Dancing With The Devil

Chapter 44

I went to Sophie first. I told myself that it was a choice based on impulse alone. The reality was that Sophie had been in better shape than Alistair. I knew I could stomach seeing her. When Jasper asked me who I wanted to go to see her name poured out of my mouth quickly. Jasper didn't argue and I didn't give myself a second chance to think about my options. I just followed him through the hospital corridors.

I could now understand why I had sensed that Jasper was blank. There was so much tension and anxiety surrounding me and sifting through the hospital. Policemen and men dressed in dark green with the words 'tactical team' across their vests were roving everywhere. All I could think was that I would see my best friend barely clinging to life and that some people in this building didn't believe my story. And it would be my entire fault. I couldn't bear the simple thought of it, much less the reality. I used the remaining shock in my system to repress the swell of emotions that waved through me.

For now, it was best to be bleak and blank. The torrent of emotions could come later, when I was out of sight and away from the judgment.

We arrived at her door. I wanted to bite my lower lip or clench my fists at my sides. Anything to release the stress that had wiggled through the cracks in my unfeeling exterior. I did neither of those things when Jasper opened the door for me. I just walked inside with a heavy heart and expecting the absolute worst. Hopefully, the numb state I had pushed myself into would be able to counter the crippling truth.

But there was Sophie. Her normal clothing had been swapped out for a hospital gown with an ugly pattern across the fabric that would've made her grit her teeth. Her blonde hair was wet from being washed, but it was now the authentic blonde instead of the coppery red. Her face was pale, her eyes surrounded by black rings, one from heavy bruising, the other from exhaustion and an unwell state overall. Her face was pinched with a clear expression of pain. But I could hardly focus on that when her beautiful face turned towards me and she slowly sat up.

My best friend was very much alive.

"Sophie." I breathed.

The next moment I was directly beside her hospital bed. My first instinct was to throw my arms around her in a delightfully grateful hug. But as I neared her I saw the bruises. The marks. The open wounds. Sophie might've been alive but Josh had still left his mark on her.

"I thought he was going to kill you." Sophie whispered staring up at me. Then her eyes snapped to Jasper, "Who are you? Where's Josh?"

Her brown eyes didn't look the same and her voice shook as she spoke the words. I knew she wanted to be strong. Sophie was so powerful and protective. She had always been quite serious and very introverted as well. I could see that now, too. But I could also see the tormented thoughts that were floating just below the surface. Josh had instilled vile, awful feelings into the most loyal woman in the world.

I had done that. I had made her sacrifice herself for my own safety. It made me sick.

A look of horror suddenly took over Sophie's expression. "Alistair. Where's Alistair? Josh didn't...." she grabbed her hair with both of her hairs, appearing to be frustrated and terrified. "No one will tell me what's going on. All these people are coming in and asking me all these questions but no one will help me."

"I'm Alistair's brother." Jasper interjected, "Josh didn't kill him. But he is heavily sedated due to his injuries."

Sophie leaned back down, letting her back touch the pillows again. The tortured look didn't leave her eyes but her panic drifted away for the time being as her hands moved back down.

All I could do was watch my best friend struggle with a riptide of emotions.

"I don't remember what happened. I think I remember seeing you in the house, but I could've been hallucinating or something. He kept us there on those chair for so long with no food and no water. My body started playing tricks on itself just to distract me from the pain and the fear of dying."