Page 124 of Beneath the Surface

“Fuck, Lil, we’re gladyou’reokay,” Chase says.

“I went to go after him, but when I saw you bleeding on the floor…” Derek exhales a shaky breath. “My mind went blank and you were all I could focus on.”

“So he got away,” I conclude.

Derek cringes, nodding.

Chase squeezes my fingers. “He willneverget to you again, Lily.”

Smiling softly, I ignore the throbbing ache that spreads across my temples. “You can’t promise me that, Chase.”

I have to wonder if I’ll ever truly escape the choices of my past, or if I’m destined to live in their shadow for eternity. I’ve been here for less than a month, and already I’m turning other people’s lives upside down.

Darryl knows where I am. He knows I’m back. He fucking knows where Derek lives, and it’s only a matter of time before he comes to finish the job.

My life was justfinebefore all of this. Before Chase sent his goon to come find me. Before Mason entered my damn life.

Mason.

Alex.

My heart squeezes tight, even through my anger, wishing more than anything that he was here. That he’d hold my face in his palms and wipe away the prints of Darryl’s grip. Tell me he’ll never let another thing come between us.

That he’ll protect me and my baby boy.

There’s nowhere I’ve ever felt safer than with him.

Chase’s jaw muscles tic. “Icanpromise it. I won’t let him get away with this shit. I should have killed him when I saw him last.”

The curtain surrounding the bed swings back, and a man walks in with a nurse at his side, white lab coat and a stethoscope around his neck. He smiles gently, pushing glasses up his nose.

“Well, look who’s awake.” His grin widens, but my mind is too rattled from the day’s events to pay too much attention. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been hit by a truck.”

He nods. “The bullet used was a 9mm, and luckily, stayed intact when it entered the body.”

Lucky.

What a concept. Nothing about my situation feels lucky. Itfeelslike I’ve been beaten half to death by my drug-addled ex. Itfeelslike he tried to kill me. Itfeelslike I’ve made things worse for everyone, just like I always have.

“It was a clean exit, and didn’t hit any nerves or tendons.”

Chase stares at the doctor, his hand never leaving mine. “So what does that mean?”

The doctor’s eyes focus on him. “It means that after a quick antibiotic drip, and some X-rays, she’ll be free to go.” His gaze comes back to me. “She’ll need to be monitored closely over the next few days, to make sure there are no complications.”

He taps the side of his head.

“From the gunshot wound?” I ask, my brain muddled. I don’t understand what he’s saying.

“From the blunt force trauma to your head.” His lips turn down. “Any confusion, problems breathing, loss of consciousness… you need to bring her back in immediately.”

“I’m right here,” I hiss through my teeth, grabbing on to the irritation of him talking like I’m not in the room to keep myself from falling apart at the seams.

He looks over to me and grins slightly. “My apologies, Ms. Adams. Do you have any questions for me? Would you like something to manage the pain?”

For just a split second, I consider saying yes. But then Darryl’s face flashes through my mind, the deep scarring on his cheeks, the glazed and empty look in his eyes, and disgust churns in my gut.

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