Page 91 of Hide and Seek
“What weird shit?” I question, finally reaching my truck, diving through the door, and turning over my engine in the very next second.
I start backing out as the guy mutters something, and suddenly, all the background noise disappears as though he had walked into a private room, wanting to keep this conversation quiet. “It was weird. I’ve never heard her talk like this in all the time I’ve known her,” he says. “She was coming in and out, talking about killing someone and just kept repeating the phraseget her.I was trying to ask her questions to figure out who the fuck hurt her and what she was talking about, but I don’t know. It was fucked up. I’ve never seen her like that. She asked me to fucking kill someone for her.”
The fuck?
A part of me can’t help but wonder if this is a trap being laid by her stalker—if that’s who I’m talking to right now. But I can’t take the chance. If he’s got her phone, that means he’s also gother, and no matter what, I’m showing up for my girl.
“Did she say anything else?”
“Something about a janitor. Not sure. Her words were starting to bleed together at that point. She passed out after that.”
“Fuck.”
My head spins, trying to piece everything together, but I’m at a loss, and as I speed down the main road of Blackstone, all that matters is getting to that fucking hospital.
“My thoughts exactly,” he says. “I just . . . How she was acting in the car. It was weird, man. I don’t know if she had a concussion or if she was just hallucinating or something. But it’s as though she thought I was someone else. She didn’t even recognize me.”
My brows furrow. Every word this guy says only makes me want to question him more.
“It doesn’t make any fucking sense why someone would hurt her. I just don’t . . .” He lets out a heavy sigh, cutting himself off. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on with her lately. She’s been . . . odd. I hope to fucking God that this isn’t your influence, but either way, she seems to really like you, so I think it’s important that you be here for her.”
My fucking influence? Why do I suddenly have the overwhelming need to knock this fucker out? “She’s got some other shit going on.”
“Yeah—oh shit. I gotta go,” he says. “Doctor’s here.”
“Wait. Who the fuck—” he ends the call and I sigh. “Are you?”
I stomp on the gas, racing toward the hospital as I white knuckle the steering wheel. This isn’t quite how I anticipated spending my night with Harper. I was going to go home, cook her something nice, maybe have a glass of wine, and then spendevery waking second buried inside of her. But apparently the world had other plans for us.
I reach the hospital in no time and get increasingly frustrated as I struggle to find a parking space. This hospital is at the top of their game, but when it comes to the whole parking situation, they really dropped the ball.
After parking crooked in a too small space, I rush inside the hospital, reaching reception and demanding to know where the fuck she is. “I’m looking for Harper-Rayn Madden. She’s supposed to be in surgery.”
The receptionist takes way too long, searching the details. “Ahh, yes. She was just brought in a little while ago. What relation are you?”
“Family,” I say with a cringe. “Uncle.”
“Of course,” she says with a nod. “Feel free to take a seat in the waiting area. She’s only just gone into surgery so it could be a little wait.”
“What about her condition? Do you know what happened? How’s she doing?”
She gives me a tight smile. “I’m unsure,” she says. “I can only offer the details here in front of me. However, you should prepare yourself. She has suffered some very serious injuries.”
I blow out my cheeks, having the overwhelming need to pace in front of the receptionist, but I keep my shit together and offer her a smile instead. “Thanks,” I mutter.
“I’ll let the surgical team know that you’re here and to give updates as they become available.”
I nod before turning on my heel and stalking toward the waiting area, and as I take my seat, I can’t help but look around, taking in the faces of the people around me. From the scarce details Harper has given me, none of the people here are suspicious. There’s no random men just sitting by themselves, nobody lurking in shadows, or watching me like I’m some kindof threat, which makes me wonder where the fuck is the asshole who I spoke to on the phone?
The minutes tick by painfully as I sit in the uncomfortable chair, my elbows braced on my knees. Diesel and Ace both call to check in, but I can’t deal with it now and give them the slightest run down, knowing that at some point, I’m going to have to discuss this with them.
Twenty minutes eventually drags into two hours when a doctor comes through the internal hospital doors. “Harper-Rayn Madden?” he calls out.
I get straight to my feet and meet the doctor in the middle. “You’re Harper’s uncle?” he confirms.
I nod. “Yes, that’s correct. Is she okay?”
“She is stable and out of surgery,” he says. “She’s suffered a lot of injuries, some more concerning than others, but she will be okay.”
