Page 90 of Her Dom's Secret Past

Anabelle tried to give him a lopsided smile as the nurse spoke.

“She’s going to be okay. She’s got some broken bones and bruising, but she’ll recover, won’t you, Anabelle?”

Charlie patted Justin on the back and lifted his head.

“See, dear one, she’s going to be okay.”

“It was the shock.” Justin gave Anabelle a half-hearted smile and asked worriedly. “Are you sure you’re okay? How can I help make you better?”

She mumbled, “Justin, I’ll be fine”

The pair of them nodded and Charlie kissed her cheek softly. I knew these two admired and loved her as much as I did. Charlie held out my keys.

“We brought your car up. Justin thought you’d need it.”

“Thanks, guys, I thought I’d have to get a cab back.”

“It’s in the car park. Three rows back and on the left. The gate’s open for the night and you won’t have to pay.”

I nodded as I put my keys in my pocket. Finally, Anabelle looked at me fully.

“John.”

“Hello, my darling.”

“They tried to kill me.”

Fuck, it was as if someone had stabbed me.

My eyes filled with tears as I almost sobbed my reply, “I’m so sorry.”

“Because I knew you, I almost got killed.”

She pulled her hand from mine and gently touched her mouth as if I were nothing but scum. I couldn’t handle it.

“Anabelle, please, I’m so sorry.”

She shook her head a little then grimaced from the pain the movement caused.

“You need to go now…”

That did it. I knew this was all my fault. My beautiful Anabelle had almost been killed because of me and she wanted me out of her life. I turned and quickly stumbled from the hospital bay before I could hear another word of recrimination. I rushed to my car, wrenching the door open, and then tires screaming, I took off into the night, my eyes burning with unshed tears.

I drove like a maniac for five minutes. Then I pulled over and cried. I howled like a baby. She was right, my dearest Anabelle was right. This was all my fault. I never should have gotten involved with her, I never should have fallen in love. Because of me, she was lying in a hospital bed in pain. As far as I knew she’d been raped and almost killed. No wonder she blamed me, no wonder she looked at me as if I were the lowest of the low.

Gone, she was gone from my life.

My heart shattered into a million pieces as I sat there and bawled nonstop.