LOGINI stand to greet Dr. Hanson as he steps inside.“Dr. Hanson, I’m sorry to have called on short notice. I hope this hasn’t inconvenienced you.” I shake his hand as I apologize.“No need, Lincoln. It’s no inconvenience at all.” He offers.I watch as the officers slide by with a nod and leave without a word, leaving me to tend to Jessie.“I’m glad to hear it. Jessie is just in the other room. Please, follow me.” I begin walking down the hallway to my bedroom and knock before opening the door.“Well, I never thought I’d see the day where you’d have a woman in your home nonetheless in your bed.” He mocked softly. Dr. Hanson was not only my doctor but a longtime acquaintance and he - like others, was more than aware of my skepticism and need for privacy in my house.“Well, she’s not that kind of woman. I’ve known her since we were children and we’re not intimately involved.”“To your dismay or hers?” He asks quizzically.“Truthfully, mine.” I say quietly before opening the door to find Jess
After watching Lincoln check on Jessie for what had to be the hundredth time since she’d finally laid back down, I decided I could finally allow myself to sit and breathe.My legs felt weak the moment I lowered myself onto the edge of the chair, like they’d only just realized the crisis had passed. The adrenaline that had kept me upright was slowly bleeding out of my system, leaving behind a bone-deep exhaustion.She’s alive.Mike saved her.She’s going to be okay.I repeated it over and over in my head, clinging to the words like a lifeline. I’d been saying the same thing to myself since the moment Lincoln had pulled her from the shower—her skin icy, her breathing shallow, his hands shaking even as he tried to stay calm. The image still sat heavy in my chest.Footsteps approached down the hall, breaking the silence. I looked up instinctively.Lincoln stood there, shoulders tense, posture rigid in that way he got when he was holding himself together by sheer will. He ran a hand throug
I silently sulk back to my house just across the front lawn, every step heavy, deliberate. I close the door softly behind me, as if any sound might shatter what little composure I have left. Truly, I’m at a loss for words after the way Alan chose to defend Jessie—after the way he turned on me.He was supposed to be happy that she was dealt with. This should’ve opened his heart up to me completely. That was what he promised to me. But he lied then.He didn’t just protect her. He didn’t just worry about her safety. He was willing to end my life in exchange for hers. I would’ve called it bullshit—would’ve convinced myself he’d never go that far—if he hadn’t pressed down on my throat and stolen the oxygen from my lungs, from my brain, long enough for panic to blur my vision and reality to slip. He choked me. Not only that, but he did it so effortlessly and left me heaving on the floor with little to no consideration.The memory still clings to me as I walk down the hallway in silence, my
I turn to leave Alan to my suspicions and feel the air thicken as he calls out to me. “Rebecca, wait. Blaire said that she might have done something to Jessie. I’ve tried calling every hospital and morgue but I can’t find her anywhere.” I watch his eyes as he looks down at a list of crossed out outlets that he’s already researched - he really is worried. “Is there any way for you to make sure that she’s okay?”I shouldn’t get involved. It’s bad enough that I’m expected to trick this poor girl into believing that her abuse by her husband was nothing but a marriage spout. But to top that off, she has Blaire after her and even I’ve participated in these cruel acts against her.Is it fair for me to treat her? It goes against m ethics to take on any patients in which I have any personal feelings towards and what I feel towards Jessie is extremely personal.“Rebecca.” Alan’s calling out to me snaps me back to reality. “Rebecca.”“Huh?” I say as I blink and then redirect my attention to him
“You never know when you’ve gone too far, Blaire. I’ve excused your actions countless times but this is past my breaking point. I warned to stay away from Jessie and I made it clear to you that I had no intention of being with you, did I not?” I growl in a low tone while applying pressure to her neck, pinning her to the wall. Her eyes staring at me with newly formed red veins and bewilderment.“Answer me!” I hiss.She nods slightly in agreement.“So why the hell would you be so stupid as to execute a plan to harm her and then bring that information to me with excitement? Do you honestly think that this is what I want?” I say in disgust as I look at her from head to toe and refocus on her reddened face.I squeeze her neck a bit harder for a moment, fighting between the urge to release her or expel her from my existence permanently but I couldn’t bear to do it with Jeremy just upstairs.The thought of him seeing this and the look on his face is enough to stop me - it’s just enough for
“Oh, look,” I snort, squinting at the vibrating phone as it skitters across the marble countertop. “The phone is ringing. It must be that useless little man I found.” I knew I couldn’t make any attempts firsthand so I took a more absent and cautious approach.I circle the kitchen island, bare feet sliding slightly against the tile, an open bottle of wine dangling loosely from my fingers. I’d been drinking straight from it for the past hour—long enough for the room to feel just a little too tilted, just a little too forgiving. The lights above the sink buzz faintly, irritating me more than they should as I reach to see who’s calling.Unknown number.The same one.The corners of my mouth twitch as I answer, amusement lacing my tone. I’d been waiting for this. Hoping for it, even.“I hope this has produced a fine resolution,” I say coolly, dragging out the last word like a warning.“The flowers were delivered,” he replies, breathless, as if he’d been running. “Set right where you wanted







