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“We don’t know,” Reed admits, killing that hope with his words so swiftly that it hurts.
“I need to get out of here. I need to go where he c-can’t find me,” the last part of that sentence comes out with a large breath. So much talking is painful. My hand goes to my side where he stabbed me. There’s a bandage but it doesn’t feel wet, so obviously, I’ve been stitched.
“You’re going to stay right here where I can watch over you. Mitch will turn up, and when he does, that’s the last thing he will do,” Reed responds, his voice hard.
“N-not your job, Reed,” I answer. “My body hurts. Chest feels tight.”
“You had some broken ribs, honey. It punctured your lung.”
My eyes go wide, my hand going up to my chest.
“It’s okay, Bluebird. It was a small puncture. The doctor had to remove some air so your lung could expand, but he said with oxygen and rest it would heal back on its own. Which is why you’re on oxygen.”
“Oh….”
“And it is my job. I should have known what was happening. I should have seen it.”
“That’s silly. I didn’t tell anyone. Besides, it didn’t start getting really bad un—”
I have to stop talking again. It’s just too much. Reed squeezes my hand.
“Callie, rest. The best thing for you is to rest. I promise you that you’re safe and Katie and Lennon are, too. You rest.”
I nod. My eyes feel really heavy. Just as I’m about to fall asleep, the doctor comes in. I know I should stay awake to talk to him, but it just seems like too much effort…
CHAPTER 25
Reed
“I can’t help it, Trisha. There’s no way I can do it. I’m needed here,” I respond, rubbing my hand over my head, irritated, tired, and feeling as if I’m about to explode.
“Reed, what did I tell you about loyalty?” she chastises.
“This is about more than loyalty. This is about the only woman I’ve ever loved, Trisha. I don’t care if it costs me any career I might ever have. I’m not leaving Callie’s side until Mitch is found and is no longer a threat,” I bark, angry that she keeps pushing this. I already canceled the radio tour. It’s not my fault she’s trying to fill in dates this week. I didn’t ask for that and I sure as hell don’t want it right now.
“It’s good you feel that way, Reed, because it just might,” she says, hanging up.
“Shit,” I hiss.
“Bad news?” I look at Katie and frown.
“I thought you were supposed to be sitting with Callie,” I mutter, not liking Callie being alone.
“Dr. S. came in and asked me to leave.”
“Who’s Dr. S.?” I ask. I’ve met all of Callie’s doctors and I’ve yet to meet a Dr. S. Alarm bells are instantly going off.
“Relax,” Callie laughs, putting her hand on my arm. I guess she can see that the thought of Callie with someone I don’t know sets me on edge. “It’s her therapist. Callie’s been seeing him for a while.”
“He’s obviously really good at what he does,” I mutter, rolling my eyes as I take a drink of cafeteria coffee. It tastes like crap, but it’s caffeine and helps keep me awake.
“He can only work with what she tells him, Reed.” From what she’s let slip, she hasn’t told anyone the complete truth about her relationship with Mitch—as in ever.”
“Christ. I’ve been so fucking blind,” I mumble, hating myself.
“You? What about me, Reed? You want to be mad at someone, stop looking in the mirror and look at me.”
“Katie—”
“It’s the truth. I’m her best friend. I should have seen what was happening to her. I should have known.”
“You suspected it. I’m the one that spoke up, telling you that Mitch wouldn’t do this shit and yet, even as I said it, I had doubts.”
“He’s your brother. No one wants to think their own family can be evil, Reed.”
“Mitch sure as fuck is,” I growl under my breath.
“He is,” she says with a sad sigh. “Have the police spotted him yet?”
“No. He’s probably held up somewhere trying to figure out how he can explain Callie’s death, so it doesn’t point back at him.”
“Callie’s not dead.”
“He doesn’t know that. He left her to die. If I had to guess, he’s held up somewhere drunk, with a half-assed explanation that he thinks he can make everyone believe. That’s what Mitch does. He lies his ass off and gets people to believe it. He’s just never gone this far before, though.”
“Not according to Callie.”
“What?” I ask, surprised.
“Didn’t you read your letter that Callie wrote?” she asks, studying my face.
“Yeah?” I ask.
She frowns. “Well, my letter had details on Callie’s car wreck and the beatings she’s received.”
“Tell me.”
“I can’t right now. I will, but give me time to process it. We have enough to deal with. Anyway, it said that Mitch confessed that he killed Chasity.”
