“I remember you,” I whispered.
This time when I kissed her, I took it slow. My lips lingered on hers for a moment, giving her the chance to pull away. I needed her to feel in control, to take this moment.
Faye’s eyes widened, but she didn’t pull away. I could see the decision, before a decisive moment where she gave way to her shadow side and collapsed into my arms.
Yes. Yes…
Her pocket vibrated, breaking the spell of lust and fury that locked us together.
“That’s my phone.”
“Leave it,” I growled. My heart ached with a need to have her, to taste all of her.
“I can’t. It could be the hospital.”
Faye’s eyes never left mine as she dragged the phone from her pocket. The call ended. The name DOC NELSON flashed across the screen. Faye punched the button to call back, pressing the phone to her ear so hard I worried she’d embed it into her skull.
“Faye? I’m so glad I caught you.” Doctor Nelson’s voice sounded far away – something that didn’t belong in our moment. “Come quickly. There’s been an incident.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Faye
“Faye, you can talk to me.” Dorien’s fingers drummed on the wheel of his Porsche as he waited for the lights to turn green.
I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. If I opened my mouth now, I’d scream.
My fingers clawed the edge of the leather seat as I stared straight ahead. When the lights changed and Dorien hit the gas, my stomach lurched. I’d spent the last hour tying it up in knots, and the insane speed he drove didn’t help.
Not that I was complaining. As much as I hated his guts, Dorien was my savior today. When I remembered in a panic that Harrison was AWOL, Dorien offered to drive me to the hospital. I was in no state to refuse.
He tore out of Manderley’s drive and careened around the forest trails like we were on a racetrack. On the freeway he ducked and weaved between cars, reaching the city in record time. I would have voiced my appreciation if I wasn’t such a fucking emotional wreck.
Dorien hadn’t even pulled to a stop outside the hospital when I was out of the car and running for the doors, my heart clenched, my eyes stinging with unshed tears.
Doctor Nelson met me at the nurse’s station. “We’ve conducted a thorough check of all the equipment – she’s fine, nothing was tampered with. I know this is distressing to you, but I want to assure you we take this extremely seriously. We have our hospital security combing through the CCTV footage right now. We’ll catch the creep who did it.”
I shook my head. “I doubt it. The only people who’d do this wouldn’t get their hands dirty. They’d hire someone and make sure it’s untraceable.”
The doctor looked skeptical. “I think this might just be a random attack. They happen from time to time. People are upset at the healthcare system in this country, and they act out their personal aggressions on strangers.”
I shook my head, too enraged to speak. Doctor Nelson must’ve noticed the smoke coming out my ears because she leaned forward and squeezed my shoulder, leading me down the hall to my mother’s room.
As soon as I laid eyes on her, the tears spilled over.
I rushed to Mom’s bed and bent over her, crushing her body with the force of my one-sided embrace. The nurses had done a good job of scrubbing her forehead, but the word scrawled across her skin still remained visible.
The handwriting was appalling, but I understood it clear enough.
LEAVE
To do this to a person who couldn’t fight back, who was fighting for her life in a hospital bed… my stomach turned. I clamped my hand over my mouth, fighting to keep my lunch.
Doctor Nelson nudged a tissue box toward me. “I can go if you want to be alone—”
“No.” I swallowed hard, rallying myself. I lay my head on Mom’s chest the way I did as a child, listening to the slow beat of her heart, feeling the rise of her chest – an ocean tide, sweeping me home. Behind me, the machines beeped their constant, steady rhythm.
She’s still alive. That’s what matters. At least the bastards didn’t tamper with her machines.
