Love's Paradox

Chapter 33: My Battery's Running on Fumes

Hunter stares at me with eyes wide. "Wait. What?"

"Ian said he 'took care' of Parker." I barely miss slamming into the back of a car. "Dammit! You stupid idiot; there's a turn lane for a reason."

Hunter touches my knee. "Rae. Calm down. Tell me what happened. Exactly."

"I received a call from the hospital. Parker's been in an accident. He's okay, but I just know Ian did something to him. He sat there chuckling as I screamed at him." I glance at Hunter. "Something is seriously wrong with Ian. I swear." I get stuck behind two cars matching each other's speed of too fucking slow. "Come on," I shout, honking my horn. "Move over!"

"It'd be nice if you didn't wreck on the way to the hospital," he says uneasily.

Waving him off, I say, "Call Cherry."

"I will, but first—"

Horn blaring, I fly through a red light, barely squeaking past two oncoming vehicles.

"Dammit, Rae." Hunter's voice booms in the car. "Are you trying to kill us? You said Parker was okay."

"I know, but—"

"Parker's okay." His voice softens. "Rae, he's okay."

"I know," I croak. "But this is my fault." I slow at the next intersection and tap my fingers on the steering wheel. Can't believe some stupid red light holds so much power over me.

"No. It's Ian's fault." He pauses. "You know, Parker must really like you to deal with your ex's shit."

I nod, my heart swelling. I can't outrun this feeling, the one that has me driving like a tornado is chasing after me. Loving Parker might be what kills him. And I can't allow that.

"You all right now?"

"I'm fine," I lie. "Now call Cherry. Have her come pick you up from the ER. I have a feeling I might be a while, and I don't want to force you to stay."

"I don't mind," he says.

I slam on the gas when the light turns green, mentally giving the traffic light my middle finger. "I know, but you have school in the morning. Let me take care of Parker, and you take care of yourself. All right?"

He nods and calls Cherry. As he explains the situation, I squeal tires again while turning onto Park Street. The hospital looms out of the dark, a beacon in the night, the clouds forming a glowing halo of light.

The signs pointing toward the ER make me feel like a dog chasing my tail, testing the last ounce of my patience. Every time I think I find the right parking lot, a crossbar and an "Employees Only" sign block me. Frustration tears up my throat as I'm forced to turn around. Twice. You'd think after my last trip here that I'd know at least where the hell to park, but no. Life never works out that way. Finally, I round the block onto High Street and park the car in the middle of the damn road right in front of the emergency room. Screw this. I grab my purse, fling open the car door, and dash toward the ER's sliding glass doors.

"What are you doing?" Hunter calls out, but I'm already to the entrance.

The woman behind the desk springs to her feet at seeing my wild-eyed expression.

"What's your emergency?" she asks, her eyes roving over me, searching for the reason of my obvious distress.

"Parker Livingston," I say breathlessly, gripping the counter between us. "My boyfriend. Where is he?"

A smile replaces the worry lines, and she returns to her seat, typing on the computer. "Rae Zachery, I assume?"

"Yeah."