Runaway (R.S.L)

Chapter 26

Here is the last chapter before the epilogue! I'm sad to see it end, but excited to continue publishing more books.

The first thing I wanted to do when I opened my eyes was scream. The pain radiating off my shoulder was so incredible that tears immediately formed. As a whimper passed through my lips, a deep voice spoke up, startling me. "Good to see you awake, Scarlett." I blinked a few times, doing my best to clear my vision so I could see the person. A dark haired man, probably in his mid-forties stood by the bed I was laying in, a white lab coat on. And that could only mean one thing.

I was in the hospital.

I almost cried in relief when I realized I was no longer trapped in that small room. I was no longer being tortured by Spencer.

"Are you in any pain?" He questioned, placing what I assumed was my medical chart down. I nodded, clutching the thin fabric of my blanket between my fingers. He nodded, retrieving a syringe from the cart beside him. "This should help you, okay?" Injecting the syringe into a small bottle, he pulled back and tapped the side of it twice, nodding to himself before inserting into my IV. The pain began to subside in a matter of moments, only leaving me with a slight ache.

"Thank you." I murmured quietly, my voice coming out raspy. He flashed me a smile in return, offering me some water to help wet my throat. I accepted it gratefully, taking small sips.

"You gave your family quiet the scare, Scarlett." He said. "Your boyfriend hasn't left your side since you've been in here."

My heart immediately swelled at the mention of Ross. "H-How long have I been in here?" The last thing I remembered was watching helplessly as Spencer continued to cut me like I was a ham. I gulped, shaking my head to will away the thoughts that invaded my mind.

"Three days." He replied. I tried not to gasp at the information. "You sustained quiet a lot of damage to your shoulder when you arrived, resulting in a large amount of blood loss. The wounds on your thighs were pretty deep as well, so they required a generous amount of stitches. As for your shoulder, we needed to perform surgery so we could repair the damage and remove the bullet that seemed to be lodged." He patted my blanket covered leg. "But everything turned out great, and you're healing perfectly. You'll be out of here in no time."

I nodded, unsure how to properly respond. "Now, that boyfriend of yours is outside pacing his ass off, so I think I'm gonna send him in before he loses his mind." For the first time in a long time, I chuckled. With one last smile, he walked out of the room, Ross taking his place almost instantly. I barely had time to react before his lips were crashing onto mine, his hands tangling themselves in my hair. I could taste the salt from his tears, but didn't hesitate to kiss back. I needed to know that he was actually here, that I wasn't dreaming.

That I wasn't imagining my freedom.

He pulled away moments later, leaning his forehead against mine. His body trembled as tears continued to roll down his cheeks. "Don't you ever do that to me again, Scar." Sobs were continuously escaping, and I used my good arm to pull his body on top of mine. He tightened his grip on me, burying his head in the crook of my neck. The feeling of his skin touching mine was enough to make the tears in my eyes pool out, and my hand scrunched up around the fabric of his t-shirt. My heart thumped against my ribcage, and my hands trembled as sobs racked my body. 

"I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry." The words passed my lips quickly; shaky. My breathing was becoming more erratic, and it was as if my throat was closing up. Images of my torturer flashed in my mind, and I clung onto Ross tighter. 

"Shh, stop." He whispered. Finally removing his head from my neck, his red eyes connected with mine, his fingers swiping under my eyes to wipe away any excess tears. "None of this is your fault, okay? But it's all over. You're safe. He can't hurt you anymore, Scar. It's all over."