Page 10 of Wanted

He was crazy protective over me, and the realm of his sanity had surelybeen tested.

“Hi, beautiful.”

I croaked out a response, my throat too raw and painful to provideanything more than a garble. Pain bombarded me with a fierceness I’d never feltbefore; it almost took my breath away. I winced and cringed from the slightestmovement. My arm hurt but since the pain radiated all over, I wasn’t quite surewhere the actual damage was. I also wasn’t in any shape to comprehend even ifAlek explained it to me.

Curiosity won out, though. “What happened? I remember Samuelstanding in front of us as we were trying to leave, but my memory is a littlefuzzy after that.” I flinched one more time, my arm slipping off the propped-uppillows.

“First things first,” Alek interrupted. “Do you need a nurse?”

“I think so. My arm is killing me.”

“I’ll call someone in, Sara,” Alexa said. It wasn’t until I heardher voice did I even take notice there were other people in the room with us.

Both Matt and Alexa were patiently standing behind Alek, waitingfor their turn to visit with me.

How did I not see themstanding there?

“Thanks, Lex,” I mumbled, my speech slurring as I spoke.

Fixing my eyes back on Alek, I asked him again about what happened.I knew something was off because although I was still in pain, mycomprehension, speech and movements were slowed, no doubt from the effects ofwhatever drugs were pumping through my body.

“He tried to stop us as wewere all leaving. Then you…you…” He trailed off, the end of his sentence toomuch for him to recall.

“Who else was there?”

“Kael. You don’t remember him being with us?”

Memories flooded back the more he spoke. I vaguely remembered hisfriend being in the house. My brain was still a little hazy, but I think Irecalled him holding my hand as I was lying on the floor.

Bleeding.

Fading in and out of consciousness.

“Sara? Are you okay?”

“What?” I asked, still having difficulty focusing. “Yeah, I’mfine. It’s taking me a little while to remember. That’s all.”

“Why don’t we discuss this a little later? After you’ve had timeto recuperate more?” I could tellhewas the one who didn’t want to talk about what happened. Before I had thechance to answer, Alexa came back into the room, a nurse following behind her.

“Look who I found! And it looks like she has the good shit withher, too.” She winked, trying her best to lighten the mood. When she roundedthe bed and stood beside me, she reached down and clasped my hand. The look onher face was sad although she was smiling.She was doing her best to make me forget, even if for a moment, and Icouldn’t be luckier she was my best friend.

I knew they were all scared. Shit,Iwas scared and I’d been the one to live through it. Twice.

When Alek saw the nurse was attending to my pain, he physicallyrelaxed. Whatever the wonderful woman had put in my IV, it was taking effectand fast. My eyelids became heavy, the pain in my arm dwindling to a merethrob. I was suddenly tired, and although I wanted to visit a while longer, I knewmy body had a different plan.

Alexa squeezed my hand before giving me a quick hug. “I’ll comeback tomorrow, Sara. You need to rest. Love you.”

“Love you, too,” I grumbled, the drugs kicking in full-force.

Giving both men a hug, she made her way toward the door. Beforeshe could disappear, Alek called out to her.

“Alexa, wait. I’ll walk you out.” He was such a gentleman. I knewMatt would have walked her out, but I could tell he wanted to spend more timewith me. “I’m running to the cafeteria on my way back up,” he mentioned,turning his attention fully on Matt. “Do you want anything?”

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. Even in my hazystate, the mere fact he was so pleasant with my friend was astounding. I’d seensubtle changes over the past couple of months when it came to dealing with Matt,but to witness it in such an obvious way threw me for a loop.

“Nah. I’m good. Thanks, though.” Matt nodded and turned hisattention back on me as Alek and Alexa exited my hospital room.

“When did you guys become best buds?” I whispered, falling into acoughing fit because my throat was so damn dry. Matt instantly poured me asmall glass of water, stepping closer to my bed and holding it to my lips so Icould drink.

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