Page 81 of Revive
Night sat thick around them as he turned his head to face her.
“Damn, your eyes are seriously pink.” Her hand flopped down from his head onto his shoulder.
“Where are we?” he croaked, finding there was no strength to his voice. Swallowing hurt his throat, which, was also dry as a desert.
“You don’t know?”
He shook his head, and stared at his hands, failing to recognise why they were dirty when Ginny had definitely cleaned them, and how come his knuckles were split.
“We’re at the back of the hospital. I think this is a golf course. I’m not entirely sure. You were out of it, and it was a wide open space where you weren’t going to hurt yourself or anyone else. You were raging, Spook. Ready to take a swipe at anything. Doctor McSnooty really peed you off.”
He stared at her in alarm. Disconcerting flashes, like panels in a comic book kept appearing in his head.
“Stop fretting, I’m fine. You’d know about it if you’d taken a swipe at me. I hit back. There are a couple of fence panels that aren’t looking so jolly, and some terrified wildlife now giving us a wide berth, but you didn’t clout anyone. Didn’t even threaten to. Well, other than with your death glare. It’s impressive, by the way.”
“I want to see Alle,” he muttered.
“Babe, I know.” Her fingers traced one side of his face. “As soon as it’s daylight, we’ll try again. The shifts should have changed by then, we might get someone less arsey.”
“What time is it now?”
Wakening her phone made them an instant beacon for moths. “Almost four.”
Still hours until daylight and visiting hours didn’t begin until ten. Possibly they could phone before then and get an update.
“I don’t suppose they’ve called you?”
Ginny gave him a sad shake. “That doctor was fucking rude. I get that they’re super strict over visitor numbers, but the shitty looks she kept throwing you were way out of order. You’d think she suspected you of lycanthropy or something. Although, to be fair, you have been pretty wild tonight.”
“She thinks I’m an abusive arsehole.”
Her face creased into a nonplussed frown. “What? Why the hell would she think that. Shit! You don’t think she recognises you from all that hubbub last year?”
That possibility hadn’t even crossed his mind. Who the hell remembered yesterday’s news, let alone headlines from almost a year ago?
“If she has, that’ll just consolidate her opinions.”
“Spook, what opinions? What are you talking about? The woman only just met you. You barely exchanged a handful of words.”
“It’s what she didn’t say, Penfold. Alle’s injuries don’t all tally up with a fall, likewise the state of her clothing. They’ll have done a thorough examination. Undressed her. Formed suspicions. And then looked at me and my injuries. She thinks I put those marks on her body and she’s right. I did it with her consent though.”
“Is that why you’ve been muttering about hermitages and celibacy again? Oh, Spook.” Ginny crushed him against her chest. “Alle will set them straight as soon as she’s awake. She’s going to be so pissed at them for not letting you in. And your lady is fearsome when she’s pissed.”
He nodded to indicate he’d heard, but his heart was freefalling towards his boots. “They’re not going to let me see her, Gin.”
“The fuck they’re not. We’ll find a way. Christ!” She covered her mouth with her steepled fingers, then rubbed her eyes. “It might be an idea to tidy ourselves up a bit first before we try. You don’t exactly look respectable right now.”
“No,” he agreed. Ginny’s pretty make-up was now smudged emo style.
“Maybe we should see if we can find somewhere indoors where we can get a bit of kip on a chair. We came past a retail park on the way into the hospital. There might be something open there. A twenty-four-hour supermarket, or something.”
“You’re optimistic.” He guessed one of them had to be. “I’m not sure Cornwall does twenty-four hour anything and supermarkets don’t generally let you sit in a corner and snooze.”
“Aye, maybe not.” She went back to petting him. “So, you guys were up to some kinky shit, then?”
“I guess,” he mumbled. “Happy Unbirthday to me.”
“You guess?” She bumped him with her elbow. “Spill, daddy-o. Torn clothes and bruising.”
