"You really need to wake up, everyone is worried about you."
The voice is muffled like my head is under water. I can feel the strain on my lungs just like every limb is like a dead weight. Panic shoots through me when I can barely move and my chest rises and falls heavier to the point my back arches.
"Did you see that?"
"Kira, wake up. Come on, we're here for you - it's Taylor and Blair."
I try to stay calm and focus on moving despite feeling like my heads going to explode. My hearing picks up in a single rush, machines beeping and faint talking coming from around me. I try to open my eyes only to be blinded by white light.
"Kira! Go get her dad and say she's waking up." Taylor barks and the warmth around my hand tightens.
I wriggle my fingers and bend my toes, lulling my head to the side to squint around the room. Everything feels sluggish and from the view of a monitor with a cord being lead to the back of my hand, I realize I'm in the hospital.
With strain I turn my head back and try to make out Taylor's face but groan at the light blinding me. The pressure from my hand is released and shortly after the brightness fades as I make out a figure by the curtains. She comes back giving a soft smile.
"Sorry. I forgot how bad the light can be when you wake up," I lick my lips, mouth feeling like I swallowed sand and burnt my throat out. "You've been out of three days, the doctors were concerned with your blood loss and I would try not to sit up or move with your injuries."
Closing my eyes again I take a deep breathe while moving the hand without a drip in it to pull the blanket down. I peer down through the gown rather than flashing Taylor to see what she means. My breathe hitches seeing my whole stomach wrapped with bandage that's stained with red in a circle, a matching one on my shoulder.
"What-" I clear my throat and look up slowly, relaxing as all energy ceases to exist despite how panicked I feel. "How?"
Her smile is fake and strained but before she answers I hear the scuff of shoes. "Kira, you're awake."
Dad moves in and over to me quickly, leaning down to press a kiss to my forehead. Over his shoulder I see Blair biting her nails in the door way as if she looks nervous. She doesn't bite her nails and I groan when trying to shift in bed.
"Do you think I should alert a nurse or doctor?" Blair asks and dad nods, grabbing onto my hand gently. "Taylor come with me."
Both girls leave and dad smiles down at me, looking exhausted which I'm assuming are from stress. His eyes are slightly red meaning he's been crying and I feel guilty for putting him through this.
"You have no idea how glad I am you woke up. I'm so sorry this happened to you-"
"Don't."
I close my eyes, remembering vividly what happened before hand. Dominic and Jordan holding Nate and I hostage while the guys had to hear what was happening. Sucking my lips in I can feel the tears welling and when I open my eyes a sob breaks out.
"What happened?" An unfamiliar voice asks, a loud bang startles me into screaming.
I curl up, a scream of agony following while I clutch my stomach and shoulder from rolling on it. The pain is intense, machines beep frantically before I'm being shoved by my good shoulder onto my back. I can't stop the sobs that escape with everything hitting me all at once.
"Kira you need to calm down - that wasn't a gunshot, the trolley got stuck on the door frame. If you don't calm down I'm going to have to sedate you before you tear your stitches. Can you hear me?"
Nodding I suck my lips in and try to lay flat. Squeezing my eyes shut all I can feel is fear and I tightly grip the blanket while calming myself down. Everything is alright. Everything is fine. I hear the sound again and I whimper, opening my eyes to see the nurse hovering over me.
"Is she alright?" Dad voices from a distance and one arm is pulled out, another nurse with darker blonde hair wraps something around my arm.
"It's not uncommon for most gun shot victims to freak out at loud noises - it's important for her not to freak out because of her stitches."
I try to stay calm as possible when the strap tightens around my arm. The two nurses poke and prob at different things that I don't completely understand, ushering the others out as they change the bandages. I manage to catch a glimpse at the ugly stitches that are both going to scar without a doubt.
"Can you tell me your full name and date of birth?" The second nurse starts to hurl the cart out the door, this time I don't flinch at the noise or at least not as violently as before.
After reciting my full name and birthday, I shift slightly at the discomfort in my arm from the strap. She hands me a small plastic container holding two tablets and a styrofoam cup.
"This should help with any pain you're feeling and the doctor should be in shortly to assess whether you can give a statement yet."
