Page 128 of Kaine

Chapter Forty-Nine

HIM

I’m drifting in andout of sleep. They’ve given me some sort of steroid and morphine concoction to help with my lungs and the pain in my hands and it’s making me loopy.

I see doctors and nurses coming in and out, and they tell me things but I can’t quite make them out.

Through it all, though, the only constant is this ache in my chest.

And the ache’s name is Jade.

It’s been almost a day since I sent her away, and the only thing I’m grateful for, the only thing getting me through it, is the thought that she’s better off.

They’ve rewrapped my hands and they don’t look too bad. They’ll scar, the doctor said. But they’ll heal. Scars I can live with. Have lived with. Open wounds that won’t heal are what I’m dreading.

There’s a buzz on my nightstand and I turn my head slowly, my neck stiff. The cell phone’s screen is lit, but I can’t read it. I reach out to grab it, but before I can, someone else’s hand grabs it, wrenching it away from me.

I turn to the surprise visitor.

“Jemima,” I greet her. Through my haze, she seems to look okay, so she wasn’t injured in the fire. I am confused about why she’s here now though.

“Kaine,” she says and she leans over me, presses her mouth against mine.

I turn my face away, trying to push at her with my bandaged hands, they scream with pain but it doesn’t stop me.

“What are you doing?” I gasp at her.

“I came to say good bye. I didn’t think a kiss was out of the question considering it’s the last time you’ll ever see me.”

The drugs must be having a stronger effect than I thought, I can’t understand what she’s saying. Why is she saying goodbye? “Where are you going?”

“Away. Don’t try to look for me, you won’t be able to find me, I’ve made sure of that.”

“What’s going on?”

“You know, Kaine. For such a smart man, you sure aren’t so good at seeing things that are right under your nose.”

“What? What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, I told you that you would regret it.”

“Is this about the other night?” I ask, a faint memory forming in my head as I try to focus.

“Yes, it’s about the other night. And that night one year ago when you rejected me.”

“Jemima, I’m sorry about what happened.

“No. I don’t want to hear it. It’s too late.”

“Too late for what?”

“For you. I’ve already done my damage to Ash Industries, no one’s going to trust your precious new product now. All your work down the drain, just because you didn’t make the right decision about us.”

It all suddenly becomes crystal clear.

Oh my God, it’s been Jemima all this time. She’s right, she was right there under my nose and I never ever suspected her. She would’ve had full access to all my files, access to me. There’s no question of her ability to do it, the only question is why.

“You... you’re J? Why?”