Page 298 of The Tempted

Bonus Epilogue

I grabbed the cup holder containing the coffees and shoved a handful of creamers and sugar packets into my pocket before walking out of the hospital cafeteria. After the doctor came to explain Blackie’s prognosis I offered to get us all some coffee and gave the boys some time alone with Blackie.

I told myself I did it because it’s what any good old lady would do, and I rocked that title like it was no one’s business. But that wasn’t entirely true. The truth was I was afraid to see Blackie. I was afraid I’d look at him and he’d be the reminder of the horror Jimmy caused us both, or worse, I’d remind him of what he went through, every prick of the needle, every track on his arm. Would he look at them and think of me? And if so could I really blame him? I guess I was scared that Blackie would wake up and I’d lose the friend I found in him.

I stared at the doors in front of me, a familiar wing in the hospital, one I spent many months living inside. I spun around, trying to figure how I ended up at the burn unit but then it didn’t matter did it? I pushed through the doors, and started down the hallway, making my way toward my old room but I stopped when I turned the corner and saw the policemen guarding the doors.

“Sorry, miss, can’t let you passed this point,” the cop said.

“It’s okay,” I rasped, clearing my throat. “I took a wrong turn anyway,” I smiled and then my eyes caught the name outside of the door he was guarding.

Jimmy Gold.

I turned on my heel and strode away, leaving Jimmy to rot right there in Hell, in the burn unit of the hospital. I hope they let him see his scars before they send him off to jail.

I finally found my way back to the Intensive Care Unit where Blackie was and bumped into Lacey as she bound through the doors, her cars keys still in her hand.

“He’s awake?” she asked me frantically.

I barely nodded my head before she ran past me, dropping her keys onto the floor.

“Lace, wait…” I paused, the rest of the sentence dying on my tongue.

Leather and lace.

When we get out of here will you tell me what it means?

Yeah.

No fucking way!

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