Running Home (SPS Book 5)

1

Those fingers gripped my chin hard enough to leave a bruise and salty tears ran past my lips.

"If only you listened to me." He continued.

I wanted to scream in his face, all the words that had been building up for the five years of our marriage. But I was frozen, cold sweat clung to my body and I couldn't take a deep breath. My heartbeat pounded in my ears.

To anyone looking in, it seemed like a man comforting his wife after a miscarriage. They only needed to look harder and they would see the petrified look on my face, the way my body shook, and my eyes bulged.

Then they would see a woman who feared for her life, a woman that has been beaten down to nothing, a woman who had nothing left to live for. But they never did and I knew if I wanted to be saved, I would have to do it myself.

A doctor walked into the dark room, the white of his coat stinging my sensitive eyes. "Okay, Mrs. James, the procedure was a success and there doesn't seem to be any permanent damage. I'll give you a prescription for pain medication and you can fill that out before you discharge."

"So, I can take her home then doctor?" Cole said.

My heart froze over and fear gripped my body. I didn't want to leave with him. I wanted to stay in the hospital, where there were too many people for Cole to hurt me, where I could mourn the loss of my baby in peace.

The doctor frowned, "We'll have to keep her overnight for observation."

Cole's body stiffened and I fought the urge to start running, "But you just said the procedure was a success, why does she have to stay the night?"

"With procedures like this, there's always a chance of bleeding and it could be fatal. It's better to be safe."

Cole's jaw twitched and I knew he was very close to losing his temper, "I understand doctor but my wife has been through a lot and I'd like to take her home."

The doctor bowed his head, "I sympathize with that, Mr. James but I can't, in good conscience, discharge your wife when I know she needs medical care. If she's okay during the night, we'll discharge her first thing in the morning." Then he gave me a sympathetic look, "a nurse will be by shortly with your pain medication, Mrs. James. I'm truly sorry for your loss."

Then he turned and walked out of the room. My heart shattered into pieces because I realized he was the first person to offer me some sort of comfort and I didn't even catch his name. Then again, names were meaningless to remember if I could never see them again. Cole's rage was only rivaled by his jealousy, and I learned long ago that he would retaliate in the worst ways if he even thought I was screwing around.

"Fucking doctors think they know everything." He spat next to me.

"Cole, please." The words were out before I could stop them and I instantly regretted it when Cole swung his icy gaze to me.

"Don't start with me Charlotte." He gripped my arm, pulled me closer to him and I had to bite back a whimper. "You'll stay here tonight and tomorrow, I'll come to get you. Don't even think about talking to anyone because I will know and I will always find you, Charlotte."

Cole stood up from the hospital bed and walked to the door before turning around. His hand froze inches away from the door handle and his face was concealed in shadows, making him look sinister. "I'll be here tomorrow morning early, then we can talk about what you did."

Then he left, leaving me to my own thoughts. But his words never left, they stayed in my mind, taunting me because I knew what he meant by talk.