Red Light: A Dark Stalker Romance (Book One) (Dangerous Games Series)

Chapter Twenty-Three - Alanna

Machines beep intermittently as I sit in the uncomfortable hospital room chair. They had given Flick some pain meds and he was out like a light. The police had come by, but I didn't trust them after what happened with Doc. I told them we were mugged, and they took my statement and left a couple hours ago. Flick's hand was nestled in my own. I kept squeezing it to reassure myself that he was still there.

The hospital staff kept trying to kick me out. I'm not family and visiting hours are over. But once I explained I was pregnant with his baby, they stopped trying to get me to leave. They said they'd mark me down as his wife, and let me be. The slow stream of tears that ran down my cheeks hadn't stopped since I half carried him into the emergency room. His face was covered with cuts and bruises, and the doctors said he had a cracked rib and a fractured hand, likely from fighting back.

They patched him up as best they could and told me that we could stay through the night, but given that I didn't know his insurance information, we'd need to leave in the morning. I had called my mom about an hour ago sobbing. I told her everything that happened and she had insisted I try to press charges. But she didn't understand. Doc owned half the town and was the police. I couldn't file a report, it would just put Flick and I in more danger.

She didn't understand, but I worked with cops often enough to know that they have each other's back over anyone else's automatically. They just assume that the cop is either innocent, or was doing the right thing. I'd written enough stories about unjust police brutality to know that filing a report would get us targeted. Instead I planned on talking to Flick about moving as soon as I could. We needed to get out of that town.

Flick coughs suddenly and his eyelids flutter. "Flick?" I ask and he groans and turns toward me, opening his eyes and smiling a half smile as soon as his eyes meet mine. "How are you smiling?" I ask with tears streaming down my face. "You're safe," He croaks, "the baby is safe. What more could I ask for?" He coughs again and fat tears obscure my vision. I collapse on his lap and start sobbing. His free hand settles on my head and starts stroking my hair.

My phone starts ringing again. Patty had been calling me all night. Numerous texts had come through from her, but I hadn't looked at a single one. I couldn't bring myself to care what her excuses were. Not with Flick laying in a hospital bed. "What happened tonight?" I finally ask, getting my tears under control. Flick sighs and shrugs. "They found out you were pregnant. All the people that hate me the most. I don't know how, I didn't tell anyone."

"It was Patty." I say and Flick looks shocked and hurt. "Patty?" He asks and I nod. "She called me about forty-five minutes before I showed up at the diner. Dr. Key's nurse had told her I was pregnant and terminating. She called me to confirm. I told her we were keeping the baby and she freaked out and started yelling at me. I hung up on her. I never thought...I'm so sorry Flick!" I collapse back on his lap and my tears soak his blanket.

"Shhhh, it's not your fault baby." He reassures me and I just sob all the more. How can he be so calm about this? Had he been targeted by a mob before? I ask him as much and he starts to laugh and just coughs and cringes at the pain in his rib. "Not like that, no. That was a first. I didn't know they could get that angry with me still. When I was a kid, they actively hated me, and again when I was a teenager and people made up stories about me climbing through their windows at night. But not since I've been an adult."

"Then why?" I ask at a loss. He shrugs and looks away. He was keeping something from me, I could sense it. But I wasn't going to push him now. Not after what happened tonight. "We need to move before the baby is born." I say and Flick's eyes get wide. "What? But that town is my home. It's the only place I've ever known Alanna." He says and I stare at him in shock and confusion.