Page 85 of Tainted Love
“It’s more than just a scratch,” I tell him, squeezing his hand to get him to open his eyesand look at me. “Eli?”
There’s no response, and fear causes my pulse to race. “Eli? Wake up … Please. Eli?”
Chapter 47
Elias
THE SOUND OF hushed voices combine with an annoying beeping to pull me back towards consciousness.
My mouth tastes like cotton wool, and my eyelids are heavy. Surprisingly, I don’t feel any pain. In fact, I feel like I’m floating.
Am I dead? Did I bleed out?
If that’s the case, my only regret is I didn’t tell Bea I don’t give a fuck if she is my stepsister. To me, it’s merely a piece of paper. We’re not blood related, and I’ll stand up to any fucker who tries to get in our way, including our parents. I need her like I need air.
Shit.
Bea.
The beeping gets faster as I struggle to pull myself out of this transient state. I need to make sure she’s okay, that Jas didn’t hurt her.
“Hey, Elias. Just breathe.” A clear voice cuts through the fog, but it’s the wrong voice. It’s not the voice I need to hear right now.
I pry my eyes open slowly, blinking away the white hazethat impedes my view. A middle-aged woman smiles down at me, but I don’t give a fuck about her. I need to see Bea.
“B—” I try to speak, but no sound comes out.
A nurse hands me a glass of water, and it’s like razor blades going down.
“Bea?” I finally manage to rasp out. “Is she okay?”
“Your family is waiting outside. They’ve been worried about you.”
I glance at the door, but for the first time in my life, I’m not interested in seeing my family. I only want Bea.
“We’ll let you see them shortly, once we’ve moved you up to the ward, but first we have a couple of tests to perform.”
I answer her annoying questions, growing shorter and grumpier the longer she takes. I’m tempted to just rip these bloody needles out and find Bea myself, but eventually the doctor nods, seemingly happy with my responses. “Your body has been through a lot, Elias, and you need rest.”
“Sure thing, Doc,” I say, waiving her off. “Plenty of rest, you’ve got it. Can I see her now?” The doctor gives me a strange look which has me a little worried. “She’s okay, isn’t she? Bea Kirkland?”
“Your stepsister is fine. A couple of superficial scrapes and bruises.”
I grimace at the way she saysstepsister. It’s a reminder that we still need to tell our parents about us—that is, if after this—there still is an us.
The doctor leaves with a promise that they’ll take me up to the ward shortly, and I’ll be able to see my family. Again, I don’t give a fuck about them, I only need to see Bea.
The monotony of the beeping of all the monitors, coupled with whatever drugs they’re pumping into my intravenous line, pulls me back into the darkness.
“I’M NOT LEAVING HIM.”
Bea.
She’s here.
“Honeybee, visiting hours are over. The doctor said his body needs to rest. We’ll come back first thing tomorrow.”
Is that Jonathon?
