Page 83 of Insidious Heart
I nod as I hold Jolene a little tighter. “Yes,Margieis dead, asshole, and if you’d have done your goddamn job she might not be.”
Chris’s eyes snap to mine as he gets in my face again. “What did you just say to me?”
“I said,your negligence killed one of the residents,asshole.”
Before I can even process what’s happening, his hand is on my throat and Chris has me pinned to Mrs. Sanderson’s door.
“I almost lost my job because of you,” he growls, his grip tightening a bit. “I got put on probation because of your lies, and mark my words,Stevie, I will make you pay for it—”
“Hey! Get away from her, dickhead!”
Chris immediately lets go of me, taking a step back as we both turn to see Linnie booking it toward us with the nurse supervisor right on her heels.
Thank god.
I don’t think he would have done much more than try to scare me, but I’ve never seen Chris act like that before so I can’t be sure. Iamsure that my gut feeling about him has always been right, though, because he went from zero to psycho in no time flat.
“Get the fuck out of here,” Linnie says as she muscles her way between Chris and I, putting herself in front of me as she faces him. “And while you’re at it, why don’t you fuck right out of the building, too.”
Chris glares at her and opens his mouth but he doesn’t get to speak. No, the nurse supervisor cuts off any bullshit that he might have spit at my friend by demanding Chris join her in her office.Again.
I watch him walk away, rage emphasizing every slap of his sneakers on the linoleum, and just before he disappears, Chris turns and mouths, “You will pay for this, Stevie.”
And I just flip him the bird and smirk my besttoday was not the day and I was not the oneback at him.
Asshole.
“Are you ok?” Linnie spins to face me as soon as they’re out of sight. “Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine.” I lift my hand to my throat where I will most definitely have a bruise. One I’ll have to explain to at least one person because I’m sure Victor will notice. My father won’t, and anyone else that does won’t say anything, so that just leaves my ghost. Can’t really hide this as easily as the rest of myaccidental injuries.
“You’re not fine, Stevie. That asshole was screaming in your face and had his hand around your neck.”
“It’s fine.”
“It’s already bruising.” Linnie frowns before turning me toward the nurse’s station. “And we heard Chris as soon as we came on the floor. He wasn’t exactly being quiet while he threatened you.”
I shrug as we start walking. “Yeah, well, neither was I.”
My friend giggles. “Girl, Iknow. Gone was the timid little Stevie who doesn’t ever speak up, and in her place was a hardass ready to defend her favorite…” Linnie’s voice trails off as she glances behind us toward Margie’s room. She faces me again, placing both hands on my shoulders and giving me a sad smile. “I’m sorry about Mrs. Sanderson.”
Tears spring to my eyes again as I nod but I deflect so I don’t start bawling by asking, “Why was Chris here so early?”
“Early?”
“Yeah, he wasn’t supposed to be here until 11:30 p.m., right? Called and said he’d be late but obviously wasn’t?”
Linnie raises a brow as she gently pushes me down on the desk, her hands moving to my chin to tilt my head for a better look at my throat. “It’s after midnight, Stevie. You literally spent ninety percent of your shift with Margie.”
I blink up at her then do it again. “After midnight?”
“Closer to 12:30 actually.”
Shit.
Shit shit shit.
I am going to be insomuch trouble.
