And my heart breaks. I fought the Need and it almost killed me, itiskilling me. The more I slip away, the more I’ll hurt Harlin. I don’t want to hurt him, but I don’t think I can let him go.
I reach out my hand to him and he takes it, before sitting down next to me. He gathers me in his arms, and rests his cheek on the top of my head. I close my eyes, listening to his slow heartbeat. I relax.
Monroe leaves but I can feel him glaring as he does. When I hear the door shut, Harlin exhales. “Monroe is pissing me off,” he says quietly.
I prop myself up on my arms and look Harlin in the eyes. “Why?”
“Because he’s lying too.”
I swallow hard. “What do you mean?”
Harlin scoffs and shakes his head. “You’re both lying to me, Charlotte. How stupid do you think I am? I know what asthma is. And I know that you shouldn’t be having attacks every day and nearly dying. And when I ask him... he’s like you. He’s hiding something.”
His face hardens in anger. And I don’t know what I can tell him. I have to keep lying. “It’s asthma.”
“Shut up.” Harlin moves away, turning his back on me. “Don’t bother talking if you’re not going to tell me the truth.”
“Harlin.” He’s being harsh, and it’s making my chest feel raw, hurt. He doesn’t answer and I wrap myself around him from behind. I put my face against his warm neck.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “Don’t leave me.”
Without a second’s hesitation, Harlin turns into me and cups my face with his hands. “I’m not leaving you, Charlotte,” he says. “I’m trying to keep you.”
His hands are rough on my face. I lean in and press my mouth to his, kissing him softly, the way he usually kisses me. But instead of responding the way I expect, he pushes me back down on the cot and kisses me hard. Desperately.
I suddenly wonder if it means something more. I wonder if he’s saying good-bye. But he continues to kiss me with an urgency I haven’t felt before. And when we’re out of breath, he buries his face in my hair and holds me tight to him.
“Wait,” I gasp, looking around the room. “Sarah?”
“She’s okay.”
“Where is she?” I try to remember the last time I saw her. She was lying on the seat of the town car, unconscious.
Harlin’s throat clicks as he swallows. “Monroe called Sarah’s father the minute he saw her. He said he couldn’t treat her without her dad’s consent.”
I gasp and pull away. “But he treats me all the time!”
“No offense, Charlotte,” Harlin says, “but Mercy doesn’t own half the city. Monroe has to cover himself.”
“That doesn’t mean—”
A booming voice echoes from the waiting room and Harlin and I exchange a glance. Sarah’s father is here.
“I have to go out there.” I climb off the cot but Harlin catches my arm.
“Maybe you shouldn’t. Let’s stay out of it.”
“No.” I pull away from him and start walking to the door when I feel the Need come back, slowing creeping inside my chest. But it’s changed somehow. Not as overwhelming, and almost... irritating. It puts me on edge.
Harlin follows as I make my way out into the lobby. Sarah’s parents are there, still in their formal wear. Her mother’s hair is red, but she doesn’t have the same spirit as her daughter. Maybe she did once, but now she’s not much more than a trophy wife with a Botoxed forehead and plastic boobs.
I pause at the thought, surprised at how cruel I sound. I’d never really disliked her before, but right now, I feel unexplainable hatred. I shake my head, trying to get rid of the feeling, but when we come into view, Sarah’s father turns. His dark eyes bore into me as they narrow.
“You,” he says, pointing. “What did you do to her?”
“Me?”
“You said she was in the bathroom. Where was she? What did you give her?”
