanlike way. Then, before I can answer, she offers me her hand. “I’m Dr. Sarah Nelson.”

“Sarah!” I take her hand, squeezing. Relief washes over me. She is the woman from the fridge magnet, of course. From the charity event Dom attended earlier this year. “Dom told me about you.”

I think about the time he mentioned that a doctor named Sarah had told him to check on Craigslist for missing posts when Loki disappeared.

Sarah gives me a sad smile. “Oh. Thank you.”

“Do you know anything about his . . . situation?” I lick my lips. It is so nice of her to be here, to make sure that he is okay. I’m not surprised, though. Dominic is an amazing guy who digs his way through a lot of hearts and stays there.

Sarah blows out a breath. “Well, I called the neurosurgeon who’s operating on him as soon as they told me he’s here. They’re performing a delicate brain surgery. He only said that Dom fractured his skull, that there is bleeding in multiple areas, and some tearing of brain tissue.”

I drop my face into my hands and weep. I hate that I’m so powerless. That things are out of my control. I hate how unnecessary this situation is. How random.

Sarah reaches over, rubbing my arm. “I know. It’s terrible.”

Instead of answering her with words, I just bawl harder. She clasps me into a hug. I don’t know why everyone I love ends up dying or seriously injured. Mom. Dom. Maybe I’m cursed. Maybe the best thing I can do for Dad and Renn is stay the hell away from them. Maybe they know that, which is why they never call anymore.

No wonder you are obsessed with gravestones. You have the tendency to put people under them.

“I should call his family . . . ,” I hear Sarah murmur in my ear, thinking aloud. “See if Gemma and Brad are aware.”

I pull away from her, sniffing. Finally, I feel like I’m not totally useless. “They know. They’re on their way here.”

Sarah frowns. “They are?”

“Yeah. I spoke to Joe . . . I mean, Seph, about twenty minutes ago. Everyone’s coming.”

For the first time since we met, Sarah takes a step back, drawing an invisible line between us. She looks at me like I’m a different person. “Who did you say you were again?”

“I didn’t,” I hiccup, offering her my hand. “I’m Everlynne.”

“Everlynne . . . ?” She wants credentials. Doesn’t take my offered hand.

“His fiancée.” I turn my empty hand just so, revealing a sparkling diamond ring.

“His fiancée?” she repeats.

“Yes.”

“Interesting.”

“Why?”

Dr. Sarah doesn’t look so friendly anymore. “Because I’m his girlfriend.”

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