Page 97 of Make Me Bleed

Abel’s chest is heaving, but he’s not looking at anyone but me. And when our eyes meet, he gives me a small smile before they turn him around and escort him out of the room.

“Where the hell are you taking him?” I shout and try to follow, only to cry out when my foot makes contact with the floor.

“Honey, come on. Sit down. You’re no good to anyone when you can’t even walk.”

“Where the hell are they taking Abel?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can you?—”

“You want me to figure it out?” she asks with a soft smile, and I nod.

“Please.”

“Okay, baby.” She wraps her arm around me and squeezes before pushing off the table and walking over to one of the security guards. They’ve taken both Abel and Luke out of the room, and now, it’s just Ma and me with a few of the arena staff.

After a minute, she walks back over with a sad smile. “What.” It’s not a question but a demand.

“They’re being reprimanded and taken into custody. The cops have already arrested?—”

“Arrested?! Abel?! For what?”

“Assault. Luke has claimed that he didn’t do anything?—”

“He fucking broke a no-contact order and was threating me!”

“I know, honey. We’ll get this straightened out, I promise.”

“But Abel…”

“He’ll be okay.”

I drop my head into my hands, feeling defeated. “This is so fucked.”

“I know.”

The hospital visit takes forever,but Ma insisted we go and get my ankle taken care of because there’s nothing we can do until Abel is arraigned anyway.

I sit restlessly after getting my x-rays, staring at the clock on the wall like it’ll move any faster if I look at it hard enough.

“Patience, honey.”

“I want to go fucking get him out.”

“I know, but we have to wait.”

“Why?” I ask again, knowing the answer.

“Because it takes time for him to be brought in and ran through the system. He has to see a judge and given bail and all of that.”

“What if these charges stick?” I ask warily.

“They won’t, Peris. Not with who Luke is. And I'll get Abel a damn good lawyer in case anything does happen, but don't worry because I don't think it will.” I pull in a breath and let it out slowly. The pain killers they gave me are working great, and I can barely feel the throbbing in my ankle.

“First game with your little boyfriend and all this happens. Do you believe in bad omens?” Gabe says as he slides open the door to my room in the emergency room, and I roll my eyes.

“Fuck yourself.”