Dark Thief (The Two Sides of Me Book 2) by Amy Lynn Garcia Read Free Book Online Page A

7
     

“Everybody Hurts”
R.E.M.

A surprisingly handsome, middle aged Italian man with salt and pepper hair enters the room with Gabriella. They exchange a few words in Italian but the only thing I’m able to understand is my own name and Evans, why were they talking about him? Is she telling him what happened? Yes that must be it, he needs to know what he is examining me for after all. “Mia I’m Dr. Amato, is it ok if I come closer to you?” he speaks perfect English, thank God.
    Appreciative of his caution I nod and he advances holding a small bag like physicians in old movies carry for house calls. Pausing, he looks down at me on the bed lifting his eyebrows and tucking his chin as if to ask if he can proceed and I nod yes. “Does your throat hurt? Is it difficult to speak?” he asked and once again I nod yes. “You’re an ICU nurse so you must know that the first 36 hours following a strangling injury are the most dangerous. You need a CT scan to make sure we aren’t dealing with something more serious than the external bruising and swelling.” I pick up the pen and paper from my lap and write, I understand, no CT.
    He looks back at me with a scowl. “Why?” “What’s she saying?” Gabriella interrupts. “She doesn’t want the CT.” “Mia why not? You know this could be very serious, you should see yourself. I’m very worried about you.” I don’t want a CT scan and I have very good reasons, starting with I don’t want to go to a hospital in a foreign country. I don’t want to be vulnerable to whoever may still be after Evan. And really I’m not having a very good track record with kidnapping so I’d like to stay right here in bed. I know the risks and for now I’m willing to take them. As insane as it sounds, after all that’s happened I’m not worried about me, I’m worried about Evan.
    Yes, the lunatic who drugged and kidnapped me, flew me out of the country and today nearly choked me to death…I was worried about him. I saw, or more like I felt the change in him before he attacked me, the complete confusion when he fell into the coffee table, he clearly wasn’t in his right mind. That tumor must be growing, shifting, cutting off blood supply…killing him. As scared as I was during the attack I always knew it wasn’t my Evan I was scared of, it was the other part of him, the dark, damaged and maybe even evil side of him.
    I’m snapped back from my thoughts by Dr. Amato and Gabriella arguing quietly in Italian. I write Speak English or go away and tap my pen on the pad of paper to get their attention. The good Dr. looks over my shoulder at my message and nods in agreement. “She wants us to speak in English.” he says to Gabriella.  “Ok, Mia you really need the CT, please.” she pleads placing her hand over mine and squeezing it tight. I remove it and write. Is he ok? I hold up the paper and she inhales a stunned breath.
    “You want to know if he’s ok?” she says and I nod in the affirmative. “Uh…well...no actually he’s not. He’s locked in his old bedroom, from the outside, just like when we were little. He’s a mess, he keeps repeating “I don’t know what happened” and “She’s scared of me” “I’ve ruined it.” My heart clenches in my chest, constricted by his turmoil, it actually hurts.
    I thought I’d experienced a broken heart when I left Evan, but this…this was different, intense, physical and emotional pain like nothing I’ve ever felt before, or want to feel again. Progressively building inside of me, threatening to explode and destroy like a Molotov cocktail. My heart has been through a lot, but feeling the pain of someone you love so deeply, so completely, it’s staggering. Balancing all of this fear and trauma with the love and devotion I have for him is making me weak.
    I have to untangle this mess somehow…what would Evan do in this situation to get what he wanted, how would he handle this? Manipulation, that’s what.  Then it