Bound to my Enemy Chapter 78

"I’m going to go outside for a bit," I say.

Margaret glances at , then toward the back door. "Take a sweater, it’s chilly outside."

"I will."

The air outside is indeed cool. I sit on the low step near the garden, wrapping my arms around myself.

I don’t know how long I sit there, but I hear footsteps crunch behind soti later.

"Elaine."

Aaron’s voice sounds like a whisper, I sigh guessing he’s heard the news too.

"You don’t have to whisper," I say. "I’m not that fragile."

He stops a few feet away. "Didn’t say you were."

I glance back at him. He looks uncomfortable in that way n get when they want to help but don’t know how.

"Margaret said you were up," he says.

"I am."

He shifts his weight. "Do you... want company."

I consider lying, but I don’t .

"Yeah," I say. "For a bit."

He sits on the step below , close but not touching. We watch the garden in silence. Birds hop along the fence. Sowhere, a lawn mower hums.

"I’m sorry," he says after a while.

"For what."

"For everything I guess?. I get why you didn’t want people to know, now everyone is acting strange with you. Myself included."

Another pause.

"You scared him," Aaron says.

I don’t need to ask who I already know.

"He shouldn’t be scared," I reply. "It’s not his life and it’s not like he cares or anything like that ."

Aaron doesn’t argue.

"You don’t owe anyone explanations," he says. "But... you don’t have to do this alone either. We are friends... right?."

I look at him a smile pulling at my lips. " Yes we are friends. But I’ve been doing this alone for months now kinda got used to it."

He glances at then looks away again. "Still shouldn’t have to."

My chest tightens. I stand before he can say anything else.

"I’m tired," I say. "I think I’ll go lie down again."

"Okay," he says imdiately. "I’ll be around if you need anything."

I head back inside, up the stairs but instead of Zane’s bedroom I go into the smaller sitting room instead and curl up on the couch, pulling a blanket over myself.

My body gives in fast this ti, sleep dragging under so fast.

I wake up to voices, actually no to soone groaning in pain.

I stay still at first, trying to listen in maybe sleep was just ssing with but another sound cuts through the air, sharper this ti. Pain, unmistakable.

My first thought is to stay where I am, the second is to go see what’s happening.

I push myself upright. The room tilts for a second, my vision dimming around the edges. I wait it out, breathing slowly until the dizziness backs off enough to let stand fully. My bbare feet slap the floor and the voices next door pause, then resu again, quieter now, like they’ve realized I might hear.

That settles it.

I get up, cross the short distance from my door to theirs and push it open without knocking.

The room I step into slls like tal and alcohol and sothing darker underneat.Blood?. I take a sniff to confirm and yeah it’s blood there’s no mistaking it.

Thomas is slumped on the couch, his back pressed into the cushions, his jaw clenched hard enough that I can see the muscle jumping. There’s another man standing near him, one I’ve seen around the house a few tis but never formally t. Broad shoulders, tense stance, eyes flicking to the door the second I walk in.

They both straighten up when they see , instinctively trying to look normal.

Thomas doesn’t make it far. He sucks in a sharp breath and collapses back onto the couch, his hand flying to his side.

"Elaine," he mutters. "You shouldn’t be in here."

I ignore him and move closer. There are towels and cloths piled against his abdon, already dark and wet.... Too wet.

"What happened?" I ask.

"It’s nothing," he says.

I reach for the cloths.

"Elaine...."

I yank them away.

The wound underneath is ugly, deep and angry. Blood wells imdiately, bright against hiskin.

My stomach drops.

"That’s looks like a fucking bullet wound!."

Silence answers .

I look up. Both n won’t et my eyes. The standing one rubs the back of his neck awkwardly and Thomas stares at the ceiling like it might rescue him.

"Was the bullet removed?" I ask.

"Yes," the other man says quickly. "It went clean through. There’s a doctor on call for..... Uhmm when stuff like this happens, his currently on his way."

"How often does this happen," I ask, my voice sharp now, "that you have a doctor on call?"

No answer.

I glance around the room. It doesn’t take long to spot the tal tray on the side table. Guaze, alcohol , forceps and other dical stuff tucked neatly beside a roll of bandage.

"I’m guessing this is his dical room?," I say.

"Yes," the man admits.

"Then get a kit."

They both stare at like I’ve lost my mind.

"I said get a kit."

Thomas shakes his head realizing what I intend to do . "No. Absolutely not."

"You’re bleeding through the towels," I snap. "So you can either let clean it and close the wound up , or you can keep bleeding to death while we wait for soone who isn’t here yet."

"I said no."

I lean closer, lowering my voice so only he hears . "Thomas, you’re not being brave. You’re being stupid. I see how lightheaded you look, you’re sweating profusely and you’re bleeding wayyy too much. I bet you can already feel the life draining out of you."

His jaw tightens and he looks away.

"I grew up with three brothers," I continue. "They did dumb things and got hurt a lot. Didn’t want our parents to know so I learned how to stitch because soone had to take care of them. So don’t worry it’s been a while I might be a little rusty but I am kinda good at it."

He exhales, shaky and defeated. "I hate needles."

"That makes two of us."