“Or I can take you to the hospital to get better. I don’t want you to drive right now in case you pass out behind the wheel. It can either be I help you get better or I take you to the hospital,” he explained. “I know several of the doctors and nurses at the hospital so you would be in good hands.”

Monroe shook her head harder but winced as sharp pain spread across her head.Oh, it hurt so badshe thought. She didn’t know why she kept doing that when she knew it was going to hurt her.

“Please, don’t do that. You can either tap once for no and twice for yes or speak, but I don’t want to see you in pain,” he said.

That shocked Monroe. He didn’t want to see her in pain? Jared or any of his friends would egg her on to be in more pain. They didn’t want her to have a moment of peace.

“Can you tell me your name?” he asked.

Why wouldn’t he know her name? Did he really not know who she was or that Jared was after her?

“Monroe,” she whispered for the first time.

She didn’t think anything of it before she spoke.

“Such a pretty name for a beautiful girl,” he softly said. “Thank you for telling me.”

They stared at each other for what seemed like a couple of minutes.

“Give me one second. Before you go change, I want you to drink some water.” Michael walked behind her and she heard him filling up a cup.

She stared at him the whole time, worried he’d try something with her back turned to him. Monroe didn’t know him and definitely didn’t trust him.

“Here.” He passed her the plastic cup.

Monroe looked at it. Princesses with bunnies littered the outside and she couldn’t stop herself from smiling.

She loved bunnies and princesses.

“Ah, there’s a pretty smile.” Michael broke the moment she was having.

The smile on her face fell and she looked up at him. She had completely forgotten he was here and where she was.

“Sorry,” he said. “Please drink the whole glass.”

She looked down at the cup and back at him. How did she know it didn’t have anything in it? Jared had put stuff in her drinks or food to make her pass out.

Michael let out a sigh. “I should have thought about that. I’ll take a little sip to show you that nothing is wrong with it.”

Monroe watched as he took a drink and waited for any symptoms to show, but none did. She was so very thirsty and before she knew it, she grabbed the cup and started to drink from it.

“Not so fast. Don’t want to make yourself sick,” Michael said.

She slowed down but continued to drink. Maybe he would allow her to have a second or third cup of water. She hadn’t drunk anything for over a day and it was taking a toll on her.

“I need to ask you a couple of questions. Remember, I’m a doctor, and I’m only asking these things so I can help you,” he said.

Monroe didn’t take any mind to what he was saying. Yeah, he had said he was a doctor before and that he was concerned for her. What a bunch of bologna.

All doctors wanted was to see people so they could get paid big bucks. Did they even really care for the patients? They all seemed cold and distant, like they didn’t care at all.

“How did you get those bruises?” he asked.

Water went down the wrong pipe and Monroe found herself choking on water.

CHAPTER SIX

MICHAEL