"Statement?" I whisper and she nods, pulling the gloves from her hands.
"You've just waken up from severe internal damage - they honestly weren't expecting you to survive the surgery. You were lucky enough that it skimmed the top of your shoulder," She gives a soft smile in exchange of the scary information she just explained. "If you need anything just press the button."
Nodding I down the tablets with a mouthful of water. I try not to gag in the process, finishing the rest of the water with a sigh. Not long after that I let my thoughts drift back to Nate wondering if he's okay, he would be in hospital right?
What about Rhys? Hell, even Jordan and Dominic. I know nothing about what's happened since the accidental gun fire or at least I think it was. Thinking back to it, Dominic was ready to pull the trigger and when Nate shot him he could have pulled it anyways.
Two gunshots; one accidental from killing and another from a psychopath. Lovely. I look around the room, taking not of the items resting on the tray by the window. There's a bunch of roses, a white bear with writing on it and a familiar dragon. It's simple but genuine.
Rather than everyone who thinks they're my friends trying to suck up to the victim. Without a doubt everyone would know about this and it makes me nauseous of everything that's going to happen. Until the biggest factor stops my heart.
My dad. He warned me that we would move if anything were to happen to me. I can't leave, not now when everything's just exploded like this.
"Kira?" I can feel my eyes blurring with tears when Taylor steps back into the room. "What's wrong?"
"He's going to - he wants to leave."
However the reaction I get is unexpected. "I know - Blair and I have been helping packing when we can. One of us always stayed here with you."
"No. I can't leave-"
"There's something you need to know that's probably going to be hard to hear," She whispers, standing at the end of my bed and I can see the hesitancy all over her face. "This whole time Rhys hasn't been to see you."
My eyes flicker to the dragon. "But the-"
"Blair brought it from home because she knew it meant something from him. Neither your father or Blair wanted to tell you, I'm sorry."
I slouch, an ache swelling in my chest violently. His brother is in hospital as well. That's why he hasn't been to see me or check that I'm alive. I feel drained of all energy and I lick my lips.
"Is Nate okay?"
"He was discharged yesterday with a bright green cast. I saw him trying to break into your room despite the nurses telling him a firm no."
Smiling softly I feel relief that he's okay. That's the important thing, even if that means me being in hospital. I would do anything to protect Nate and I don't regret stepping in front of him the first day of school either.
"Why?"
The question is obvious and Taylor glances at the door. "What are you doing here? It's family only."
I glance at the door to see Lachlan step into the room with something tucked underneath his arm. The bright pink almost hurts my eyes and he ignores Taylor completely before walking closer, showing the small teddy bear.
"Nate named it Princess."
I try not laugh, the humour surprisingly outruling any pain I was feeling. "Are you deaf or just stupid? Get-"
"No. Because she needs to know what to say to the police when they get here so Rhys doesn't get in trouble," He snaps, glaring her way before softening when he looks back to me. "You came over looking for Rhys to hang out with, he wasn't there but Nate said he went with me to the shops when I got your text message. Don't mention specifics about how they knew each other."
"Why isn't Rhys the one explaining this?"
"You know why." He grits out at Taylor who purses her lips.
"Tell me then."
Lachlan flickers his eyes between the two of us with a sigh. "The two people he cared about most got hurt because of him. Your father said you were moving and he made the decision to stay away to make it easier. I'm sorry Kira."
The machine hooked up to me starts to beep faster and effectively gives away the anger raising to the surface. He couldn't be here to tell me to my face or at least wait until I was better. He relied on my loved ones to bare the bad news rather than ease my worrying mind.
He knows I over think and stress more than normal, why would he do this?
"I need to see him, before and if I move. Tell him."
Lachlan glances at Taylor who is still burning holes into him merely because he's Rhys' best friend. She's trying to protect me which reminds me of where the hell did Dad and Blair go?
"I'll tell him but he might not listen."
"Make him listen to you otherwise I'll be the one tracking his ass down," Taylor threatens and exhales. "He owes her the respect of not being a coward about it, you can tell him that to."
By the time the doctor's been through and I've had several tests taken I'm brought around dinner. Dad came back and dropped the bombshell that we were moving, even showed me a photo of the new house.
He sure didn't waste time.
