Page 224 of The Perfect Spiral
The sound of breaking glass and a gunshot echo through the room. I close my eyes, waiting for the end, but all I hear is a body collapsing onto the floor beside me.
I open my eyes to see him lying there, and I collapse to my knees, shaking in disbelief. I’m still alive. I’m still breathing. I cover my mouth with my trembling hands as someone picks me up and carries me outside.
I collapse into the arms of a stranger, who carries me to an ambulance.
“She’s in shock,” I hear an unfamiliar voice say, just before everything goes black.
When I wake up, I’m in a different bed. The steady beep of a heart monitor fills the room, and an oxygen mask covers my mouth. I open my eyes to see sterile white walls and a curtain dividing the room.
A pair of bright blue eyes meet mine, and they’re fixed on me as if I might disappear. I stir, sitting up, and the room comes alive as people realize I’m awake. Knox remains seated, his gaze never leaving mine.
“Alex, baby. How are you feeling?” My mom asks softly, taking my hand in hers. I remove the mask from my face so I can speak.
“I feel fine, Mom. I’m alright. Honestly, I just need some water.” She hands me a bottle from the tray, and I take a few sips. “Some birthday, huh?” I say, trying to lighten the mood.
A soft laugh echoes around the room. I feel my mom’s shaky hand in mine, and I apologize for what she had to witness.
“You don’t have to say anything. He’s going back to prison, baby. He violated his parole and the restraining order I put against him. So he’s going away for a good while this time. I promise I won’t let him touch you ever again, baby,” she reassures me, brushing my hair off my face and kissing my forehead.
I feel so helpless, but I’m alive. I’m okay.
“Is he in this hospital?” I ask her, and she gives a weak nod, knowing what’s coming next. “Can I see him?”
We both take a deep breath. “I don’t think it’s a good idea, Alex. He might try something with you again.”
“The police will be with me, Mom. I just want to talk to him.” She steps hesitantly out of the room to fetch the policeman, and after a few moments of conversation, she nods for me to follow.
The hospital corridor is filled with bodies on trolleys, patients waiting for a room. I feel a hand wrap around mine and squeeze. I look up into those familiar blue eyes, filled with an emotion I can’t quite decipher. The policeman stops at a room six doors down from mine, signaling for me to enter.
I step inside and come face to face with the man who almost killed me for the second time.
We don’t speak. We just stare at each other, hard. I move closer to the foot of his bed, my eyes tracing the cuffs binding his arms and legs. I walk around to get nearer to him, to show him I’m not afraid. Especially with the cuffs on. He’s weaker than I am.
“I feel bad for you,” I start, glancing around the room at the numerous police officers babysitting him. A small chuckle escapes him.
“At your age, you need one, two, three, four, five, six! Six babysitters. Do they wipe your ass too?” I meet his gaze, the room echoing with the hum of machines.
“Enough of the show, sweetheart. What do you want? A hug?”
“A hug? Please, save that for when you’re someone’s bitch in prison... Cain.” “I’m Dad to you, sweetheart. You’re my blood. I made you. Don’t forget that.”
“Oh, Cain, you may have made me, but so did Mom. Thank Godher traits overpower yours. I may be your blood, but you sure don’t act like it. So let me ask you this... why me?”
His evil chuckle bounces off the walls.
“Why you?! WHY?! Why couldn’t you be like Sam and be a good little girl for your daddy? Huh? No, you couldn’t do that, you had to have a smart mouth and constantly talk back!
You couldn’t do that, no?! You had to act like you were better than me! All the fucking time! Landing yourself in trouble all the time. You brought this on yourself, sweetheart!!”
He leans closer, but the cuffs restrict him.
“So that’s what it’s about? You couldn’t handle me being as smart as you. So you wanted to get rid of me. You couldn’t handle that I challenged you, could you?” I grit my teeth at him.
“You shouldn’t have been born. You were a mistake.”
“Do I get bonus points if I act like I give a shit? I still exist. Get used to it.” I cross my arms.
“There you go again. With that disgusting mouth of yours—” His voice cuts through the room with a sharp edge.
