Page 8 of Deranged
I found the closet. Locked. Fuck. But it was an easy pick with a bobby pin and a little pressure.
I found the scrubs, changed quickly, and then stood there with my bundle of clothes. I removed my reader and my money and shoved the clothing on the shelf. Now what? Shit. I should have thought this through better. I slipped out of the closet and crossed to the emergency stairs. Again locked, but another easy pick. The door opened, and the blaring alarm followed. I ran out the door and down the stairwell as fast as my hung over sedated lungs could carry me.
I missed the last stair in the dark and then fell onto someone from coming up from the bottom.
I knew that scent and the strong fold of his hands around my waist.
“Damn it,” I said, sitting up so I straddled him.
His eyes narrowed, and for a second, his fingers tightened around me. A blink of sensation there and gone before I was hauled to my feet with him as he rose.
“Going somewhere?” Ash asked in that dark smoky bar room voice.
“Oh you know, didn’t get all my steps in this morning. Thought I’d get some air before dinner.”
I rubbed my skinned hands together. They stung now, and I’d have a bruise on my left knee.
A clatter of steps came down behind me. Ash waved them off. “It’s okay. We don’t need help. I’ll take Ms. Soti back to her room.”
“My cell.”
“Excuse me?”
“My cell. You’ll take me back and lock me in tight, I’m sure.”
He took a step up so he could look me in the eye. “Didn’t you admit yourself for care?”
I glanced away, just because I complied didn’t mean I wanted to be there. My mother had shown me the cost of fighting back over the years.
He took another step, his scent reaching me now, his body heat. “What is it? That look in your eye?”
I turned away to start the march back up the stairs. He followed right behind. I wanted to tell him, but experience taught me it was a waste of time, of breath. When we reached the top, a nurse glared as I squeezed between her and the door. My clothes already sat on my bed. This crew worked fast, I’d give them that.
Ash followed me into my room and closed the door. “You can talk to me.”
I sat on the bed, and he shifted to kneel in front of me. “I’m here to help you.”
I scooted away, out of reach. “No, you can’t help me. No one can. I’m sure you already got the call from the trustees.”
“Actually, we had lunch.”
Realization dawned. “Oh yeah, I forgot she is about to start a run for president. The extra care and practically empty ward make perfect sense now.”
Why hadn’t she just thrown me in jail this time. Oh wait, with me in jail, it would mean a scandal. Me in the hospital meant she could further her health care reform bills and play the doting mother for the cameras.
A warm weight on my knee dragged me back to him kneeling in front of me. I squashed the urge to run my fingers through his curls.
“You’re just as much a pawn in her game as I am.”
I pushed his hand off me. For both our sakes.
He allowed it. “Talk to me. Tell me what you think is happening, and we can break it down bit by bit.”
I chuckled. “You think I’m paranoid. Go on, Doc. Add it to my chart. It makes as much sense as the rest.”
He stood and stared down at me. “I have to check you for more bobby pins.”
I shrugged and tilted my head down. I shouldn’t like his strong fingers rubbing against my scalp so much. I couldn’t help but melt as he took out the pins one by one.
