When I see the hospital, I practically throw myself out of the car.
It takes me a minute to find the reception desk, and only then do I catch my breath.
"I'm here for Henry Sorrento."
"Room one hundred four. He's stable now. The impact was to his back and one of his legs, but he'll need physical therapy," the woman tells me.
"Is it the leg that was already giving him trouble?"
I watch her study his chart, her brow furrowing.
"I don't see any previous injuries noted, but it's possible it was overlooked in the chaos of the accident."
I nod curtly and head down the hallway, with Stefan and Pavel behind me, until I find the room.
They both stop at the door without me asking.
I take a breath and push the door open.
When I walk in, Henry is propped up in the hospital bed, reading a book like nothing's wrong. He's wearing one of those terrible hospital gowns, an IV in his arm, but otherwise he looks fine. Alive. Breathing.
Relief washes over me in a wave so strong my knees nearly buckle.
"God, you scared me," I say, my voice coming out shakier than I intended.
His eyes find mine instantly, and there's so much affection in them that I can't help myself. I cross the room and lean down to hug him carefully, mindful of his injuries.
"How the hell did this happen?"
"Fate, Roxy," he answers with a smile. "I needed to be closer to you."
He says it with a laugh, but something about his tone makes me straighten. It's off somehow. Too light, too casual for someone who just survived a car accident.
"Don't joke around, Henry. This is serious. You could have died."
"Would you have suffered?" he asks, and the question hangs in the air wrong.
Alarm bells ring in my head because what is going on? I take another step back, putting distance between us.
"Of course I would have suffered. You're my uncle, Henry," I say, confusion creeping into my voice.
Why would he even ask that? Of course I'd be devastated.
His expression shifts, something dark flickering across his face before he looks down. When he speaks, his voice is quiet, almost resigned.
"It's my fault. I waited too long and only fed your confusion."
"What?" I ask, but my hand is already moving to my phone.
I haven't told Damien what happened. The way I dragged Stefan and Pavel here so urgently didn't give them time to report in either. Damien will be furious when he finds out.
Before I can unlock the screen, before my thumb even reaches the home button, a hand clamps over my mouth from behind. A cloth presses against my nose and mouth, and the chemical smell hits me instantly.
My eyes widen in panic. I try to twist away, try to scream, but the grip is iron. Stefan and Pavel are right outside. They're right outside.
My eyelids suddenly become very heavy, my limbs going numb and unresponsive. The phone slips from my fingers, clattering to the floor.
The last thing I see before darkness swallows me is Henry's face. Not concerned. Not shocked.
