At the clinic, the antiseptic air clung to Love’s throat. She took a deep, shaky breath on the hard plastic bench, her knuckles white where she gripped the edge. The fluorescent lights hummed a tuneless dirge. One of the police officers who had brought them emerged from the treatment corridor, his heavy boots squeaking on the linoleum. His face, usually set in stern lines, was carefully neutral as he walked over.“The doctor is with her now,” he said, his voice lowered.Love was on her feet instantly, a surge of adrenaline burning through the fatigue. “Is she alive?”“Yes,” he confirmed, holding up a placating hand. “But it seems she’s going to need a neck brace. They’re running scans to be sure there’s no spinal involvement.”The confirmation of life hit Love like a wave, leaving her weak-kneed with relief, but the details quickly curdled it into a fresh, simmering anger. She breathed out, rubbing her eyes as if to scrub away the horrific image of Given crumpled on the floor. “What a
Last Updated : 2026-01-10 Read more