Page 20 of Asphyxia
“Is this what you want from me, Adrian? Is this what you fucking need? To turn me into a monster that only the likes of you could fucking love?”
I could hear screaming in the back of my mind, ringing like a loud tornado siren—only it wasn’t mine.
It wasn’t until I felt warmth spreading across my cold hand that I looked down to see the blade buried deep into Scott’s side, just below his ribcage, and my fingers sliding into the fresh incision, slowly being coated in his blood.
I didn’t stop—I couldn’t. At that moment, I had lost all sense of self-control.
Iranintohisarms, cold and shivering from the rain. My hair clung to my face, and black eyeliner smeared down my cheeks following the path of my tears; I looked as lost and helpless as I felt inside.
“Adrian…” I croaked as I fell to my knees before him, feeling more broken than I ever had previously. “He murdered her…” I looked up at him through watery eyes as he slowly crouched down to my level. His suit was drenched with no umbrella. He didn’t care.
“Who?—”
“She didn’t stand a chance…” I was losing focus as I continued rambling, my mind working faster than my mouth.
“Sweetheart—”
“There was no one there to protect her…”
“MADISON!” Adrian’s voice boomed over the sound of the heavy rain, and I snapped out of my disassociated state of mind to lock on to his piercing gaze.
I swallowed, my breathingerratic and my head starting to swim.
“There was a patient; her husband slit her throat in the trauma room.” I rushed out, my voice and body trembling from the weather and shock. How could someone do such a thing?
After I witnessed the man slit his wife’s throat using one of the scalpels a surgeon had carelessly left unattended, I ran. I didn’t care that it was fifty degrees out, pouring rain, and I had nothing but my thin scrubs on.
All of the air had been sucked out of my lungs by the time Adrian had found me halfway home. He pulled me into his embrace, his warmth soaking its way through my frigid skin as I melted into his body.
“How did you find me?” I uttered as I stared out at the rain hitting the black pavement.
“One of the nurses called me the moment you bolted. They said you were in a state of shock, and they were concerned for your safety.”
“My safety?” I laughed at the audacity. “What about that woman? The one that they allowed to be slaughtered in her bed when we were supposed to be there to keep her safe!” I screamed as I dug my nails into his arm, my blood boiling in my veins from the rage building within me.
“Madison,” Adrian spoke, gripping my chin and lifting my face toward his. “Enough.”
“It’s not enough…” I whispered, my tone hollow. “It never is.”
“We can talk about this later, but first, we need to get you home and dry.” He cradled me in his arms before standing, holdingme tight against his body as if I would evaporate into the atmosphere if he let me go. “I’ve got you, sweetheart.”
I had turned numb, my thoughts incinerating me as I felt my last shred of sanity burst into flames.
I would make that man pay for what he had done—a jail cell would be too good for him and for what I had planned.
No one, not even Adrian, could hold me back—not after this.
Chapter 11
Dean
Marcusleftafewhours ago to catch a late-evening Twins game, leaving me home to have some peace and quiet. I settled into the living room with a cheese pizza and beer before scrolling through movies to watch.
About twenty minutes later, I decided on an old favorite, Fight Club, and relaxed back into the cushions. I would have gone with Marcus to catch the game as we always did when we had nothing better to do, but I just wasn’t feeling it, and a movie night alone sounded a lot more appealing.
I spent most of my time thinking about my conversation with Marcus this morning—his proposal to share Madison. I was surprised, to say the least, at his offer to share her—this kind of suggestion coming from a guy who didn’t even know how to share an order of fries.
Other than considering the potential fallout that could happen if things went south between us, I was more than happy to claim a piece of Madison after last night. I fully understood what Marcus meant when he said she was different, that something about her just pulled you in—she was addicting.
