Page 33 of Lies Beneath Secrets

Now I have even more unanswered questions.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO

Lauren

My head pounds, and my tongue sits heavy in my mouth like a soggy cotton ball. It’s fuzzy and sticks to the roof. I need water badly. I try to move, but someone tells me to be still. Cracking an eye open, I find Conner sitting beside me. “What?” I rasp, barely able to speak. It only causes my head to hurt more.

“Shhh. I need to get an IV in you. You’re severely dehydrated.” I don’t have the energy to ask him why he would have an IV, nor do I care that he’s going to stick me with a needle. I just relax back into bed as best I can, given the discomfort of my body. “There,” I hear him say from outside of the fuzzy bubble slowly developing around me before I drift off.

* * *

A loud bang causes me to jump from my bed. I’m surrounded in darkness. The only thing in front of me is a small light coming from the window facing the alleyway. I tell myself not to look. I know whatever is out there, won’t be something I want to see. But I do it anyway, one foot in front of the other, I take the steps. But I can’t get there. The window keeps getting further and further away until my door flies open, and a tall, dark shadow stands there. He’s hooded like the grim reaper and wastes no time charging after me, clutching my throat in his cold hand. He squeezes and laughs as I struggle to breathe. Right when I’m about to pass out, another figure appears and stops the reaper from choking the life out of me. I think the other figure is there to save me but instead, it reaches out and touches me, causing me to collapse. Right before hitting the floor, I sit up in bed, clutching at my chest.

Breathing heavily, I try to calm myself and look around to see where I am.

In my room.

I can’t tell from the dull light coming in from my window if it’s morning or evening. I look over at my side table and see a glass of water sitting there. Eager for a drink, I reach for it and notice a bandage on my hand.IV. I remember Conner saying something about an IV. How long have I been asleep? Not caring too much about it, I drink down the water. I’m so thirsty and with each swallow, it doesn’t seem to quench the thirst I have.

I finish the water and get up to use the bathroom. When I’m washing my hands, I look in the mirror. I have dark circles under my eyes that only look worse with the smeared makeup I had on when we went out. I’m no longer in the dress Piper borrowed me either. Instead, I’m dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt. I’d rather not dwell on the fact Conner is most likely the one who changed my clothes. “Good God,” I mumble to myself and flick on the shower. The only thing that can help is hot water and steam.

Clean and feeling marginally better, I wrap a towel around myself and step out of the bathroom.

“Holy fuck!” I shout when Conner comes into view, and he opens up the door to my apartment, letting himself inside.

“Shit. Sorry. I wasn’t sure you were awake yet or not.”

“And that gives you permission to just walk into my apartment?” I shout and take off to my room, slamming the door behind me.

“You were pretty fucked up,” he tells me from the other side of my bedroom door.

“And that gives you an excuse?” I yell, completely livid as I toss clothes around in my drawers to find something to wear. I settle on another pair of sweatpants and a tank top before hanging up my towel to dry on the hook behind my bedroom door. I had my hair in a small towel as well and take that off too. I do my best to finger comb through the damp tangled strands before opening the door, ready to yell at the man some more.

He's still standing in my apartment, arms crossed over his chest, and a thicker trail of facial hair covering his jaw. I do my best not to look directly at it and remind myself I’m pissed at this man I barely know for completely disappearing and now for just letting himself into my apartment. I open my mouth to speak again when he holds up a finger.

“Hold on a second and let me explain. Please?” He waits for me to nod before he continues. “Do you remember going out with your friend?”

“Yes.” I nod. “Were you there?”

“I was.”

“Why were you at a nightclub?” I ask.

“It’s a long story.”

“Okay, so how does you being there have anything to do with you being in my apartment—” I stop to think for a moment, remembering the reason why I was at the club. “You moved out.”

“That isn’t important right now.”

“Not important? You just up and left without a word. I didn’t even know you moved out until three days later! Three, Conner. Who does that?” I’m yelling at the man now, my head slightly pounding, but my anger is stronger than the pain.

“Really? You’re pissed about that? Fuck, I thought that’s what you wanted me to do.” It takes him only seconds before he’s right in front of me. Instinctively, I back up and hit the wall behind me. It just causes him to come closer. “We fucked, and you kicked me out.” His head drops to my neck, and he takes a deep breath. “I’m not proud of leaving the way I did, but I thought it was for the best.”

“For the best?” I echo, my voice shaking. “I needed time… I didn’t expect you to just leave for good.” Admitting this isn’t easy, it never is when I know that I probably was in the wrong.

“I’m not the guy for you, Lauren. Far from it. This is for the best.” His words hit me like a bucket of ice, but his actions make my body heat. He breathes deep once more through his nose, then traces his thumb along my jawline from my ear to my chin before applying pressure to force my head upward. His hand drifts to my neck, thumb trailing along the column of my throat before circling my neck completely.

“Conner,” I whimper, wanting him to tighten his grip just a little. Apparently, this was the wrong thing to say because he instantly backs away as if I have burst into flames.

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