Page 98 of Bound By Secrets

“No need to worry, darling. You won’t be alone for long. All of these boys have been hard to get rid of these past few days,” Mabel says as she squiggles a few things on the clipboard. “Now, let’s start by asking you a few basic questions first.”

“You have no idea how happy I am to see those beautiful eyes open again,” Ryker exclaims as he rushes into my hospital room, Nate and Brad bounding in behind him.

A smile spreads across my face as a blush creeps across my cheeks. They all crowd my bed, placing their hands on some part of me as they bombard me with questions.

“How are you feeling?”

“Are you okay?”

“When can you come home?”

“Are you in any pain?”

I lightly giggle, my eyes growing watery as their frenzied voices fill the room.

“Okay, calm down! One at a time, please.”

They all apologise, looking at me sheepishly as silence settles in the room. My eyes dart between them all, admiring their features.

“I’m really happy you’re all here,” I say, emotion clogging my throat. “I was so worried that you’d all look at me differently after everything that you saw.”

“If anything, it showed us how strong you really are,” Ryker assures me, cupping my face in his palms. “You are so strong, Pretty Girl. I’m so proud of you.”

A tear falls down my cheek and he swipes it away, kissing my forehead before releasing my face from his hold.

I turn to look at Brad and Nate, seeing them watching me with smiles.

“We’re proud of you too. You were amazing and so incredibly brave,” Nate says, lifting my hand to his lips and placing gentle kisses across each knuckle. More tears begin to drip down my face from their praising words and their comforting tones.

Brad steps around Nate and settles himself on the edge of my bed, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

“We’re gonna be here for you through everything, cutie. We’ll all get through this together, okay?” I nod my head, resting it against his chest as my emotions flow out of me.

Warmth seeps into my blood as I lay in this room with each of them beside me. The fear has dispersed, my worries have been pushed to the back of my mind, and my muscles finally relax.

I feel some sense of peace having them with me, knowing that everything that’s happened hasn’t changed anything between us. It hasn’t made them pity me or see me as vulnerable and weak. Instead, they view me as being strong and brave.

Finally at ease, I feel my lids droop as sleep begins to pull me under, and when I hear their whispered words, a smile dances across my face.

“We love you too, Callie.”

After having a good few hours of sleep and some pain medication, Mable suggested having a shower to help myself feel refreshed.

I’ve been standing in the bathroom that’s connected to my hospital room for the past thirty minutes. I’m still wearing the hospital gown, and I haven’t removed my bandages. I can’t bringmyself to strip myself naked because I know that I’ll find bruises and stitches all over my body.

I don’t want to see how ruined my body is now.

I don’t want to be reminded of what Cameron did to me in the hours that I was with him.

A soft knock sounds on the door, breaking me out of my pity-filled thoughts.

“Callie, it’s me, Kat. Can I come in?” Surprise rocks through me at the sound of her voice, and I move over to the door and unlock it for her.

She opens the door just enough to squeeze her body through and then she shuts and locks it again before turning to face me.

A crease forms between her brows when she sees me still in my gown.

“Hey,” she says, striding towards me and wrapping her arms around my waist. “I’m so glad that you’re okay.”

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