Page 64 of Lethal Seduction

"Slow down," she says. "You’ll choke on it, and I can’t be responsible for saving your life."

I set the ice down on the food tray in front of me and rest my head back onto the elevated head of the bed. The splitting headache is nothing unexpected after being struck multiple times by that psychopath.

"Are you okay, bestie?"

I let my head loll over to the side and I smile. If my attempt looks anything like it feels, it’s pathetic. "Thank you for being here."

"A flock of Mocking Jays couldn’t keep me away from you when you need me," she says, referencing crazy creatures from her favorite movie franchise. It’s good to know some things won’t change, even if I nearly died. "I have to tell you something."

"What’s that?"

"I’m really sorry about Jake." She buries her face in her hands. When she looks back up her makeup has begun to smear, casting dark shadows under each eye. "If it hadn’t been for our little bet, you’d never have gotten as close to him as you did and none of this would have happened."

Grabbing her hand, I squeeze. "There isn’t one thing about this situation that you’re to blame for. It was my own stupid-ass self, trying to get a boy’s attention to make me feel better about myself when I was upset. It’s a long-standing toxic trait of mine."

She nods. "You’re probably right. I’ve known you a long time and you’ve got a couple toxic traits we need to work on."

We both laugh. She stands and leans over my bed, giving me a hug.

"Patrick?" she asks, straightening up to full height.

"Yeah?"

"What’s going to happen between you and Michael?" She backs away from the bed a few steps and crosses her arms. "He’s a really good guy."

He is such a good man, but I’ve probably fucked it up permanently with my outburst at the restaurant. "Do you really think there’s still a chance for us to be together? Even after I yelled at him? Immediately didn’t trust him when that other guy came up to us?"

"All I know is he came looking for you when you didn’t respond, and then he saved your life and got hurt in the process. A stupid misunderstanding between the two of you shouldn’t be that big a deal in the larger picture." She shrugs. "But what do I know? I’d still break up with someone if they didn’t like theHunger Gamesmovies."

I laugh and check the time on the wall clock across the room from my bed. "Not to change the subject, but if you’re working today, you’d better get a move on. You’ll be late."

"I can call in sick if you’d prefer I stay a while longer?" Her puppy-dog eyes would have pulled on my heartstrings had her expression been genuine.

"Can’t use me as an excuse not to put in your time at work. If I can survive a serial killer, you can manage an evening shift at the club." I smile and wave as she heads for the door.

"I’ll come visit you tomorrow," she says.

"Hopefully I’ll be discharged in the morning. This lump on the back of my head is going down nicely."

She blows me a kiss and says, "Call you tonight on my way home from work?"

"Can’t wait," I say with a smile.

Tina leaves the room, but the door doesn’t even have time to close before it opens wide again. Now who is coming to see me?

"Hey," Michael says as he wheels his way inside my room. He sits in a wheelchair, dressed in a hospital gown, attached to an I.V. pole, and struggles to maneuver past the bed.

"Michael?"

He nods, tears filling his eyes as he rolls up alongside me. Reaching for my hands, he holds onto me, kissing my bandage-wrapped knuckles. "I’m so sorry," he says. "Please believe me. You’re the only one I’ve been seeing and that other guy you saw at the restaurant was just a mistake I went on one date with before we ever met."

The kindness and sincerity in his voice draw me in instantly. "Honestly, I realized that the moment I stepped foot into Jake’s place. It had nothing to do with the fact he was a psychopath killer… I didn’t even know it at that point. All I knew was me getting angry at what I perceived as you being dishonest with me was a mistake. My own fears and insecurities had gotten in the way."

"Are you up for telling me what happened? How badly are you injured?" His eyes look at the brightly lit instruments beeping next to my bed. "Your poor hands." He tenderly touches the bandages again.

"I’m okay, Michael. You got to his house in time to keep the really bad things from happening to me."

"God… what had he planned for you?"

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