Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 94140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
A nurse rushes in before me and strips the bloodied sheets off the bed, but she doesn’t get a chance to put new ones down as I lay Gigi on the mattress. Georgie’s vital signs monitor is now attached to Gigi as other nurses flurry around, preparing her for surgery.
“You’re going to be okay,” I tell her, hoping she can hear me. “You better fucking come back to me, Gigi, you hear me? I can’t do this again.”
Before I know what’s happening, the bed is being wheeled out of the room with a nurse running up ahead, demanding that everyone clear the way.
I’m left in the room with a crying Georgie, and I hastily grab her a change of clothes and scoop her into my arms, not knowing what else I can do. “Are you alright, Georgie?” I ask, knowing she’s going to have a lot of confusing emotions rushing through her right now, emotions that she wouldn’t be able to understand.
She’s never witnessed such awful things before, and I need to get her out of here. I need her to be safe with someone I trust so I can be here for Gigi.
Quickly getting Georgie changed into the clean clothes, I leave the bloodied ones behind, which is when I notice something discarded on the ground, and as I take a closer look, my eyes widen.
Holy fucking shit.
It’s the bullet from Gigi’s shoulder.
Pinching it between my fingers, I quickly slip it into my pocket, hoping like fuck Georgie doesn’t ask me what it is. I know the police are probably going to want it, but they already have so much evidence to nail the fucker. They can do without this.
This bullet is going straight to Gigi. She deserves it as a trophy, something she can look at afterward to remind her just how strong she is. It might take her a little while to come around to the idea of it, but eventually, she might appreciate it.
Stepping out of the room with Georgie in my arms, I find most of the drama has died down. Police are still flooding the hallways and cries are heard throughout the ward. It looks as though most patients have either been seen or are in the middle of being looked after. Everyone else who’s not needed is either in the waiting room or has disappeared to get out of the way.
“Hey,” a familiar voice asks from beside me, and I turn to find Tom looking at me, relief flashing in his eyes. “You okay?” he questions as his gaze roams over Georgie, making sure she’s alright.
“Only just,” I tell him honestly.
“Have, umm . . . have you seen Mel? Is she alright?”
“Yeah, man. She’s okay,” I tell him.
He nods before looking back up at me with a cringe, knowing I’m not going to like whatever he has to say. “I know now isn’t the best time, but I need to take your statement.”
“Yeah sure,” I say as he points to a chair, while mentally going over exactly what I need to say to ensure this guy rots in a jail cell.
I take a seat and he pulls out a recorder. “Just tell me exactly what happened through your eyes. Where you were when it started. What you saw. What you did.”
Nodding, I do just that.
I tell him every last detail as it’s fresh in my mind. I tell him how my heart stopped when I thought Georgie had been injured, how I nearly killed him myself, and how I found Gigi drenched in blood. The only part I skip past is the sedative Mel jammed into the bastard’s neck. I can guarantee that wasn’t part of hospital policy, and I’m not about to get her in trouble for her quick thinking. Though considering Tom’s confusing feelings for her, he’s probably happy I left that out.
I finish my statement and he looks at me with a cringe. “Do you mind if I ask Georgie her recap of what happened?”
I look at Georgie and know the story is going to be hard for her to tell, but ultimately, it’s her decision if she’s ready to tell it. “Do you want to tell Uncle Tom what happened today when the alarm went off?” I ask, knowing it’s best to get this over and done with now while it’s still fresh in her mind.
She looks up at me and her bottom lip pouts out. I feel as though she’s about to say no when she surprises me with a nod and turns to Tom before she climbs across my lap and straight into his.
“Da loud nowse woked me up,” she tells him.
“Oh no,” he says. “That’s not good. What happened when you woke up?”
“Gigi put me in da closet wike Daddy does when we pway hide and seek. She told me it was wreally important to be quiet.”