Page 8 of Safe
“Danielle, we’re going to find him. I swear to God. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll make sure Landon pays for what he’s done. He took off in Liam’s car with a lot of cash, so it may take sometime, but you’re safe here, for now. The chief made it clear to the hospital staff: you’re to stay here through your whole rehab, on the department’s dime. It’s the best way to keep you protected right now.”
I had no words. The thought of Landon out there, free, unpunished, made me sick, but I understood. For now, this hospital would have to be my home, and the least I could do was cooperate for Alex’s sake.
“Danielle,” Alex spoke with a quiet warmth, sitting in the chair next to my bedside and drawing my eyes back to him, “if you remember anything, anything at all, no matter how small, I need you to tell me now.”
“He won’t come after me, Alex,” I murmured. “By now, Landon has to know you’re onto him. He never liked how much you were always around. He won’t risk coming here.”
I recognized the hesitation in Alex’s lingering expression. There was something he wasn’t saying.
“Danielle, listen,” Alex opened his mouth, then paused, choosing his words with care. “We talked to Liam. Landon didn’t say where he was going, but he did tell his brother he’d find a way to get you back. We don’t know exactly what he means by that or how he thinks he’ll do it, but it does mean you’re not safe until he’s behind bars. If you can remember anywhere he might go or anyone he might reach out to, you have to tell me.”
“What happens if you don’t catch him before I’m discharged?”
Alex searched the room, clearly weighing how much to reveal. I knew him well enough to realize he’d already come up with a contingency plan. If he hadn’t told me yet, it was probably because he expected me to protest.
“We’ll cross that bridge if we get there, all right?” Alex replied.
He is absolutely hiding something from me.
“For now, just focus on resting and healing. Honestly, you weren’t supposed to wake up this soon.”
He turned to leave, but I stopped him. “Hey, Alex.” He paused at my bedside, glancing back at me. I mustered a tired smile. “You still owe me dinner.”
He laughed, one of those genuine laughs—the first I’d heard since I woke up. “Fair enough. I’ll be back.” Before exiting, he leaned over and kissed my forehead.
As the door closed behind him, I settled back and let my eyes drift shut. Sleep came fast, but something felt off. It was rest that wouldn’t come easily as I slipped into unnerving nightmares.
The memories came in pieces like sharp, forceful images that wouldn’t let go. They started as flashes, then grew clearer, more intense. I could feel everything: the shock of the bat slamming into the back of my head, the brittle snap of my leg, the blinding pain as the bat came down again. I looked up and saw Landon standing over me, his face set in anger. I remembered screaming for him to stop until my throat went raw.
“DANIELLE!”
I jolted awake to the sound of someone yelling my name. My eyes opened just in time to see Alex rush into the room, dropping bags of food on the floor in his hurry to reach me. I was drenched in sweat as panic clawed at my heart. It took a few frantic seconds to remember where I was.
The hospital.
Safe.
The worst behind me.
“You were screaming. I could hear you down the hallway. What happened? Are you okay?” Alex was scanning me head-to-toe as if something new had happened to me while he was gone.
“I remember, Alex. I remember,” I gasped, struggling tocatch my breath. I fought against the urge to sit up, but I couldn’t sit still either. My body was still betraying me, and every move hurt, but I couldn’t stop.
Without hesitation, Alex knelt beside the bed and wrapped his arms around me. He ran his hand over my hair in slow, careful motions, like he was afraid to break me. “It’s okay. You’re safe. I’m right here. Just breathe, Danielle.”
He didn’t press for more, just held me until the trembling began to subside. When he finally spoke again, his voice was soft and calming. “We can talk about it later. For now, I brought your favorite.” He grabbed a bag, waving it in front of me with a wide, hopeful grin, like he was the greatest person on earth. He was.
“Cheeseburger sub?!” My eyes widened with excitement.
Alex grinned and shook his head. “No, are you crazy?” He pointed to the whiteboard near the bed: No solid food.
“Right,” I groaned. “So what is it?”
He hoisted the container in the air, grinning with victory. “The next best thing. Broccoli cheddar soup.”
Alex pulled up a chair and settled beside me, spoon-feeding me the soup with quiet patience. It felt childish to be fed, but I didn’t mind. I felt closer to Alex now than I had in the past two years, and I didn’t want to let go of this feeling anytime soon.
“Thank you, Alex.”
