Page 56 of Devoured

“I’ll make it worth your time.” I pulled out all the cash I had and placed it in his hand.

His eyes grew round. He looked at me and then back at the cash. And then back at me. He cleared his throat. “Are you related to the patient?”

“I’m her husband,” I lied.

He kept staring at me. And I knew it was because of my black eye.

“We were…mugged,” I said. Lies always seemed easier for me than the truth. “I’ve been at the station describing the incident all night. But I need to make sure she’s okay. I can’t believe they kept me so long.”

“Oh,” he said. “That’s awful that they made you go all the way to the station.” He shook his head. “Come on, follow me.”

Well, that was easy. It was a good thing I didn’t say I was her professor. I would have been out a thousand bucks and I still wouldn’t be any closer to seeing Penny.

I followed him up to the second floor and down an empty hallway. This hospital seemed understaffed. Penny needed the best care for… Fuck, I didn’t even know what had happened. I just needed to see her.

“Don’t tell anyone that I…”

I cut him off. “You got it.” Did I look like a guy that tattled?Iwas bribinghim. We were in this shit together. I opened up the door to Penny’s hospital room.

It felt like my throat was constricting as I stared at Penny. She looked so small lying in the hospital bed. For a second I just stood there. I thought she was asleep, but then she slowly opened her eyes.

I’d been so worried. Angry. Lost. I was lost without her. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t need to. I knew when she needed me. I closed the door and made my way over to her bed. I kicked off my shoes, lifted the sheet off her bed, and climbed in next to her.

"James," she whispered. I could hear the emotion in her voice.

I need you too.I wrapped my arms around her. "I shouldn't have let you leave." I kissed her forehead.

"I didn't give you much of a choice."

"No, you didn't." But I still should have insisted. I kissed her forehead again. I was just happy that she seemed okay. I wanted to hold her like this forever. Her being in my arms was my favorite thing in the world. "How long have you been here?"

"We can talk in the morning."

She wasn’t getting out of this that easily. "How long, Penny?"

"Since this afternoon I guess. Not long after I left your place. I passed out on Main Street."

My chest ached. She passed out? "And someone found you?"

"Brendan."

I pulled back slightly to look down at her. The same Brendan that she’d confessed to kissing? I clenched my jaw. It was a good thing I hadn’t found him earlier and punched him. "I'll have to thank him." Or maybe I’d still slug him. I hadn’t decided yet. Had she gone to him after our fight? Why did she keep running to other guys? I just wanted her to run to me.

"How did you get up here?" she asked, trying her best to change the subject.

But Brendan’s name was seared into my mind. "Having money has its advantages."

"You bribed the hospital staff?"

The way she said it made me pause. Like she was judging me. "I didn't say that."

"I'm glad that you're here." She was quiet for a moment as she stared at me. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Even though you're not nervous around me anymore, you still like to apologize for things you haven't done." I forced a smile onto my face.

"You still make me nervous."

I lowered my eyebrows as I stared back at her. "Why?"

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