Page 128 of Rebelonging


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This door was next to the dumpsters. No one wanted to hang out here. But that's exactly why I'd picked this spot in the first place, for some privacy.

I pulled out my phone. "Hang on. I'll call for help." I started to dial 911, and was immediately struck by the sheer stupidity of it. They'd just send an ambulance, which would take him to a hospital.

He wasatthe hospital. "Wait here," I said. "I'll get help."

"No. Wait," he said in that same groggy voice.

"What?"

With a small groan, he lifted his head and turned it in my direction. "Don't go."

He couldn’t be serious. He needed help. "Don't worry. I'll be right back. With help. I promise."

At this, he gave me such a piercing look that I felt my own gaze shift from his swollen eyes to the rest of his face. It was covered in so much blood that I felt the color drain from my own.

"No. Stay," he said. "Please."

Did he think he was going to die? Maybe he didn't want to die alone? I tried to keep my voice calm. For his sake. Still, when I spoke, it came out as a ragged croak. "What happened? Were you shot or something?"

At this, he laughed. Seriously laughed. "That bad, huh?" The laughter died abruptly when it was replaced by a choking fit.

At this, I went into full panic mode. "Help!" I yelled. "C'mon! Someone's hurt over here! Please? We need help!"

But nobody came. I was afraid to leave him. And more afraid of what might happen if I didn't.

His lips moved. "Stop."

"Stop what?"

His mouth moved, like he was trying to form a smile, but couldn’t quite manage it. "Stop yelling."

In spite of everything, I felt vaguely insulted. I'd been yelling for his sake, after all. I was still holding his hand. "Then I'll be right back," I said, pulling away.

Somehow, he managed to grab my wrist. For someone in such rough shape, the grip was amazingly strong. "Don't tell," he said.

I stared at him. "Don't tell what?"

"Anything. Whatever you saw, it didn't happen."

Frantically, I looked around. Was he talking about the white SUV?

"Stairs. Fell down 'em. No big deal." He rolled onto his side and clutched his stomach. "Be fine in a minute." A spasm shook his body, and his eyes fluttered shut.

Shit.

I leapt to my feet. "You hang on, I mean it!" I told him. A waste of words, really. It was pretty obvious he couldn’t hear much of anything. With a final glance at his scarily still body, I sprinted around the side of the hospital, heading full speed toward the emergency room entrance.

Chapter 64

Three hours later, I sat beside him in a not-so-private hospital room. He had a whole bunch of injuries – broken ribs, head trauma, and just enough internal damage to make them talk about operating.

But they didn't.

They'd checked him for identification. He had none. They'd asked his name. He couldn't answer.

For the dubious privilege of staying by his side, I told one little lie. That one lie led to another. And another after that.

Before I knew it, I was filling out forms, answering questions, talking to doctors, and holding his hand like a real sister might.