Page 123 of Torn In Two

I really wanted it to happen again. Even if I wasn’t going to admit that to anyone but myself.

Maybe Grayson could join in too.

I was suddenly glad he’d left because my cheeks flushed hot, and I was sure the images playing on a loop behind my eyes were wanted by no one but me.

Dirty, sexy, foursome images, just rolling around in my head, blinding me to what my reality actually was. But for a sweet moment, as I made my way through the waiting room to where Willa sat behind the nurses’ station looking frazzled, I let myself have the fantasy.

I’d later blame that for not noticing that the number of people in the waiting room had doubled since my first peek. I didn’t notice the swell of voices when I entered, the volume getting loud, so I couldn’t pick out overall words until they were shouts.

“That’s her! I’m sure of it! Josiah’s wife!”

The mention of my husband’s name sent a chill of fear down my spine.

A swarm of men, men who I’d thought to be patients, stood from their chairs, all spinning in my direction. One glared at me with a hate so startling I took a step backward, hitting my hip painfully against the nurses’ desk.

I shook my head fast. “No,” I lied. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Kara,” Willa asked behind me, concern filling her voice. “What’s—”

“You must repent!” A man lunged for me, his expression twisted in hateful devotion to the man who’d made my life a living hell for the past five years.

I screamed, his fingers wrapping in the sleeve of my shirt and yanking.

The sound of tearing fabric cut through the sudden din in the waiting room, at least a dozen men swarming me, forcing me back farther and farther as they came at me with hate in their eyes.

Hate Josiah had put there with his words. His podcast. His insane reward I knew these men would never see a dime of because that was just how Josiah rolled. He’d think nothing of offering money to have these people do his dirty work for him, knowing all along he had no intention of paying.

I yanked my arm away from the man, backing up until I hit a wall.

“Someone call security!” one of the nurses shouted.

But I already knew security would be too late.

The room spun. I tried to suck in air around my panic, more and more people spilling into the waiting room, a planned attack in progress that I’d been stupid enough to walk straight into.

“Get back!” Willa shouted, her and two other nurses putting themselves and chairs and anything else they could find in the path of the mob who had me in its sights.

“Repent.” A low chant started. “Repent. Repent.”

More and more voices added. One of the nurses screamed when a man grabbed her, shoving her roughly in order to get to me.

The voices grew louder, people not involved fleeing in fear and furniture crashing to the floor in their haste to get away. But the mob outnumbered everyone else, and they enclosed on me like hungry sharks.

“Stop!” I yelled. “Please! He’s not what you think! He’s a liar. He’s not giving any of you any money! This is a hospital. There are sick people here. Just stop!”

“Repent. Repent. Repent.” They pushed forward again, fights breaking out amongst each other as they tussled to get me.

At the back of the room, I caught a glimpse of Hawk and Hayden, but they were quickly swallowed by the crowd between us.

“The Devil has control of her tongue!” the ringleader shouted.

“Cut it out!” another replied.

“She’s worth a hundred K! Get the fuck out of my way!”

My blood ran cold.

I’d listened to the podcast. Josiah had asked for me back in one piece. Unharmed.

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