Page 28 of Devoured

Marion smiled back, something genuine and warm flickering in her eyes.

Tobias overheard and leered at me. “Oh, you slept good, huh? Maybe next time you can sleep under me. I’ll make sure you get real comfortable.”

The disgust must have been clear on my face.

“In your fucking dreams, asshole.”

His expression darkened. Before I could react, he slammed me against the wall, pressing his forearm against my throat.

“What did you just say to me, you fat bitch?”

“Leave her alone!”Marion stepped forward.

Tobias backhanded her across the face, the sound echoing off the concrete. Before she could recover, he grabbed her by the hair and slammed her into the opposite wall, pinning her with his body.

“Time someone taught you bitches some respect,”he growled, his free hand roaming over her chest as she struggled.

Marion tried to shove him away, but he pressed closer, his hand sliding lower.

“Maybe you’ll learn to keep your mouths shut.”

“Get off her!”I lunged forward—

—but the other orderly’s panicked voice rang out behind us.

“Tobias, man, this is too far. I’m getting Sela.”

His footsteps echoed as he ran.

Tobias leaned in close to Marion’s ear, whispering something that drained the color from her face. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaking down her cheeks, while his hands continued their assault.

“Really, Tobias?”Nurse Sela’s voice sliced through the chaos

I looked up. She stood at the end of the hallway, hands on her hips, more annoyed than concerned. “It’s not even ten AM and you’re already tormenting patients?”

Tobias stepped back, letting Marion fall like she meant nothing. She hit the ground with a soft, broken sound. I dropped beside her, wiping the tears from her cheek with the edge of my sleeve.

Tobias turned to Sela, lifting his hands like a schoolboy caught mid-prank.

“They were being difficult,”he said. “Resisting.”

“Uh-huh.”Sela walked over, her shoes clicking sharply on the tile. That pen was already going. Click. Unclick. Click.

What was with her and that damned pen?

She looked down at me and Marion with thinly veiled disgust, like we were something she’d scraped off her shoe.

Click. Unclick.

“Get up. Both of you. Now.”

I helped Marion up. Her body shook all over. A trickle of blood ran down from where her head had hit the concrete, and her shirt was torn where Tobias had grabbed her.

“Breakfast line’s already started,”Sela said, flat and irritated. “You’ll be lucky if there’s anything left. And I suppose I’ll have to hear complaints about that too.”

Tobias was already walking away, whistling like nothing had happened.

“Move,”Sela snapped, her patience frayed. “And next time, try not to provoke him. Some of us have better things to do than babysit problem patients who can’t follow simple rules.”