On the other end of the line, a man''s deep,nguid voice sounded.


    "Star, are you having trouble with somethingtely?"


    Ste replied, "Yeah, it''s about Antoney, but nothing I can''t handle for now."


    "If you ever run into something you can''t fix," Neville said, "promise you''ll call me." "I will."


    As soon as she hung up, a ss of warm water appeared in front of her.


    "Ste, drink this."


    Marvin, looking far more mature than his years, said earnestly, "Dad always says


    if you''reing down with something, the best thing is to drink lots of warm water. You''ll get better faster."


    Ste took the ss from him, a gentle warmth welling up inside her.


    "Thank you."


    A few minutester, the doorbell rang. As Ste moved to answer it, Marvin stepped in front of her.


    "That''s probably Dad. You should lie down and rest, Ste. I''ll get the door." Seeing how thoughtful he was, Ste didn''t argue.


    Sure enough, when Marvin opened the door, Neville stood outside.


    Marvin whispered, "Dad, Ste''s running a bit of a fever. Did you bring any medicine?"


    Neville shot him a look. "Of course I did. I''m not that clueless, you know." Only then did Marvin rx, nodding in relief.


    Ste''s face was pale, exhaustion written in the lines between her brows.


    Neville''s gaze swept the room,nding on a digital thermometer lying on the coffee table.


    He picked it up and scanned Ste''s forehead.


    102.6 degrees.


    Neville''s eyes narrowed, his usualid-back demeanor gone. "Star, your fever''s


    pretty high. We need to get you to the hospital right away."


    Ste was about to reply when her phone suddenly rang.


    She nced at the screen-Abby.


    She answered.


    "Star, I''ve messed up..." Abby''s voice was shaky and defeated.


    Ste''s expression tightened. "Abby, what happened?"


    "I found a connection, someone who said they could help with the concert venue. They wanted to meet at a club. When I got there, a bunch of rich kids started drinking and tried to get me to join them. I refused, and then they wouldn''t leave me alone, kept putting their hands on me. There were so many of them, and I just... I lost it, smashed a bottle over one of their heads..."


    Even through the phone, Ste could hear chaos in the background-raised voices, the thud of furniture.


    "You bitchy Did you really just hit Mr. Hunter? Do you even know who kis father is? I don''t care who you ca tonight, you''re not getting out of here!"


    зим


    Ste spoke quickly. "Where are you right now?"


    Abby rattled off an address.


    "Try to keep calm. I''ming."


    She hung up and moved to leave.


    Neville looked at her-she already seemed ready to copse.


    "Star, where do you think you''re going?"


    She barely made it a few steps before the room spun, forcing her to steady


    herself against the wall.


    "Abby''s in trouble. I have to go."


    Neville caught her wrist; her skin was burning.


    "Look at you. You can barely stand, and you still want to go out?"


    The scare had drained what little color was left from Ste''s face.


    Neville''s voice softened, but his eyes were serious. "Star, in your condition, you won''t even make it to your car."


    "But I can''t just leave Abby," Ste


    said,


    doing in a shaky breath."


    don''t get there, she could really be in danger."


    SWOO


    Neville considered for a moment. "Fine. I''ming with you."


    Ste nced at Marvin. "But what about Marvin?"


    "I''ll have the driver take him home."


    Marvin piped up, "Ste, don''t worry about me. I''ll go home with the driver, I promise."