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Denny put on the siren, and the ambulance sped up. So much for going away unnoticed.
The next time I woke up, I was in bed. Silence surrounded me. I opened my eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the light. I had no idea what day it was, but sunlight came through the window, so it was daytime at least.
John sat in the chair next to the bed, his head resting on the wall. Had he been there all night?
I was dying to pee, and my mouth felt like the bottom of a birdcage.
I struggled to sit up, but my hand throbbed so much I couldn’t put any weight on it. I collapsed back onto the pillows, exhausted.
“There you are.” My movements had woken him. He took my unbandaged hand in his. “You gave us all a fright. What in god’s name happened?”
That was a good question. What had happened? One minute I was sitting upstairs. The next I was in the kitchen, sprawled on the floor.
“Water,” I croaked. John helped me take a sip from the plastic cup, and I flopped back again.
“When you’re ready, Liam. Did someone hurt you?”
“No,” I whispered. “I think I fell. I remember tequila, puke, not much else, I’m afraid.”
“Sounds about right. But why were you knocking back shots? What on earth happened last night?”
Ah, so I hadn’t been asleep that long.
“There was a text. It’s on my phone. Where’s my phone?”
“Probably still at the house. They brought you in as you were. What did the text say?”
“That I needed to watch my back, that someone was watching me, that I knew too much. I know nothing, John.”
“I bet it’s something to do with Stuart. That fucker.”
“Why would it have something to do with him?”
“You need to rest. Can I look at your phone? Is there a pin to unlock it?”
“Yes. 5945. There’s nothing on there you can’t see.”
“I’m not worried about that, Liam. I need to see the text message, is all. Will you be okay if I call Sam? Drew’s at home, so he could let him in.”
“You can go if you want. No reason for you to stay here.”
“There’s every reason when my boyfriend is lying in a hospital bed. I was scared out of my wits when Drew called. I thought someone had got to you.”
No one had got to me, just my stupidity.
He kissed my forehead and left the room, leaving me to my thoughts. What had I been thinking? I didn’t even like tequila. On top of that, I’d worried not only John but Drew too. It had been incredibly selfish of me, but when I read that message, I’d thought it was a way out.
Much the same as I had when pills had been the answer.
Moments later, John returned.
“Can I get you anything?”
“I’d love some painkillers right now. Probably not a good idea, though.”
He refused to meet my eyes. They didn’t, did they?
“Why didn’t you say anything to them?”
