Home > Ruthless Kings(2)

Ruthless Kings(2)
Author: Laura Lee

I wait for the machine to do its thing while she taps her fingers on a nearby keyboard. “On a scale of one to ten, with ten being unimaginable, how would you rate your pain?”

“Nine, maybe?” My voice is so scratchy, I hardly recognize it.

I think I doze off for a second because now the nurse is by my side, uncapping a needle and injecting something into my IV line. “It’s time for another dose of morphine. This should make you feel much better in no time.”

That moment can’t come soon enough. I’ve never felt pain like this before.

“Thank you.” I fade in and out as the lady finishes checking my vitals. Or at least that’s what I think she’s doing. “Need to...save...my mom...ocean...so tired.”

“That’s normal,” Kristi says. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal. You get some more rest, and I’ll be back to check on you later.”

“’Kay,” I mumble.

“Sleep, baby.” The guy with the rumbly voice is back, pressing his lips against my forehead. “I’m not going anywhere.”

 

 

“OH, SWEETHEART, WE like it when they run. It makes catching our prey much more satisfying.”

The other one laughs, the sound of their amusement chilling me to the bones. Who are these twisted fucks? And seriously, where the hell is Kingston? I almost trip in my flip-flops, so I kick them off, running barefoot now. The sticks covering the forest floor scrape my skin, but I barely feel the pain because I’m too terrified to think of anything but escape.

“Help!” I scream. “Somebody fucking help me!”

I gasp, opening my eyes, only to slam them shut again when I’m assaulted by brightness.

“Lights,” I croak.

“Turn down those fucking lights!” Softening his tone, he adds, “Take it easy, Jazz. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Kingston? Where did he come from?

My eyelids flutter open, thankful the lights have been dimmed. My head shifts in the direction of the familiar voice. It is Kingston.

“What are you wearing?”

Kingston looks down at the green scrub top covering his torso. “Someone in the ER gave it to me. The shirt I was wearing was...stained.” His expression turns grim. “I was using it to put pressure on your wound until the ambulance arrived.”

“I’m in a hospital?”

Given the fluorescent lighting, the stench of antiseptic, and the obnoxious machines, the answer should be obvious, but my head is fuzzy. Nothing makes sense right now.

He nods. “Yeah, Jazz. You’re in the hospital.”

God, he looks like crap. His sandy hair is askew, dark circles are carved beneath his eyes, and his clothes are wrinkled.

Kingston links his pinkie finger with mine. “You scared the shit out of me.”

Huh? “Why?”

His brows pinch together. “Do you remember anything?”

“I—”

“Oh, good. You’re awake.” A woman walks into the room with a bright smile on her face. Kingston scoots his chair back a little as she approaches the bed I’m lying in. “How are you feeling? My name is Kristi, and I’m your nurse for a few more hours.”

Why do I feel like we’ve been through this before?

“Um...tired.” I shake my head slightly, trying to clear the fog. “Weird.”

“It’s perfectly normal to be disoriented when you’re coming out of anesthesia,” she assures me. “Do you remember how you got here? Or why you’re here?”

I think about it for a moment. I close my eyes as horrid memories flash through my brain. It’s the same thing I was dreaming about just now. I can still feel that sick bastard’s weight on top of me. His grubby hands touching my bare skin. The knife. Oh God, he put a knife in me! My hand moves to my stomach, just now noticing the extra weight. I open my eyes, examining the splint wrapped around my hand, going several inches up my arm.

“Your wrist is fractured,” the nurse answers my unspoken question.

I ignore Kingston’s penetrating gaze and focus on the woman before me.

Kristi removes her gloves and offers a smile. “I’m going to let the doctor know you’re awake. He’ll come in and explain everything.”

When she leaves, Kingston takes my hand.

I jerk back. “Don’t touch me.”

He pulls away, looking perplexed as he rakes his hands through his thick hair. “What? Why not?”

Find the truth, Jasmine.

“Because...” I swallow the lump in my throat. I know it’s not possible, but I swear I just heard my mom’s voice. “I don’t know. Just don’t touch me.”

I can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right. Kingston stares at me in confusion as I take a moment to piece everything together.

It takes considerable effort to level him with a glare when it finally hits me. “Where were you? Why did you have Bentley leave me all alone in that forest?”

Kingston frowns. “He was supposed to wait until I got there. I was right behind you two, but then I got held up.”

“By what?”

His jaw tics. “Peyton. She was drunk and belligerent. Then she started crying, causing an even bigger scene. Reed and I were dragging her back to her house, kicking and screaming. Literally.”

I fight the urge to scoff. “What convenient timing.”

“What the hell does that mean?” His hazel eyes narrow.

“You tell me.”

“What are you talking about?” His eyes widen. “You don’t think I had something to do with your attack, do you?”

Do I? I honestly have no clue what the right answer is.

I sigh, already feeling worn out by this conversation. “I don’t know what’s true anymore.”

Oh, you stupid, stupid girl. Who do you think led the lamb to the slaughter?

My attacker’s words are running on repeat. I don’t know who to believe. Kingston’s betrayed my trust more than once in the short time I’ve known him. How can I say with any certainty he wasn’t responsible for my attack?

Your precious boyfriend doesn’t give a shit about you. Neither do his friends. Sweet talking you out of your panties was all part of the plan.

Was it all some sick joke? Part of some master plan? But why? Just to shut me up about something I overheard? Or is it more? I rub my temples when my head starts throbbing.

“Kingston, get out.”

“Why would I do that? What the hell happened in that forest, Jazz?”

A soft knock precedes the nurse’s return. There’s a gray-haired man behind her—I’m guessing this is the doctor she was referring to earlier.

“Jasmine, I’m Dr. Yates. Are you feeling well enough to talk about your injuries?”

Kingston moves as the doc comes closer, taking a seat in the corner.

My eyes flash to Kingston. “Yes, but I don’t want him here.”

There's a moment of awkward silence before Dr. Yates replies. "Of course." He turns to the fuming man in the corner. "I'm going to need you to wait in the waiting room. Someone will come to get you if Miss Callahan is open to receiving visitors."

“Fuck that.” Kingston shoots out of his chair. “I’m the one who found her. I called 911! I’m the reason she’s here!”

Hot Books
» House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1)
» A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
» From Blood and Ash (Blood And Ash #1)
» A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime
» Deviant King (Royal Elite #1)
» Den of Vipers
» House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2)
» Sweet Temptation
» The Sweetest Oblivion (Made #1)
» Chasing Cassandra (The Ravenels #6)
» Wreck & Ruin
» Steel Princess (Royal Elite #2)
» Twisted Hate (Twisted #3)
» The Play (Briar U Book 3)
» The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash #4)