Page 81 of Kept in the Dark

Hailey’s eyes fluttered open and she smiled. “Bust me out of here, please. Bedrest is no fun.” Her voice was hoarse from the smoke and her throat burned when she spoke.

Sara smiled but the concern in her eyes remained. “Not yet. Doctor’s orders. They want you to rest for a few days. You’re lucky Trey has a great nurse-friend who owed him a favor, or you’d be having to rest at the hospital instead of at Trey’s.”

Hailey shook her head and quickly stopped when pain rippled through her skull. “Ow! Oh, gosh.”

“What's wrong?” Trey took her hand and gripped it tightly. She thought he might break it.

“Relax, my head just hurts.” She eyed her hand. “You’re going to break my hand if you’re not careful.”

He let her go. “Sorry, Princess.”

Hailey gave a soft smile as she rubbed her temples, wishing her headache would go away.

Gosh, her lungs burned.

Her eyes did too, though not as much.

After a few moments, she quietly asked, “Are they both dead?” She looked down and picked at a loose thread on the blanket that lay across her, terrified of Trey’s answer.

Trey said, “Loretta is. Eli is in the ICU right now and it’s been touch-and-go.”

Hailey sunk back into the pillows even more. She wished this nightmare would end. All she wanted was to find the truth. And clearly, someone else had different plans.

Hailey closed her eyes, trying to recall details of the man who’d been in the house. Nothing came, though. It had been so dark from the smoke and her body was beginning to panic from lack of oxygen. Her senses had been working overtime, but they offered no details about the shadowed figure.

Hailey continued, “I bet I startled him when I ran inside.”

Trey bristled and his face contorted in pain. But it was the anger in his eyes Hailey took note of.

He said, “Which you shouldn't have done. How could you be so stupid?”

She turned her head away from him as if she were a teenager getting reprimanded by her parents. She couldn’t blame him for being angry, though. What she did was stupid. But as much as she hated that he was angry with her, she also knew he was scared.

And truth be told, she was scared too. Someone tried to kill her and would have succeeded if Trey hadn’t saved her.

Trinity threw open the door, grabbing everyone’s attention. To Hailey’s surprise, she was followed by Gavin and Carter.

Hailey smiled at the sight of her daughter. “Hey, Sunshine-”

“Mom, how could you do that? Why would you run into a burning building?!” Trinity yelled as she threw herself into Hailey’s arms.

Hailey winced as she pulled herself up to sit. She really didn't have much of an answer, at least none that would suffice her daughter. She looked to Sara who had a brow raised, anxious to hear Hailey’s excuse as well.

“I don’t know. I just saw the smoke and knew they were inside. It wasn’t my brightest moment, but I just wanted to save Mr. and Mrs. Washington.”

“Too bad he didn’t burn,” Sara said as she sat back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest.

Hailey rolled her eyes. “I didn't ask for your opinion.”

Hailey knew she shouldn’t be too hard on Sara for her feelings toward Eli. After all, the man who claimed to be family had taken away thirteen years of her life.

“Nice to see you two getting along so well,” Carter quipped. Trinity giggled, pleased by the man’s sarcasm. He gave her a fist bump.

Sara eyed Gavin and Carter. “I see Trey called in reinforcements. Or are y’all just glorified babysitters now?”

Gavin smiled at Sara’s remark. “I don’t care what I’m doing as long as I get to see you.”

Sara blushed and quickly looked away, but not before Hailey noticed.

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