It resulted in me bursting into tears and dad didn't know how to react. He kept reassuring me it was for the best but it doesn't feel that way. I don't want to leave this place because I'm not capable of starting over again.
This year was my fresh start, moving to a different state is absurd for me to process. But he thinks that he's doing the right thing by my safety and I can't break his heart to say it wasn't one of his clients responsible but rather Rhys' dodgy and dark past catching up with him.
I made the girls take dad away for dinner while I prob the less than edible food and end up sticking to the jelly cup and orange juice. At least I know it's safe because its still packaged.
"The food is dangerous so I wouldn't eat it," I almost drop my jelly, seeing Nate walk in with a bright smile. "I'm so sorry I shot you. I didn't mean to-"
"You didn't directly shoot me, come here."
I hold my arm out, seeing him rush over and pulling me into a death grip hug. My eyes squeeze shut, sucking in at the tug in my stomach from wrapping it around him. Nate loosens his grip around my shoulders and still keeps a singular arm around me loosely while sitting on the edge of the bed.
"You're going to suffocate her."
My eyes flicker to Rhys who stands in the door frame, similarly positioned to when Nate offered me blackmail on Brian. Except he isn't smirking this time. He looks rough; messy hair, hard expression and the dark clothes make him look more brooding than usual.
"I am not suffocating her," Nate fires back, rubbing his cheek against my head before kissing it. "I'm just happy she's alive and breathing, and alive. You're not the one who shot her so shut the fuck up."
"Have the cops been around?" Rhys steps in and closes the door. His tone is completely detached and it feels like a knife to the chest. "You need to make sure you tell them exactly what Nate did so he doesn't get arrested for murder, even though it was self defense."
"Murder?" I glance at Nate who swallows, focusing on the cast around his hand and forearm.
"I shot Jordan and narrowly missed his heart," He tries to avoid looking at me but I can see the sorrow evident in them. He killed his boyfriend. Granted, he broke his hand first. "Dominic, I didn't miss which is why I got your shoulder."
"Which means Jordan is going to jail because he's still alive unfortunately and I don't want my brother in there with him."
Staring at Rhys I blink slowly. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
My arm drops from Nate's waist, shaking my head at his brother. He's acting like he doesn't care and it hurts. I know he does or at least I hope so because that's a bitch of disappointment that my own boyfriend doesn't care. That is if he's still mine.
"You shouldn't have to tell me what to say because I'm not going to send my boyfriend or his brother to jail," His emotions flicker in his but harden after it which means he's purposely acting this way. "Or is that why you're telling me now so you can break up with me as soon as I lie to the authorities?"
"You're moving states -"
"You're just going to give up?" I whisper, trying not to cry because god damn it I don't want to lose him. "Talk to me so I understand."
"You want to do long distance? Are you sure that you can handle that?" The barrier he put up is slowly deteriorating and I exhale with a nod. "I didn't want you to worry about what was happening here because of your anxiety. If you can manage it without it damaging your mental health I'm fine with doing long distance."
"Good. Now can you stop acting like a jerk and I don't know maybe give me a hug," I tap Nate's back seeing him frown. "No offense to you."
"Yeah I get it. I pushed this ship and need to deal with the consequences."
Nate moves off the bed to stand at the end of itand Rhys takes his place. One arm wraps around me and instead of pressing a kiss to my head, he connects our lips in a soft kiss. I hum at the contact and gently brush my hand along the scruff of his jawline.
I pull back, giving a timid smile which he returns with a peck to my forehead. "I'm sorry I didn't protect you."
"You're here now and that's all that matters."
This is the last numbered chapter of Dangerous Attachment - the epilogue and sequel will be posted either Monday/Tuesday depending on your timezone.
Alsoooo, on a less relevant - kind of - topic I've made a new account where I'll be posting darker/mature books along the same theme as this series. There's something about writing about this kind of stuff that I love, I don't know why. So you can keep an eye out (or follow) on wickedxone for stories like this if you're into it. I'll be posting the preliminaries on Monday for two stories as well.
Question; who was your favorite character/why? who was your least favorite character/ why? favourite scene from this book? are you excited for the sequel?
Thoughts? Feelings? Predictions?
-inspiredrlh 💕