“She has severe tearing of her uterine walls, indicating rape, and with the amount of blood, her virginity was torn from her,” the doctor continues, and the sobs in the room get louder as I hear Glock curse.
“She’ll be on seventy-two-hour suicide watch after she wakes, after we determine there is no severe head trauma with memory loss,” the doctor concludes, and instantly, I know what I have to do.
I have to pretend to forget, not too far back, maybe before Mama told me about Gregory, I can’t have them think I’m going to do this again, I can’t have them watching me, or try to put me in therapy.
I need to get revenge for Daddy, even if it does kill me.
“Are you saying she may not remember anything?” I hear Gregory ask, and I slowly open my eyes to see his arms wrapped around my inconsolable mother as the doctor admits, “I’m saying there is a high chance she may not remember what happened, that she could have memory loss, her head injury showed several blows, requiring stitches, but we won’t know until she’s awake.”
I close my eyes again, trying to breathe through what I now know is a tube down my throat, but the urge to choke hits me, and I begin coughing and try to remove the tube out of panic when breathing becomes difficult.
“Raya!” Ivy shouts before I feel something on both my hands, and my eyes snap open as I choke.
Dark brown eyes lock with mine before the man says, “Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, nice and slow for me.”
I listen, trying to breathe before nurses come into view, and quickly but carefully, the doctor removes the tube, and I cough again before breathing hard as everyone looks at me with worry. Before I look at Gregory guilt hits me but I furrow my brows on purpose anyhow and choke, “Who are you? Why do-do you have my mama in-in your arms? Why-why am I in the hospital a-again?”
Mama gasps and Ivy sobs while Gregory flinches, making me feel bad because, well, the guy is here for my Mama. Unfortunately for him, it’s time to put my plan in motion, so I can carry on with my revenge, meaning I need to act even more stand-offish with him, even if he doesn’t deserve it.
I won’t let anyone get in my way, though I guess I shouldn’t have kept Ivy in my life, because I forgot what kind of person Venom was.
Chapter 3
Venom
My jaw ticks as Ivy’s phone continues to ring and ring with no answer, and I eye the clock for the fifth time while my hand fucking throbs, the cast already doing my head in.
She’s an hour late from the time she told Dad she’d be back, but of course, he isn’t worried. Meanwhile, Mama is busy pacing the common room with anger because she’s defying the rules that are set in place, and now blames her and Raya for my hand.
The doctor confirmed that I’ve broken it so now, I can’t even ride.
The automatic voicemail picks up, and I growl and hang up as Mama snaps, “Not answering again?!”
I ignore her and press on Ivy’s name again before putting my phone to my ear, and the ringing hits me again.
I swear to fuck, if she doesn’t answer this time, I’m logging onto the city’s cameras!
“Hey, Cale,” she finally answers, and I don’t even sigh with relief, my body too wound up.
“You’re an hour late, Ivy,” I snap as Mama demands, “Give me the phone right now!”
Again, I ignore her and turn away from her, causing her to growl, and I demand, “Where are you, Ivy?”
“Look, I know I’m late, I know mama’s probably pissed, but something came up. I was actually about to call Dad,” she says, and I frown because I swear she sounds like she’s been crying. “I uh,” she sniffles confirming my suspicions, “I forgot my phone was on silent, I was just waiting to see how Raya was before I called Dad.”
I frown at the pain in her voice and ask, “What’s happened to Raya, Ivy?”
I try to keep my voice calm despite the anger I’m feeling and the sudden concern that etches through me, concern I’m shocked I’m even feeling. Fuck, even my stomach has tightened with fear that I just don’t seem to understand.
It doesn’t make sense. Why would I be worried about a spoiled princess wanting to upset her daddy?
“It’s all a ploy, a lie, Cale, so she doesn’t get in trouble for following the little bitch again. Pass me the phone,” Mama snaps, getting me out of my head as she tries to take my phone, and I glare at her as I push her back.
What the fuck is her problem?
Mama glowers at me, a look I used to be scared of, but I turn around and say, “Talk to me, Ivy, what happened?”
She sniffles and says, “We were studying and-and Raya uh, was suddenly in a lot of pain… Her appendix burst. I’m at the hospital with her Mama.”
