Page 114 of The Storm

I grin at the look he sends me. It’s one part arrogance and two parts heat. Impossibly sexy.

I lean my chin on my palm. “Did you know they use the word eggs as a euphemism for testicles in some countries?”

His lips twitch as he breaks another one. “Do they?”

“Mm-hmm. Handle with care.”

He laughs out loud and cracks two more eggs into the bowl.

“What do you want to do today?” he asks. He leans over the island and presses a quick kiss to the corner of my mouth before he goes back to his eggs.

We both have the day off, which is something that doesn’t happen too often, so we should make the most of it.

“Go to bed and do dirty things to you the rest of the day?” I suggest.

He sends me a knowing look. I’m pretty sure I can talk him into it.

“Or maybe?—”

That’s as far as I get.

“Go!”

I snap my head toward the hallway, already up out of my seat at the urgency in Dia’s voice.

I run down the hallway and into the bathroom, where the door is open. I find Dia sitting on the lid of the toilet, holding a wad of paper to her nose.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

She lets out a small, pathetic sob and pulls the tissue away for a moment to show it to me.

“It won’t stop. It’s just getting worse.”

I stare and try to figure out what she’s saying.

“The nosebleed?” I ask, like an idiot.

She nods. “It’s been…” She glances at her smartwatch. “A while. I don’t know. I can’t?—”

I watch with horror as tears start to gather in her eyes. Dia doesn’t cry. She just doesn’t.

It takes me a second, but then I snap into action.

“I’ll get the car.”

I run to the kitchen and quickly tell Nick what’s going on.

“Right,” he says. “You get her to the hospital. I’ll get your parents up and follow you.”

I nod as I press my lips together.

“Breathe,” he says softly as he pulls me into a quick, tight hug.

I nod again and do as he says. Breathe.

And then I run.

There’sa lot of regret in pivotal moments. A lot of should-haves and could-haves that all pile on top of you at once.