Mr. Good Bad Guy

25 - Let's Try Again?

I awoke the next morning to the sound of machines beeping and people talking loudly. The bright lights above my head stung my eyes, and I found myself lying on a bed that was not my own. As I slowly sat up, a nurse rushed over, her face a mask of concern. She took out a light, shining it into my eyes and checking my blood pressure. "How are you feeling?" she asked, her voice gentle.

I tried to focus on her words, my head still swirling from the events of the night before. "I don't know...Confused," I managed to say. She nodded understandingly and disappeared for a moment, returning with a cup of water.

"Here," she said, handing me the water. "Take it slow. Your boyfriend and roommate were just here. I'll tell them you're awake."

The nurse hurried away, closing the curtain around my bed. I laid back down, putting the cup on the table next to my bed, and closed my eyes. As I tried to make sense of the events from the night before, I felt someone standing over me. When I opened my eyes, there was no one there. Then, a familiar voice whispered, "Don't think I'm finished with you, bitch."

I sat up again, my heart racing. I got out of bed to pull the curtain back, revealing an empty bed. I went to the other side to see the exact same thing. It was official. I was fucking crazy!

"Mami, ¿qué haces fuera de la cama?" Axel grabbed me, leading me back to my bed. "¿Estás bien?"

I stared at him, wide-eyed. "Y-yes...I'm fine...I think...But..." My voice trailed off as I tried to explain the sense of unease that had settled in my stomach like a lead weight. Axel must have seen the fear in my eyes, because he pulled me closer, wrapping me in a warm embrace. "What happened?"

"It's okay, mi amor. You're safe now. You had a bit of a fright last night, but it's over. You're safe with me," he whispered, kissing my forehead. His words were soothing, but they did little to ease the unease that remained. I could feel his heart racing against my own, and I knew he was lying. It wasn't over. It was far from over. But I couldn't bring myself to voice my fears. Not yet.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. The nurse returned, checking my vitals and asking me again how I was feeling. I forced a weak smile, telling her I was fine, just a little shaken up. She nodded understandingly and left us alone again.

"Axel, what happened?" I asked again. "I only remember going up to the terrace."

He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I don't know, Irene. Apparently you weren't answering Jamie and Kaiya. They called me and said you were home, but you weren't in bed with me. I went up to the rooftop to see if you were there...You'd passed out cold."

My heart sank. That wasn't much of an explanation. Why was I here? What caused me to lose consciousness? The questions swirled in my head like a storm, refusing to quiet.

"Irene!" Parker rushed to my side, shoving Axel away. "I was so worried about you! I'm so glad you're okay."

I blinked, confused by her reaction. "Parker, I'm fine. Really."

She didn't look convinced. "I don't know, Irene. Something's really off about this. Why didn't you just come straight to the apartment? You could have been attacked, for all we know."

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say anything, the nurse returned, asking if I was ready to be discharged. I nodded, still feeling unsettled. As we began to gather my things, Axel pulled me aside. "Parker, you're overreacting. Irene's fine. A few days rest and she'll be back at work."

"Besides, how would anyone attack me without me knowing they were there?" I reasoned. "The fire escape is creaky and they'd have to have a key to get in through the lobby."