I wanted to graduate elementary school.

I wanted to see Dad, Jace, and Cole so I could tell them I love them.

“Mom, please,” I plead. “You’re just having a bad day.”

“A bad life.” She punches the steering wheel with her fist. “So many things have been taken away from me.” Big, ugly sobs fill the car. “I refuse to be without you two.”

Turns out being Mom’s favorites had its drawbacks.

“You don’t have to live without us,” Liam tells her. “We’ll never leave you.”

“It’s true,” I assure her. “We love you.”

More than anything…but I didn’t want to die.

“Close your eyes,” she instructs as she unclips her seatbelt. “It will all be over soon. I promise.”

Liam lets go of my hand and covers his eyes as the car accelerates. “Mommy, stop!”

“Mom, please don’t do this!” I cry out, wrapping my arms around my brother. “I love yo—”

Chapter 1

My throat feels like sandpaper, but it’s nothing compared to the dull ache coursing through me.

Mom.

Liam.

The thought has my body jerking as I open my eyes.

A white ceiling and harsh florescent lighting greets me.

Where am I?

Where are they?

It’s only then I realize someone’s holding my hand…sort of.

Mom?

It hurts to turn my head, but I do it anyway.

Confusion impales me as I take in a girl with long brown hair and glasses—who for some unknown reason is painting my nails a bright pink color.

Her warm brown eyes widen, and she jumps up so fast she drops the bottle of polish. “Oh my God. You’re…shit. You’re awake.”

I’m not sure who she is, but she sounds super excited to see me.

She’s also really short for an adult. Only a few inches taller than I am.

Slowly I take in my surroundings and realize I must be in a hospital.

“Are you a nurse?” I croak, my voice sounding even deeper and raspier than I remember.

She blinks. “I’m Saw—you know what? Let me go get one.” Hands shaking, she takes out her cell phone. “I told your brothers to grab some lunch in the cafeteria earlier, but I’m gonna tell them to head back up here pronto.” Not stopping for air, she backs out of the room. “You stay right here. I’ll be right back, okay?”

It’s not like I can go anywhere even if I wanted to.

Between all the IVs, tubes, and machines, not to mention the pain…

Whoa.

My hand looks…different. Not just because of the nail polish the weird nurse used, but it’s bigger than I remember and my nails are longer.

I tilt my head down. Holy cow.

Mom told me I wouldn’t get those for at least another four years.

“Hi, honey,” a woman wearing scrubs says as she enters the room. “My name is—”

Before she can finish her sentence, some man wearing a lab coat brushes past her. “I’m Dr. Jones.”

That’s the only introduction I get before he rushes over to my bed and shines a light in my eye. Geez.

He points his finger at me. “Follow my finger.”

“Where are my mom and brother?”

Placing a stethoscope over my chest, he frowns. “What’s your name?”

Shouldn’t he already know that?

“Bianca.”

“Last name?”

Seriously? “Covington. C-o-v—”

“When is your birthday?”

“June first.”

“What year?”

“Two-thousand-two.”

“Very good.” His eyebrows pinch in concern. “Do you know what today’s date is?”

I draw a blank. “No—”

“Bianca!” some man barks as he barrels inside the room.

He’s tall with tan skin and short dark hair and his eyes are brown like mine. Only he has dark circles around his, like he hasn’t slept in weeks.

He also has a lot of tattoos.

I inwardly shudder. He’s kind of scary.

“Holy fuck. You’re awake,” another man says from behind him before they both surround my bed like a couple of armed guards.

The second guy is also tall with short dark hair. Only unlike the other one, he’s pale and his eyes are a very noticeable green…just like my dad’s.

For some odd reason, I feel like I should know them, but that makes no sense because I’ve never seen them.

“How are you feeling?” one of them asks.

Like I’m in an alternate universe. “I—”

Before I can answer, the strange, short nurse from earlier trickles in.

“Are my brothers on their way?”

She visibly swallows. “Yeah.”

Hopefully they’ll be here soon.

My eyes ping-pong between the two guys. They look every bit as baffled as I feel.

“What’s wrong with her?” scary guy barks.

Wow. Rude much?

I turn my attention to the doctor because I need some answers myself. “Where’s my mo—”

“Bianca!” a voice I actually recognize exclaims.

I breathe a sigh of relief as I take the man in. Finally, a familiar face.

“Daddy,” I choke out.

Everything is so confusing. I don’t know what’s going on or where Mom and Liam are.

My dad rushes over and wraps his arms around me. He’s hugging me so hard it hurts, but I don’t care.

He’s the only person in this room I recognize, and I can’t help but cling to him like he’s my life preserver.

“I’m scared.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the two men exchange a glance.

For reasons I don’t understand, it seems like I’ve upset them somehow.

“Everything’s gonna be okay, sweetheart,” my dad assures me. “God, I’m so happy you’re all right.”

“Where’s Mom?” I question. “Is she okay? What about Li—”

“Mom?” one of the guys exclaim. “Bianca, mo—”

“Everyone outside,” the doctor instructs.

I try to get off the bed, but sharp shooting pain blazes down my side.

“Not you.” The doctor gestures to the woman wearing scrubs. “Nurse Dawn still needs to take your vitals.”

As if on cue, the nurse comes over to my bedside.

“Hi, honey. How are you? Is there anything I can get you?”

Remembering my throat feels like a desert, I utter, “Can I have some water?”

“Sure thing.” She takes out a thermometer. “I just need to take your temperature first, all right?”

I’m not really in a position to refuse.

After she takes my temperature along with a few other vitals and checks my IV, she hands me a small cup of water.

It feels like heaven…until I hear people arguing right outside my door.

“Is everything okay? Am I in trouble?”

The nurse gives me a reassuring smile. “Of course not, sweetie.”

I take another small sip of water. “Why does it hurt to move?”