He froze for half a second. Then he stood up like nothing was wrong. “Danica, I’ve got something at the company,” he said calmly. “I’ll be back soon. Don’t wait up, alright?”
I nodded. Of course I did.
Only after he was gone… completely gone… did I turn on the receiver in the ring. And then I understood.
Shannon was in the hospital too. But not like me. He wasn’t checking her IV. Wasn’t treating her wounds. Because she didn’t have any. Just a minor scratch. Already healed.
Instead…
“Stay still,” his voice came through, lower, rougher. “You’re gonna make a mess.”
I froze. I didn’t want to hear it. Didn’t want to understand. But I couldn’t stop listening.
“Honey… if you keep me locked up like that, I’m gonna lose it,” Shannon’s voice trembled, soft and broken. “I can’t breathe in that place anymore. I feel like I’m dying slowly. Please, don’t send me back there. I want to go out. I want to be seen. I want to stand next to you even if it’s in front of her…”
My fingers tightened around the ring.
“I even want to be close to you like that… even if she’s there…”
I shut my eyes. I couldn’t listen anymore.
“Careful what you ask for,” Felix murmured, voice low and dangerous.