A light shimmers.
A flicker.
This time I stare at it, allow it to take form.
“Sunday?” Axel asks.
“Water,” I say.
He moves.
“I want to get it. Just let me have a few minutes. I won’t go far.” I don’t want to tell Axel or Grayson for that matter about what I’m seeing. About the incessant urge I have to follow it.
Keeping my eyes peeled I leave my room in a trance. For once, the brothers seem to listen to me.
Avoiding the other patients, the hustle and bustle of the hospital, I follow the light. It is hypnotic, and before I realize it, I am at the nurses station.
Standing there lamely for a minute, I’m unsure of what I’m supposed to do.
Is my mind unraveling? Am I losing it?
But then one of the nurses walks around and smiles at me. “Hi Sunday, I was told to give this to you when you were alone.”
The light that was once so dim is bright now, it envelopes the woman before me. I reach out to touch it, but instead she drops something smalland rectangular into my hands.A phone.As soon as the item touches my skin, the light disappears. Almost as if it were never there to begin with.
The nurse’s blonde hair hangs sharply around her jaw, and her bright eyes are kind. “The agent wanted you to have a way to get in touch with her. She was afraid those boys were being too overprotective, and I can’t say I blame her. That O’Brien may be your appointed guardian, but that doesn’t mean he knows best. Now put that into your pocket and keep it with you when we release you. Just in case.” She squeezes my uninjured shoulder reassuringly before stepping around me and walking away.
I clutch the item lamely. This encounter wasn’t what I expected.
Well, that’s not exactly true. I hoped if I followed the light, I would magically understand what it meant, but now it has left me with more questions than answers.
“Sunday,” Grayson barks. His voice is unmistakable, even if it feels as if a lifetime has passed since I heard it.
For the second time, he startles me. I spin on my heel, slipping the phone into my pocket.
“He speaks,” I say snarkily. “Aren’t you done with me now? You did what was needed, now leave me be. When I am released, I will return home and stay out of your hair.”
“Sunday.” His voice is velvet as my name leaves his lips again. He casts a glance around. “Not out here.” He reaches out, gently taking my wrist and tugging me along.
When we make it to an unlocked closet, he throws us inside before placing his back against the door.
The enclosed space smells strongly of bleach, but that isn’t what is turning my stomach. It’s Grayson’s eyes.
This is the first time we have been this close in weeks. The first time he has trulylookedat me since I woke up in this hospital. Before, it almost feltas if he were staring through me, but now he is scrutinizing me. As if he can see every piece of me.
I feelnaked. I cross my arms. A shield.
His hands come up, they push my hair behind my ears before landing on each side of my face, his thumbs stroking my cheeks.
“Sunday.” His lips move fluidly. I’m in a trance. “I should. For your own sake. But I can’t let you go.” He provides no more explanation.
He bends, until our lips are centimeters apart, he waits, allowing me time to stop this.
I don’t.
“Please.” I blink up at him. “Please. Convince me that it wasn’t all a lie. That you care about me. That I’m not a mistake. That it wasn’t just to escape the loops.”
“Oh, baby girl. Is that what you think?” His hot breath fans my face.
