Page 114 of Temptation
Beeping woke me up,and as if somebody pushed me in my sleep, my eyes suddenly flew open, focusing on the ceiling and the bright light above my head.
“Fuck,” I groaned, my fingers rubbed against my eyes, trying to regain consciousness.
My eyes flew around the area where the doctor left me, but I was still alone. How long had I sleet?
The vibration in my back pocket and the beeping sound accompanying it told me it was my phone that woke me up. Well, Dylan’s phone since mine most probably lay somewhere at the bottom of the river. I pulled myself into a seating position, pulling my knees close to my chest, and pulled the phone out.
The screen kept flashing on and off, showing me one name that I wanted to see for the last couple of hours.
Ash.
Dylan programmed his number before they left, and even though I couldn’t be with them, I at least had a way of contacting them.
The drug the doctor gave me worked wonders, that much was obvious. I felt calmer, my heart wasn’t trying to jump out of my chest and seeing the time on top of the screen told me that I hadn’t slept too long. If my calculations were correct, maybe half an hour?
My finger pressed on the green call button on the phone, and with a smile on my face I put the phone to my ear.
“Took you long enough.” I laughed for the first time tonight. I sent him and Dylan after Danny, and ever since we came to the hospital, I was beating myself up.
What if something happened to the two of them? They did what I asked, but I wasn’t in the right state of mind back then. I should’ve told them to come back to Emercroft Lake with me.
“Ash?” I asked when the reply never came from him.
I could hear breathing on the other end, but it wasn’t Ash’s voice that spoke in my ear.
“Hello, Skylar,” a deep, male voice spoke, sending goosebumps all over my skin.
“Who is this?” I asked and jumped off the bed. “Where’s Ash?”
The man laughed. “Ash can’t come to the phone right now. He’s busy.”
“Who are you?”
“Every action has a reaction, my dear Skylar.” He cackled. “And you and your little friends should’ve known better than to poke the lion.”
“Fuck you,” I spat out. “I want to talk to Ash.”
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible, darling.” My heart started hammering again, the nausea rolling in my stomach as I paced from one side of the room to the other, holding my other hand to my forehead.
“Why? What have you done to him?”
“Tsk, little Skylar. You are in no position to ask questions. Especially not now.”
“Why?” Tears welled in my eyes, but I held them back, focusing on his voice. “Where is he? Where’s Dylan?”
God, what happened to them? Who was this guy?
“I like fire, Skylar. Do you like fire?”
“Stop fucking around, you asshole, and tell me where he is.”
“Language, young lady.” He laughed again. “I would’ve thought that Judah taught you how to behave.”
“Fuck. You.”
“Now, now, let’s not get angry. There’s somebody here who would like to talk to you.”
The line went silent, but the call was still on, and as I paced back and forth, waiting to hear from either Dylan or Ash, the voice that came through was the last one I ever wanted to hear.
