Page 50 of Tangling Hearts

Anger flicks at my insides. “And what is that?” I walk and land the cup on the counter, contents untouched. Fuck his fucking espresso bullshit.

He glances to it and smiles. “A hot head little boy who does not deserve her.”

I lunge for him and yell out in pain as he knocks me to the side. I hit a chair, crashing to the ground with it. Searing agony tears in from my ribcage. I grab up my shirt and see blood seeping through the middle of the bandage. “Fuck!”

He’s staring at it, confused. “What is that?”

Pissed, I mutter, staring at it and poking it with my finger. “I got shot. I think the wound opened up.”

He walks to me looking genuinely concerned. “Let me drive you to a hospital.”

“Hang on.” Trudging as fast as my dizzy feet will carry me, I go look at the damage in the bathroom mirror. It looks external only, but what do I know? “Is my lung split open? Shit… would I be able to talk if it was?” I mumble to myself, patting down the edges of the tape to help the bandage to do the best it can. But it’s a lost cause. It’s too wet now. He stands outside the open door, and I cut a look his way. “I think it’s just the staples. I don’t know. My lung was scraped... I don’t know if it’s opened up again.” Even as I’m standing here, the blood is soaking through my blue shirt. He and I both stare at it as I hold my jacket open to watch.

He leaves for the bedroom. “I’ll get dressed.”

“Shit.” I push the gauze back on my wound to stop it from bleeding, hold it down like Annie did when I was on the floor. The sting is so painful, but I inhale slowly to see if my lung is filling up with blood. I can’t tell.

Walking out of the bathroom, I call back, “I’m calling a cab!”

He emerges wearing expensive jeans and a white button-up, with shiny, black European-guy shoes. “Be a man and accept my help. I am trying to do what is right.” He waits for my answer and I nod. “I will need to drive your car. Bella took hers to the bar.”

Bella?Ugh.

I toss him my keys, shaking my head. “I don’t want your help, just so we’re clear. But I don’t want to die either.”

“Then let’s go.” As soon as we get in the car he launches into a story, while I stare out the window, the wetness sliding down my chest. I only get pieces about how she came to him when he wasn’t looking. How long they spent together. How much he loves her and could make her happy if I would just let her go.

On that last part, I look at him from the corner of half-shut eyes, my attention grabbed. “Who says I have her? Turn right. You’re going to go four blocks down and then left.”

He puts his foot on the gas. “She says she has been in love with you since college.”

My throat closes and a weird sensation floats down my arms. I stare out the window, silent. After the four blocks, I give him the next set of directions. “Two more lights, then you’ll see it. Follow the signs to Emergency. She has a funny way of showing it.”

Approaching cars lights flash across his face. “She’s a funny girl.”

I counter, glaring at him, “She’s not a girl.”

He glances to me, struck, and looks away in thought. Looks like I hit a nerve.

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