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“Yes,” I gasped. “I’m here. Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine. I wanted you to know we finished the scan.”
I didn’t bother asking her if she saw anything.
I knew she had.
I could see it in her eyes as she said, “I’ve sent the images to the doctor on call so that he can look everything over.”
“Okay, thanks.”
She and Marcus placed me back on the gurney, and then he wheeled me down the hall. I was mindlessly staring at the lights and counting the ceiling tiles when Marcus pushed the gurney into the elevator. I became worried after realizing we weren’t going back to the ER. “Where are we going?”
“We’re heading upstairs.” He pushed the button, and seconds later, the doors closed just as he told me, “Your room is ready.”
We rode up to the third floor and arrived at my room after a few quick turns. Once we were inside, Marcus and the floor nurses moved me over to the bed. I’d just gotten settled when Mom and Dad came rushing into the room with alarmed expressions on their faces. Mom was on the brink of tears as she hurried over to me and cried, “Oh, sweetheart. Are you okay?”
“Yes, I think so. I’m just a little dizzy, and my side is tender.”
Dad placed his hand on mine and gave it a light squeeze. “The nurse said they ordered a CT.”
“Yeah.” My chest tightened at the thought. I knew what they’d find, but I didn’t want to worry him—at least not yet. “She told me it was just precautionary.”
“Good. I’m glad they’re taking good care of you.”
“Me, too.” Mom placed her hand on my cheek. “I’m just so relieved that you’re okay.”
“We both are.” Dad’s brows furrowed with worry as he asked, “Can you tell us what happened?”
“I was driving through an intersection when someone ran a red light.” I flinched at the memory, then sighed. “It happened so fast. I just didn’t have time to get out of the way.”
“It wasn’t your fault, sweetheart.” A spark of anger flashed through my father’s eyes as he said, “That idiot should’ve been paying better attention.”
“It was an accident, Dad. It could’ve happened to anyone.” The thought led me to say, “I wonder if he’s okay.”
“Only you would be concerned about the man who almost killed you when you need to worry about yourself.” Dad shook his head, then asked, “I wonder how long it’ll take them to get back to us about that CT scan?”
Mom grimaced. “You saw how crazy things were down in the ER. I imagine it will be a while.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
Dad walked over and sat down in the chair next to me, then pulled out his phone and called my grandparents to let them know I was okay and check in on my brother and sister. While he was busy talking to them, Mom sat on the edge of the bed and ran her fingers along my cheek. “Can I get you anything?”
“No, I’m okay.”
“Have you called Haleigh to let her know you’re here?”
“No, I haven’t had the chance.”
“Okay, I’ll call her.” Her eyes skirted over to my father, then back to me as she leaned in and whispered, “What about your friend? Do you want me to call him, too?”
“Nooo!” I gasped.
“But—”
“No, Mom.” The truth was about to come out, and she and Dad would finally know the truth behind my crazy behavior. I dreaded it with every fiber of my being, and I didn’t want to make matters worse by including Conor in the mix. “I’ll call him later.”
“Okay. Whatever you want, sweetheart.”
I nodded, then let my head fall back as I closed my eyes.
I hated that I’d gotten myself into such a mess.
I wanted to be done with it.
I wanted to tell her right then and there about the issues I’d been having over the past two years and the fear I’d felt over the possibility that they were a result of my aneurysm.
But one thing prevented me from saying the words—the slim possibility that I was wrong about everything. It was something I didn’t want to admit to anyone—not even myself. I wanted to believe that the pain behind my eye, the dizziness, the look on the nurse’s face, and all the doctor’s phone calls were just my imagination playing tricks on me.
It was a sliver of hope that I held on to in the thick of night—just like I was now.
LYNCH
We were all sitting around the conference room waiting for either Jagger or Tully to speak when we heard Tully say, “Long time no see, brother.”
“I’m not your brother. I’m nothing to you, and after the shit you pulled with the club and Sophie, you are less than nothing to me.” Jagger’s voice grew deep and menacing as he warned, “And if you’ve done anything to hurt Sophie or so much as touched her, you’re as good as dead.”
