Page 85 of Honeyed

I need her to know that as she regains her surroundings. That I love her, I’m here, and I’ll never let her get hurt again.

“My head hurts so bad, Warren.” She groans, clutching at her temples.

“I know, I know.” I look around like someone is going to come help us. “I’m going to get you up, okay?”

She protests with little mumbles, and maybe I shouldn’t move her for fear of more damage, but no way am I going to let her lie there on the ground. I cradle her into my lap, pulling her against my chest, before I start yelling.

“Evan!” I shout it at the top of my lungs. “Evan! EVAN!”

Finally, I hear the back door of Hope Pizza creak with someone exiting it and see Alana’s youngest brother swing around the corner.

“What the hell are you yelling—oh. Shit, what the hell happened?” He surveys the scene, and I can tell he’s freezing up at what to do with these two people lying on the ground.

“Is Patrick in there?” I demand, coming up with a plan on the fly.

Evan gawks at me as he stares at the blood on my fingers. I realize it’s coming from Alana’s head, and my stomach bottoms out. But I have to focus.

“Evan! Is Patrick in there?” I ask again more forcefully.

He nods, gulping.

“Go get him. Tell him to come out here, he needs to make sure Mason doesn’t go anywhere if he wakes up. Then you run down to the police station, sprint. Go as quickly as you can. Get Billy and whoever else back here. They want their proof, here it is.”

This needs to be documented, filed away, and Mason charged with whatever would get him away from my wife.

“Okay. Okay.” Evan nods to himself like he’s trying to shake himself from the cloud that lingers over him.

He disappears, and I sit with Alana, trying to control myself. Trying to get my breathing under control and my heart to stop racing because it feels like I’m on the edge of a panic attack.

“He could have …” I say to myself, but Alana’s hand comes up to my cheek.

She winces like the movement is agony. “You saved me. I’m here. You got me.”

Those blue eyes blink up at me like I’m her hero, even though I feel like the chump who landed her in this position.

“Why did he come back? What the hell was he doing here?” I ask, even though it’s not the time to delve into answers.

Alana is struggling. I can see how much pain she’s in, and her body is becoming limper as she melts into my lap. I need Patrick out here now, and we need to call an ambulance or the EMTs.

“His father murdered his mother. He was … like you.” Her breaths are coming in pants, and I know the pain is taking over.

“What?” Her explanation is so out of left field with zero context that I feel I might be having a practical joke played on me.

Like any minute, some camera crew is going to pop out of the bushes. But all that happens is Patrick running into the alleyway.

“Evan just ran down to the police station. They’ll be here any minute—I’ll call an ambulance—Alana—how bad is it?” he asks, jumbling all the information into one long rambling sentence.

“She’s bleeding. I don’t know what else. In a lot of pain.” I can’t seem to string thoughts together after she delivered that bit of news.

My ears are buzzing with thought as Patrick fades into the background, kneeling beside an unconscious Mason to make sure he doesn’t go anywhere while calling the EMTs to check them out.

At some point, Alana closes her eyes again, but I can feel her breathing even out and am not as afraid that she won’t open them again. What feels like hours, but is probably mere minutes later, Evan comes speed walking up with Billy and two other cops.

“This asshole just couldn’t listen to reason, could he.” Billy shakes his head as he kneels between Mason and where I hold Alana. “You doing okay, Warren? She okay?”

I gulp. I’m not doing okay, not in the slightest, but I hope the worst of it is over, even if it feels like something bigger is about to be discovered.

“We’re as okay as we can be?” The words feel strange coming out of my mouth. “Alana definitely has some injuries, but I’m fine. He still breathing?” I nod in the direction of the scumbag who did this to her, and Billy checks his pulse.

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