Page 5 of Sinners Keepers
Once I finally gathered myself I asked, “How long have I been here?”
“Just a little while. You’re doing so much better than we could have ever hoped for. The worst part is behind you. But now that you’re awake, your doctor has a lot to discuss with you. Are you up for talking with her?”
I nodded feebly.
He gave me a sweet smile. “I’ll go talk to Nelia… your nurse. She told me to grab her if you woke up again.”
Again?I didn’t remember waking at all before now.
My mind was addled, but I guess that was to be expected.
“Alec?” He paused in the doorway and turned back to me. The soft, relieved look on his face reminded me of all the reasons I’d always enjoyed his distant presence in my life over the last few years. He was the kind of person who was so comfortable with himself that he made everyone around him feel comfortable, too.
I almost forgot what I wanted to ask him. I scrunched my nose, smiling sheepishly. “Am I allowed to eat, you think?”
He chuckled, low and deep, the sound causing my insides to twitch. My body had only ever responded to one other person in this way. A sick, anxious feeling scratched at my throat at that thought, but I shoved it down.
“Tell me what you want and it’s yours, cutie.”
I cringed, running my stiff fingers through my seriously tangled hair. I was definitelynotcute at this moment and probably hadn’t been for a while.
Oh mygod, how rough had he seen me while I was out?
Thinking for a minute before deciding, I replied. “Fuck, I would kill for a fat stack of pancakes slathered in chocolate hazelnut spread with a pound and a half of strawberries.” Of course, the first food that came to mind was one from one of my favorite books,Violence in the Void. I was freaking obsessed. He looked at me incredulously. “But…not sure how my stomach would feel about that, so maybe just some fresh sourdough from the bakery and a hot ginger tea the size of my ass from Hot Wok?”
Ugh. My mouth was no longer dry because now I was drooling at the thought of egg rolls, lo mein, and sweet and sour chicken from my favorite Chinese restaurant.Simmer down, stomach. One baby step at a time.
“I think I can handle that,” he winked and disappeared into the hallway.
Alone with my thoughts for the first time in god knew how long, my mind wandered to Ijah again. A lump formed in my throat.
I quickly swept away the tears that had formed in my eyes before the first one even had a chance to spill onto my cheeks. He wasn’t worth a single one of them. So many emotions had filtered through me over the last few minutes, but realizing I was still alive after all I'd been through filled me with nothing but gratitude—I wasn't going to letanythingsour that feeling.
Against my will, my mind reeled with anxieties about Alec and every other fucked up part of my miserable life. I guessed if he’d also wanted me dead, I would be by now. He’d likely had plenty of opportunities to do what he wished with me in my most vulnerable state, and he seemed to be genuinely glad I was awake now.
I wasn’t entirely sure why, but it seemed easier to just trust him. So I did.
Besides, what other option did I fucking have?
CHAPTERTHREE
Hunt
Days passed.
I slept deeper than usual. Maybe because my subconscious knew that at least while in the hospital, I was mostly safe from any outside threats.
Hospitals had security. Surely neither my dad nor Ijah could barge in at any given moment.
Or maybe it had something to do with Alec’s presence, but I wasn’t ready or willing to admit that to myself just yet.
Unfortunately, neither Alec nor the hospital security could protect me from constantly waking up disoriented, only to drift off again—straight into a fucking nightmare.
I always returned to that night; just after the shot rang out and my body thudded heavily against the ground, my head smacking against the concrete.
The scarlet stain grew across my breast, spreading from my shoulder, across my sternum. Ijah stared down at me with empty eyes. He crouched beside me, running his fingers through the thick liquid as if I were a plaything and not the love of his life bleeding out at his feet. He was empty of every good thing I’d ever seen in him. He rose, laughing sardonically as he stood over me. The blood dripped from his fingers onto the ground; wet, thick splashes hitting the concrete.
My eyes filled with tears, running over my cheeks in a steady stream.
