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My heart breaks that he can be worried about me right now. I come closer to him, then sit gently on the side of his bed, scared I’m going to hurt him with any sudden movements.
“Don’t worry about me. It’s you who got hurt. How are you feeling?” My voice is watery and broken. I’m trying so hard to be strong, but it’s nearly impossible.
“How am I feeling? Like two of the world’s biggest security guards have beaten me up.” Colt tries to joke, but pain flashes across his face when he smiles.
“I’m so sorry,” I start, but Colt moves his good hand to rest on top of mine.
“Shhhh, don’t be sorry.” He whispers. “How did you find me? What happened?”
“Darren caught me in the office and told me they’d taken you to the back alley.”
Colt’s face creases with worry, and I rush to reassure him.
“It’s fine, Barbie interrupted him before he could hurt me, and I got out of there. I ran to you as fast as I could but, I was too late.” I take a shaky breath.
“I don’t remember it.” Colt frowns. He’s speaking slowly, and I realise he’s probably on a lot of painkillers right now.
“That’s because you were unconscious when I found you.”
“Oh. And you called an ambulance?”
“No, Chase drove us to the hospital.”
“You called Chase instead of an ambulance?” Colt looks like he’s struggling to think through the fog in his brain. “Why would you do that? The last time I saw Chase, he tried to beat me up, too. And that’s who you thought could help me?”
“I was freaking out. There’s been all this stuff in the news about ambulance shortages and people dying waiting for them. Chase lives around the corner and has a car. It made sense at the time.” I shake my head, still trying to make sense of the night myself.
“In an emergency, the first person you think to call for help is Chase?” Colt moves his hand from mine and a strange expression settles over his features. He seems hurt and upset.
Before I can tell him it means nothing, we hear a commotion out in the hallway. A young woman rushes into the room. She’s petite, a bit older than me, and looks just like Colt.
“Colt!” she sobs, her red-rimmed eyes evidence that she’s been crying for hours.
“Becky.” Colt smiles widely, but then winces at the pain from moving his face. I jump off the bed as though it has burned me, and Becky barrels through to wrap her arms around her little brother.
“Are you okay? What happened?” She pulls back from her hug and studies his face, her brows drawn. I glance at the doorway and notice a man standing there. He’s breathtakingly handsome and has a frown etched onto his face as well.
“Becky, shhh, I’m fine.” Colt squeezes his sister’s hand with his good one.
“You frightened me half to death,” Becky sobs, still searching his face to make sure he’s okay.
“Well, now you know how it feels.” Colt grins and the man in the doorway coughs out a laugh.
“Hey Mase,” Colt notices him for the first time.
“Hey, Colt. What the hell happened, man?”
“Just a scuffle. You should see the other guys.”
Mason walks further inside the room and it’s getting a little crowded in here. I excuse myself quietly and go stand in the hallway, unsure what to do with myself. So that’s Colt’s sister Becky, and her boyfriend Mason. Colt has talked about them a lot, and I had looked forward to meeting them one day. I run a hand through my messy hair. This is not how I imagined it would happen.
Now that Colt’s family is here, I wonder if I should leave. Just as I’m trying to decide, Becky walks out of his room and comes towards me.
“Let’s talk,” she whispers, but there’s fire in her voice. She leads the way to a breakout room down the hall, and once inside, she turns on me.
“What the hell happened? Why was Colt beaten up at a strip club last night?”
I swallow. I guess when the hospital called Colt’s next of kin; they told her the details of his attack.
