Page 149 of Imogen

Hating the accusation, I turn to him sharply. “No. He told me to run,” I remark, harsher than I intended to. “When we stopped to check in with Sabrina, he was worried about me being there. He made me promise that if there was ever a situation where I might be in danger, and he tells me to run, I have to run. He told me to run. I didn’t want to leave. But Zach had a knife and he was so angry. He…”

Mum takes my hand not in a cast as I struggle to catch my breath. “Sweetie, breathe. Just take a breath.”

The monitor beside me is beeping like mad. Black spots dart in my vision, and I try to steady my breathing.

In. out.

Dad takes a deep, pained breath and lowers himself into the chair to my right. “I’m sorry, baby.”

I slump back, my shoulders shaking from my uncontrollable sobs. “He told me to run. He told me to run.”

“You did the right thing,” Mum stresses.

“Where is he then? Why haven’t they found him?”

Dad lets out a weary breath. “We don’t know.”

“If he was okay, he would be here. He wouldn’t leave me to worry.”

“Ben is strong. He’s a fighter, Immy,” Dad tells me.

“He will come back, my love,” Mum adds.

I turn to my dad, hating the pain in his eyes. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you about us being together. We were planning to tell you when we got back. We just didn’t know how you’d feel about it, and Ben was afraid of letting you down. I’m so sorry.”

He brushes the hair from my cheeks. “Are you happy? Does Ben make you happy?”

“He does. I love him,” I admit brokenly.

I never got to tell him those words. But I do. I love him so much, and it isn’t like before. He gave me a part of my soul that I never knew was missing. He made me feel whole. I don’t know when I fellinlove with him. It’s not something you witness. Love is much like the wind. You can’t see it but you can feel it. And he made me feel everything.

“Then you have nothing to apologise for. I’m sorry for making you think you couldn’t come to me,” he confesses.

“But… outside, you sounded pissed.”

He forces a smile. “Give me some credit. My daughter is in the hospital, and I didn’t have all the pieces. What you heard came from fear. Nothing more. You really did scare us. We thought we had lost you.”

The door handle to the room presses down, making me forget everything I was about to say. My heart races, hoping to see Ben walk through.

But it’s Hope.

Her shoulders drop and tears gather in her eyes. “You’re awake. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just sore.”

“Did you hear something?” Dad questions.

She hesitates, and hangs her head to hide the tears slipping down her cheeks. “Hope?” I call, feeling my chest tighten.

She can’t meet my gaze. “Uncle Evan, can we talk outside?”

“No! No,” I agonize. “Tell me. You need to tell me!”

“I…”

Dad places his hand over my cast. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Shivers vibrate across my entire body as I try to catch my breath. “No. Don’t do this. Don’t keep me in the dark. Has something happened to him? Is he okay? Please. Tell me.”

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