Page 21 of Bleed for Me

As if my thoughts conjured the devil himself, I spotted him across the room with a woman and man who looked strikingly similar to him. Those had to be his parents. His gaze found mine, a curl twisting the corner of his mouth to form a dangerous-looking smirk. A couple of tables away was Seven and what appeared to be his family. He caught my eye too, except when he did, he glared at me.

“Do we need to tell someone?” My mom’s voice cut through the tension in the room and forced me back to reality.

I snorted in response to that. “It wouldn’t change anything. It would probably make things worse.”

If they did something, Archer would only be placed in lock-up for a limited amount of time before he was released back into the population. He’d be angry, then, and probably vengeful. I knew how these things worked and would rather not take my chances.

My mom mulled that over for a moment before nodding. “I’ll make sure to bring you more clothes when I come to visit next week.”

A breath of relief slipped past my lips, and I nodded. From the moment I rummaged through those bags, I knew the clothing choices were averybad idea. There were people herewho had impulse control issues; I think that’s what Archer was trying to tell me earlier, but it came out wrong.

Alex looked at me for a long moment, silent as if he was deep in thought. “You’re doing okay, though, right?” he asked, searching my gaze. “I mean, aside from what that other patient had said to you.” His expression hardened, giving away the fact that he didn’t like that one bit.

A small smile tugged at my lips. I loved how much he cared. He was always so considerate and empathetic when it came to my feelings. That was one thing I probably missed the most while being here. Having someone at my side who understood and would simply listen to my problems. Alex was a good listener.

“Yeah. I’m still in lock-up, so I don’t get to leave my room all that much but given the circumstances…I’m fine.”

Mom’s eyes widened. “Lock up? What the hell for?” she demanded.

I flinched, not wanting to spell it all out, knowing it would change the entire aura of this little visitation. But not talking about it was a disservice toher, and I couldn’t do that. “Because I killed Daisy, Mom.” My chest tightened painfully, the heat in my body moving toward the back of my eyes. “Dr Blake thinks that I have dissociative personality disorder and PTSD. Apparently, Gentry was already dead when…” I trailed off, wincing.

Sorrow shown within my mom’s blue eyes, but she didn’t seem surprised. She’d known from the very moment it happened, which would explain her coldness toward me at the hospital. A lone tear trickled down her cheek, slapping against the table. Blowing out a breath, she nodded and glanced away.

“If Gentry had already been dead…, how did I get stabbed?”

This time it was Alex who spoke. His fingers laced through mine, and he squeezed them reassuringly. “It was self-inflicted, Rosie.”

His words were like a slap to the face. Tugging my hand out of his grip, I stiffened in my seat, shock spiraling through me. “What do youmeanit was self-inflicted?” I demanded.

That couldn’t be true. It justcouldn’t.My head pounded furiously with this new information; fear laced with guilt pumping violently through my veins. It felt like my skull was on the verge of combusting. My hands drifted to either side of my face, noting their similar expression. Pain, guilt, sorrow, regret. I couldn’t have possibly conjured up this story all on my own. That would mean...that would mean I was just like they thought—crazy, unhinged.

“It’s true, Rosalie,” Mom stated, forcing my eyes to meet with hers again. “Gentry did attack you and Daisy. That much was true. But you killed him before he could do any real damage. As you were swinging the knife, you got Daisy with it. You cradled her body and cried and out of remorse, you turned the weapon on yourself.”

I shook my head, tears rolling down my face again. Their expressions became a blur of nothing as I sobbed silently. Sniffling, I raised my head. “I-If you saw all of that, why didn’t you say anything?”

“Idid. I kept screaming for you to stop, but you were too far gone. It was like you were in a daze. I’m sorry, baby.” Her voice cracked at the end, and that just made me cry harder.

Baby. That wasn’t me. That’s what she called Daisy.

She’s doing this to you on purpose.

She wants you to hurt.

Daisy was her favorite and you took her away.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

The voices kept chanting in my head, filling up the space until it was all I could hear. My fingers threaded through my hair, and I pulled, causing pain to prickle along my scalp.

“No!” The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could even process it.

Everyone in the room seemed to pin their gazes on me, concern and annoyance flickering across their faces. Heat spread through me like a wildfire from both embarrassment and agony.

“I-I have to go.” I rose abruptly, nearly knocking my frappe over with the jerked movement.

“Rosalie—” Mom started to protest.

“No,” I snapped. “I have to go.”

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