Page 99 of King of Clubs

“Marls,” he said, taking my hand in his and kissing it tenderly. “How are you feeling, baby?” He planted kisses on my forehead too, before cupping my face in his hands.

“Hey,” I said, my voice strangely croaky. I attempted to clear my throat and Seb, already prepared, reached for a bottle of water on the side table, lifting the straw to my mouth.

“Thanks,” I rasped, the water instantly bringing relief. “What happened to your arm?”

He glanced down, his brows knitting together.

“Babe, you’re in a hospital bed and you’re asking aboutme?” He lent forward, placing a soft kiss to my lips. “I’m fine. I’ve been worried aboutyou.” His eyes flickered with something I couldn’t quite read as he again took my hand in his. I noticed a new rainbow woven bracelet tied to my wrist and studied it quizzically.

“Arna brought it for you. Said she couldn’t decide on just one, colour” he shrugged and I smiled, knowing the gesture was as much for her as it was for me. She would be anxious – worried about me, but I still didn’t fully understand why.

“I feel like I had a dream about you. But I can’t quite remember what happened,” I admitted, the memories close to the surface.

“It’s okay. The doctors said it may take time, your job is to rest.”

“What happened here though?” He wasn’t wearing his armour. The mask he usually kept in place to hide his feelings was long discarded, his face a combination of sadness and relief.

He lifted his arm, the red marks easily identifiable as scratches now he was closer. “Lori,” he stated simply and I gasped, my hand covering my mouth.

“Lori?” I whispered, although I knew the answer. At the mention of her name, cracks appeared in the barriers of my mind, edging me forward.

“Lori attacked you?” He nodded in response and I stared at him, unseeing as I dug deeper.

“You’ll remember,” he reassured, with a squeeze of my hand. “You just need to be patient,” he added, lifting my chin so I was looking at him, “and when you do, I’m here, okay? Always.”

I nodded, feeling sluggish, being awake even for this short amount of time was exhausting. I wanted to stay awake longer, to bask in the sanctity of his warmth, but my mind again felt like warm molasses, sticky and unrefined.

“Rest some more. I’ll be here when you wake,” he promised, as I succumbed to the disjointed cage of my mind, as the strangeness of this sterile room pushed down on me until I fell asleep.

The sound of the television waded through my sleepy mind, fragmented and distant at first, before becoming clearer as I blinked myself awake. Seb was still in the chair beside me, appearing much fresher than when I last woke. The khaki green of his shirt crisp against the olive tones of his skin and I quietly admired his side profile, his gaze on the television above.

“You look sexy,” I admitted and his eyes darted to me, a grin creasing his features.

“Hey, baby,” he said, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “Eva brought me some clothes so I took a quick shower. Full disclosure, Arna has set up camp in the waiting room and when she found out I didn’t tell her you were awake before, she threatened to…” he ran a finger along his neck and I smiled. That was my girl, always protective.

“How long was I asleep for?” I asked, noting it was now dark outside.

He glanced at his watch before answering. “Nearly eight hours. How are you feeling?”

“Better,” I said with a stretch, “nothing like an eight hour nap.”

The sound of a familiar name from the television grabbed my attention as Sebastian’s gaze flicked upwards, his worried eyes darting back to mine. I leaned into the speaker next to my bed, quickly turning up the volume, and watching in horror as everything my mind had temporarily forgotten was displayed before me.

Blue and red lights illuminated the white cross on a familiar stretch of road. The female news reporter pointed towards the roadside memorial, as the camera zoomed in and my parents’ names filled the screen.

Authorities say a currently unnamed twenty-nine year old was kidnapped, drugged and assaulted by a female before being found unconscious on this stretch of road. The suspect, identified as Lori Smith, was allegedly known to the victim and police are currently investigating. Both the suspect and her brother have been charged with a string of offences and were already known to authorities. The victim remains in hospital where she is said to be in a stable condition surrounded by family and friends.

The news program flipped back to the studio, the presenters moving to discuss another matter as I pressed the off button on the remote.

Oh my god.

Lori.

Lucas.

Kidnapped. The words swam through me desperate to align into something logical. Something which would explain what I just heard.

The tea.

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