AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Boris’ face pinches, genuine confusion crossing his features. “Do you think this was me?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” Alexi says.
“Do you know who she is?” Boris asks, repeating the same question Evie asked us earlier. Now it’s our turn to look confused. “You sent me her information. You tried to figure it out at the beginning of the term, did you figure it out?”
“No,” Alexi says reluctantly.
“What happened?” Boris repeats just as Arrow approaches from behind.
“Three men broke into our suite when we were out on the boat. They beat and stabbed her.” Alexi says, defaulting to me to give medical details.
“She was bleeding pretty badly,” I say gesturing to my clothes. “I got her here as quickly as I could, but the doctor…” I shake my head refusing to say the words out loud. Alexi and Damien both look at me. They heard the threat—saw the look on Doc’s face.
Boris nods before he turns on his heels, and walks into the hospital without another word.
“How did you know to come here?” I ask Arrow, wondering who called him.
“Boris told me something had happened. He said he was on his way and I needed to meet him here,” Arrow says, looking confused. “Who was stabbed?”
I can tell by the look on his face he knows, but he doesn't want to accept it.
“Evie.”
Chapter 59
Guilt and anger wage a war in my head. I’ve never been hurt by a woman before. I’ve never cared enough to be able to get hurt. But with Evie, I didn’t just care about her. I felt connected to her. I felt so connected to her that her pain was my own, like we were fused together and I could feel everything she felt.
Then we found out who she was, and it felt like a scalding hot knife ripped me in half. Like I was missing part of myself without her.
I spent years controlling all of my feelings so that they didn’t control me. I always stood back up. No matter how bad the injury, no matter which bone was broken. Ialwaysstood back up.
She’s the only one who knows me, truly knows me deep down. She's the only one who understands the scars. She's the only one who knows real pain like I do. And yet, she chose to hurt us. She chose to hurtme.
I don’t understand it, and honestly, I don’t fucking want to. I can finally understand why Lev would shut the world out and distance himself from it all. Why would he feel the need to stop the feelings in their tracks? It’s like putting on a mask so no one can see what's happening underneath. Maybe, if I pretend I’m unaffected like him, then no one can see the cracks forming on the surface. Cracks that are so much more painful than any scar I bear.
Alexi storms into the hospital after his father, but I follow Lev to the waiting area. Lev pulling a gun on me was the last thing I expected, but maybe it was just what I needed. Because he’s right, Evie doesn’t deserve what happened to her. But if I let myself focus on the fact that she might not come out of this alive, then I’ll fall apart completely. I don’t know if I’ll be able to get back up from this one if she doesn’t make it, and I’m not ready to face that yet. The last thing I said to her—did to her—would haunt me for the rest of my life.
So instead, I pace the length of the room as Lev, Laney, and Nessa take a seat, already accepting Evie’s fate with tears in their eyes. Laney sits by Lev, taking her hand in his. I wish I could do that too; I wish I could hold both of them and let them feel safe to be scared. But I can’t, and that makes the anger so much worse.
Arrow and Alexi follow Boris to likely ask more questions and watch the surgery. But there’s nothing I can do besides stand here.
I begin pacing faster, every step becoming a blur as I realize how much I’m failing everyone right now. How much I failed her. My fist connects with the wall, chunks of debris scattering into a white fog. But it’s not enough. It will never be enough.
“We will see what you can handle, slut.”The words ring in my ears as I destroy the wall in front of me.
Strong arms wrap around my back, pulling me back and forcing me outside. Once we hit the grass, I turn and swing. Alexi blocks my hit easily. We’ve sparred together our entire lives, but this is different.
“Are you ready to calm down and talk yet?” he asks me. My response is to swing again. He anticipates my move and blocks it, but not before I move my other arm to jab him in the ribs. He coughs as the air leaves his lungs.
I look down at my friend and suddenly feel awful. I’m not this person. I’m the safe space; I create a place for them to be free. Who I’m acting like right now is my father, and that’s the one person I swore I never would be.
Sitting down on the ground, I hide my face between my knees. I can feel Alexi’s presence as he comes to my side, but he doesn’t say anything. And for once, I’m thankful the fucker doesn’t talk.
After a few minutes, I raise my head. “What’s happening?”
I’m not really sure if I’m referring to the situation with Evie or my life in general.
“My dad’s in there with her,” he says. “I don’t know why he’s here, but he’s yelling at everyone to figure shit out.”
