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“Thanks,” he says, and she leaves us alone.
“Raine, I—”
“I’m tired,” I blurt. “I think I’m going to rest.”
“Uh, sure. I’ll be right here.”
“You don’t have to stay. I’m sure you have more important things to be doing.”
His eyes narrow. “If that’s what you think, you clearly don’t know me at all.” Anger simmers in his expression but he doesn’t let it rip. And it occurs to me, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so composed.
But I see the cracks.
He wants to give me a piece of his mind. But he won’t. Not yet. Not while I’m lying in the hospital broken and bruised.
Unable to bear the tension for a second longer, I close my eyes, hardly surprised when exhaustion sweeps in.
I’m almost asleep when I hear him move. His fingers dance along my forehead, his lips touching my skin there. “I’ll be back,” he whispers.
The last thought I have is that when he discovers the truth about me, he won’t feel the same.
* * *
When I wake again, Theo isn’t in the room with me, it’s Millie. She’s curled up on the chair, clutching my hand as if she’s scared I’m going to disappear.
“Raine?” she murmurs, sitting up. “You’re awake.”
“Hi.” I force a smile, confusion still blanketing my mind.
“I’ll get Theo—”
“No, don’t.” I rush out. “Not yet.”
Her brows furrow. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t understand… Why are you here?”
“Oh.” She slumps back in the chair and tucks her hair behind her ear. “You didn’t think he’d come.”
“He wasn’t supposed to,” I whisper, the words hurting more than I’m willing to acknowledge.
“What? Why would you think that? My brother is—” She stops herself. “Why did you run, Raine? I mean, I know why. Because of him, right? Vaughn.”
I nod, refusing to meet her stare.
“Were you worried we’d find out… about your past? About what he did?”
They know.
Of course they do.
I’d known it the second I woke up and realised hearing Theo’s voice wasn’t a dream.
“How did you…” I trail off, finally lifting my eyes to hers.
“They pulled your file.”
“My file…”
