Page 40 of Facing Off
Sonya snarls, cutting me off.
I quietly exhale to myself. Got it. No more jokes.
Soon she’s all changed and pulling herself together to leave.
I swipe the discharge papers and read them out loud even though I’m already pretty familiar with all of thisstuff. “It says a headache is the most common symptom of a concussion.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll figure it out myself.”
I fold the discharge papers and tuck them into the back waistband of my pants. “Not a chance.”
She groans. “Don’t make a big deal about me calling you here…”
Grabbing the black jacket behind me that must be hers, I hold it open for her. “I won’t,” I tell her honestly. Sincerely. Quietly. “Call me anytime. I’ll always come for you.”
She yanks the jacket away and stuffs her arms through the sleeves, keeping her face averted.
“Okay,” grumbles Sonya, her voice losing some of its edge. As if what I promised moved some sort of dial inside her a bit. “Sure. Thanks. You can leave now.”
“I have to monitor you for concussion symptoms.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Darling,” I sigh, mostly at myself. I can’t stop calling her that.
Don’t say it, Adrian. I know I shouldn’t, but she’s righthere. Finally right here. Her brother is too far to help. I’m the one who can. I want to be the only one who can. And if Sonya believes I’d leave her alone while she might have any kind of health issue…
So I say it.
“Get ready for the next twenty-four hours”—my grin is wide, unapologetic—“because that’s how long I’ll be glued to your side,Mrs. Hughes.”
Sonya whips around.
Her hands look like they want to aim for my neck this time.
17
SONYA
I’m expectingHughes to keep cracking jokes, but now we’re in the car and he hasn’t said another one. Maybe he’s building up to them, and that’s why he keeps glancing over at me. Looking for the perfect chance to say something he thinks is funny.
Even though, I’m clearly not in the mood.
Normally, I wouldn’t even be here to listen to them, but he threatened to call Quinn and tell him what happened to me if I tried heading home alone. On top of calling meMrs. Hughesover and over.
“This is an abduction,” I warn him, “and I will press charges.”
“Sounds fun, Sonya.”
“Are you delusional?”
He nods enthusiastically.
I twist to look out the window, ignoring him but also trying to forget what happened when we were leaving the hospital. The hospital’s client relations director ambushed us.
