Page 44 of Before and After

She was sitting up in the bed, a frown on her face. She still looked pale, her blonde hair lank and brushed back from her face, but all in all, much better.

“Hi, Mellody. My name’s Allie?—”

“You helped me.” She swallowed. “Last night is a big haze with a lot of blank spots, but I remember you. You got me safe and got me to the hospital.”

I nodded.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“These are for you.” Ollie held up the bouquet of roses. “Aunt Allie let me pick. I picked yellow because she told me you got hurt and needed something to cheer you up.”

“Oh, thanks.” Mellody took the flowers. “These are beautiful.”

“My mom liked daisies.”

I pressed my hand to his shoulder. “This is my nephew, Ollie.”

Mellody smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Ollie. I really appreciate the flowers.”

“You already have a huge bouquet.” I nodded at the beautiful flowers in a vase by her bed.

“From the hotel.” She tucked some hair behind her ear. “It was really nice of them to send it.”

“Are you feeling better?” I asked.

She nodded. “Much better and not groggy. My parents are flying in today.”

“I’m so sorry your trip ended like this.”

“It could have been a lot worse. It wasn’t, thanks to you.”

“Do you know who did this?”

She shook her head, her hands clenching on the white sheets. “I don’t want to think it was the guys I was with. They were so nice and fun. They didn’t seem like creeps.” She pressed a hand to her chest. “The super intense hotel security guy was here earlier. He asked me a bunch of questions, and he promised to find who did this.”

“He’s a man who keeps his promises. We’ll let you rest. Ollie needs to get to school.”

Mellody reached out and grabbed my hand. Squeezed. “Thank you, Allie.”

“You’re welcome.”

After I dropped Ollie at school, I headed to the Langston. I had butterflies in my stomach at the thought of seeing Caden again.

“Get a grip, Allie,” I muttered under my breath. “You’re an adult.”

I thought of Mellody. Of what could’ve happened to her, if we hadn’t collided in the ladies’ room. My jaw tightened. It was the ESG. They werenotgood guys, and it seemed that their idea of fun included drugging young women.

Assholes.

They could target someone else. They had to be stopped.

After I’d parked my car and headed toward the staff entrance, my determination solidified. Soon, I was changed into my uniform, and went to meet with my team.

“Morning, everyone.”

“Allie, is it true you saved a girl in the bar last night?” Marcy asked.

I should’ve known word would’ve gotten around. No one gossiped more than staff in a hotel.