Page 143 of Before I Loved You

“But—”

“Don’t move,” I warn.

She hesitates before pursing her lips and then nods, crossing her arms.

Within seconds, I’m over by Vanessa and Natalie, with Nate reaching down for Vanessa.

“I’ve already called for an ambulance,” Nate states, bending over Vanessa. “Vanessa, can you hear me?”

She mumbles inaudibly.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!” Nate runs a hand through his hair and then slides a nearby couch pillow under her head. And that’s when I see it.

Blood.

Lots and lots of blood.

“What the fuck happened?” I ask.

“She…she was gone for a while. S-so I went to look for her and…all of a sudden, she crashed down in front of me as though she was thrown.” Natalie can barely control her sobs. She brushes the hair away from Vanessa’s eyes. “When I looked up, I saw…a guy around our age. I didn’t recognize him. But he disappeared down the hall.”

Without thinking, I race up the stairs, looking between all the rooms, but come up empty. Walking down the stairs, I say, “There’s no one up here.”

“He probably took the fire escape out,” Nate responds, sounding calm when I know he’s anything but that. He wraps an arm around Natalie. “Do you remember what he looked like?”

She shrugs, wiping tears from her eyes. “He just seemed average and…wait.” She stops, lost in thought, before saying, “He had this weird skull tattoo on his neck. Yeah. I’m sure of that. I remember seeing it.”

“Okay, we’ll find him.” Nate kisses the top of her head as his hand finds Vanessa. “She’s going to be okay.”

The next hour is spent talking with the police and getting Vanessa on a stretcher and on her way to the hospital. Nate and Natalie went with her so I could stay here and try to find out what I could about who may have been at the top of the stairs. And after getting some information that might be useful, I kick everyone out of the house.

“Is she going to be okay?” Sarah approaches me hesitantly. Tears stream down her cheeks as she wraps her arms around her stomach.

“Yes.” I slide my arms around her waist, holding her close to me. “She’s going to be okay. They’ll take good care of her at the hospital.”

She shakes her head, sniffling against my chest. “Why would someone do that to her?”

“I don’t know, but we’ll find him.” I glimpse at the time on my phone. It’s just after midnight. “I should get you home. I need to go to the hospital. Nate just texted me to let me know that Jason’s flight was delayed for California, so he left to go to the hospital, and I have some information I need to give him in person.”

She nods. “Would it be easier for you if I stay here?”

The answer is yes. Her apartment is in the opposite direction of the hospital, not to mention there’s a freaking blizzard going on outside, but I know how she feels about staying in other people’s rooms.

Not that I would ever blame her for feeling that way.

“I mean, yes, it would be. But I know you’re uncomfortable with it, so I’ll take you to your place.”

She shakes her head. “No. I…want to stay here.”

I arch a brow. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she says confidently.

I mull over her decision. “Okay, let me get you set up.”

Taking her hand, I lead her up the stairs to my room. Pointing to the special lock I had installed on my door a few weeks ago, I state, “The code is 0801. Only Nate and I know it, and well, now you.” I smile, pushing open the door, wondering if she caught on to her birthday passcode. I wave a hand around the room. “Every piece of technology, besides the TV, has been packed up and placed in the closet. There’s no video game cameras or speakers or anything.”

“Why would—”

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