Page 80 of Made of Steel (Made of Steel 1)

I couldn't. Maybe he was running now. My only sense was his overwhelming good smell. I sighed into his strong chest.

"Stay with me, Summer."

Summer? My name echoed around in my head. He does know. Did I imagine that? All I could hear was my name.

Summer. I could hear my grandmother's voice

Summer. I could hear my mother's voice.

Summer. I could hear my father's voice.

Everything was black.

Chapter 38

Thursday

"Given the circumstances, I'm not sure it was a random attack," said a hushed voice.

I closed my eyes tight. My whole body hurt. Where was I?

"You think someone is trying to hurt her?"

Miles? I'd recognize his voice anywhere. Why was he here? Where was here?

"It would be consistent with the evidence of physical abuse, yes," the man I didn't know whispered.

No. You can't tell Miles.

"We tried to call her parents but there was no response," the unfamiliar voice said.

They're dead. Summer. Summer. Their voices seemed to echo in my head. It was all I could hear. My eyelids flew open. I wasn't dead. And I was ashamed that a small part of me wished that I was. I missed them. I let the tears fall down my cheeks. I missed them every day of my life. For some reason I felt close to them last night, closer than I had in years. I groaned.

"Sadie?" Miles said.

My vision slowly came into focus. I immediately wanted to close my eyes when I saw the look of sympathy in his. But then I felt the warmth of his hand in mine. He's holding my hand. I had been trying my hardest to avoid us touching. And this was why. Because I felt whole when our skin touched. He had always made me feel whole. He gently ran his thumb along my palm, keeping me calm as I slowly registered the fact that I was in a hospital room.

Ow. I looked down at my arm. It was in a sling. "What happened?" My voice sounded hoarse and my head was pounding.

"We were hoping you could tell us," the doctor said. He was no longer whispering and he had a concerned look on his face.

"I was mugged." Lying about things like this was second nature to me.

"Sadie," Miles said gently. "You were given a heavy dose of sedatives, it wasn't just a random mugging."

I couldn't look at him. I couldn't look at the doctor.

"We've set your dislocated shoulder, but it will hurt for a few days," the doctor said. "You're lucky it wasn't worse. There are a few police officers that want a statement from you. I recommend telling them the truth. They're just trying to help."

I nodded my head. I couldn't deny that I needed their help. Mr. Crawford had abandoned me here and I was in danger. I remembered Gavin putting his hands on me, telling me that Don wanted me dead or alive. And I remembered the bullet piercing his skull. I remembered the blood. God, there was so much blood. The heart rate monitor I was attached to started beeping rapidly, but I couldn't seem to calm down. The vigilante was a murderer. But he saved me.

"I'm going to give you two a minute while I let them know you're ready to give your statement."

I waited until the doctor was out of the room before turning back to Miles. "Why did they call you?" I tried to ignore the hurt look on his face.

"They didn't call me. They tried to call your parents, but no one answered. And then they called Kins. She had texted you because she was worried that you weren't back to the dorm yet and she was one of the only numbers in your phone. She stopped by my room freaking out and I offered to come with her."

Right. "Where is she?"

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