✔️ | 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗧𝘄𝗼 (#1, Lost and Found series)

56. The deception is done. - Olivia

Flashback

"Olivia!"

I recognize my name as a ringing echo in my ears, but I can't concentrate on it. Somebody nearby is hysterically panicking, and whatever the hell that ridiculous noise is, it's becoming absurdly hard to focus. I'm trying to block out anything but Snuggles; she is lying injured on my front lawn, and I need to fix this!

"LIV!"

I am being hauled up backward around my waist off the ground, away from her. I swat at the arms, desperately trying to get back to her.

The hysteria is coming out of me like a bat out of hell. I am the one making these upsetting noises and gut-wrenching sobs. I don't know how it happened or how badly she's been hurt, but I need it to be rectified.

I hear Chris snap at somebody, "Get your ass to Olivia's house, NOW!"

"I need to go," I whimper, rocking back and forth on my knees, touching her face once. Her body has not shifted a millimeter, but I notice her large eye moving, and the breath inside of her is bouncing her belly up and down rapidly.

"Wait for Will," Chris cautions.

"Can't wait, can't wait," I repeat,  clambering from the dewy ground, the knees smeared in mud, "Need to go."

"Olivia, stop!" Chris snarls at me, grabbing my shoulders.

"No!" I scream at him, "This dog is the only thing I trust!" I push at his chest hard as I can, "Fuck off, and get out of my way!"

I hurriedly rip my phone out with trembling hands, calling the emergency line at the pet hospital I have saved for things like this, and rush out that my dog has been injured. Things like this? Never in one hundred years would I guess that this would happen.

"Can somebody see her?" I beg, trying to move the lump in my throat.

They give me directions on where to take her. "Help me!" I scream at Chris, getting the door to my vehicle open.

"Liv, please listen to me," he begs, hands up as he comes toward me.

I let out another frustrated scream, my throat aching, and rip my hands away from him, roughly getting my phone out again.

"Hey," Sean's voice is comforting on his end when he picks up.

"Snuggles is hurt! I need your help!" I hurry back down to where she is, lying there helplessly, the brutal wound on her side glaring at me.

"Five minutes! I'm coming with sirens!"

I bend down to her again, "I'll get you there," I desperately promise.

Switching tactics, I try to make my tone comforting now, even though she doesn't understand my words. "You're my sweet girl, and I know you're scared. I won't leave you."

I failed to notice when Chris got down at my side, but it registers as he has pulled off his shirt and presses it on her wound with firm pressure.

I lick my dry lips and lay down in front of her, nose to nose, and stroke the side of her face. "Please don't die," I whimper, my voice breaking. "You're all I have left. I can't lose you."

"She's going to be fine," Chris whispers to me, his eyes on mine while he presses down. "Fine," he repeats, nodding his head.

Sirens are screaming as Sean tears into my neighborhood. The vehicle roars in my driveway as he parks it, "Is she okay?!" He shouts, leaving the car idling as he rushes toward us, the door still open.

I run into his open arms, weeping, "Help me get her to the emergency room. I already called the pet hospital."

The next few minutes are a blur as Sean, Chris, and I try to figure out how to load Snuggles into Sean's cruiser.

Will arrives just as I'm begging Sean to hurry so we can go. "Oh my god, what happened to Snugs?!" He yells behind me.

I turn to look at him with murder in my eyes, "What happened is I was born into a family who lies about everything!"

Will looks thunderstruck. "Livvie! I -"

"I don't have time for this, you goddamn pathetic excuse for family."

The unearthly, shocked noise that comes out of him fuels my anger, "Can one of you please help me?" I demand.

Chris is still on the ground with his hands on the dog, and Sean rushes toward to help him lift her.  Sean looks at me as I crouch down to assist, "Support her middle, babe," he encourages.

Snuggles groans and whimpers, but we get her loaded into the car, and Sean gets behind the wheel while I grab my purse, then move to get in the backseat.

"Olivia!" Will's voice is pained as he calls after me before I slide into the back.

My teeth clenched tighter than the jaws of life; I shake my head as I clutch the top of the ajar door, my bloodied hands clutching the top, "You were the last person," I accuse, my heart smashing in shards. I don't even know if Will can hear poison dripping from my tongue, "The last person who I thought would lie to me."

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...is that it? No, that's not it! Book two is completed.

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Xx, Sunshine

Book number two is completed: