Chapter 6

Arlene woke up to a blinding headache. The sharp smell of antiseptic burned her nose.

She tried to move her hand. A sharp pinch in her vein stopped her. An IV line was taped to her skin.

The room was dim. The heart monitor beeped in a slow, steady rhythm.

She turned her head. A massive shadow sat in the corner chair.

Hardie was staring at her. His eyes caught the faint light from the hallway, glowing like a predator in the dark.

Arlene pulled the thin hospital blanket up to her chin. Her fingers gripped the cotton fabric tightly.

"You're awake." His voice was gravelly. He sounded like he hadn't slept in days.

He stood up. His tall frame moved toward the bed, blocking out the light. The air in the room suddenly felt too thin to breathe.

"Do you know that if you got here thirty minutes later, you would have died on the table?" He looked down at her.

Arlene looked away. She bit her pale lip.

"Acute gastric mucosal lesion. Esophageal tear. Alcohol poisoning." Hardie recited the words slowly, reading her sins out loud.

He slammed a metal clipboard onto the bedside table.

Arlene jumped at the noise. Tears spilled over her eyelashes. "This has nothing to do with you..."

"Nothing to do with me?" Hardie leaned down. He planted both hands on the mattress on either side of her hips. He trapped her in his shadow.

The heavy scent of cedar and sterile soap overwhelmed her.

"You carry the Boone name. Whether you live or die is my decision. Not yours."

Arlene looked up into his bloodshot eyes. She saw the anger, but she also saw a dark, twisted obsession that made her stomach drop.

"I can't pay for this room." She tried to use logic to push him away. "I'll pay you back for the bill. Then I'll leave."

Hardie laughed. It was a cold, cruel sound. He reached out and pinched her chin, forcing her to look at him. "You think I'm letting you leave?"

His thumb brushed against the purple bruise on her jaw. The touch was soft, but the grip was unbreakable.

"Starting today, you do not step foot outside this room without my permission."

Arlene's eyes widened. "You can't keep me here. That's illegal!"

"Illegal?" Hardie let go of her face and stood up straight. "Let's see who the police believe. A suicidal, illegitimate daughter, or my medical evaluation?"

He turned and walked toward the door.

"Rest well, Arlene. You aren't going anywhere."

The door clicked shut.

Panic seized her chest. She reached over and ripped the IV needle out of her hand. Blood dripped onto the white sheets.

She threw her legs over the side of the bed and stood up.

Her knees buckled instantly. The room spun. She crashed onto the linoleum floor, too weak to even catch herself.

The door flew open. Two nurses rushed in and grabbed her arms, hauling her back onto the bed.

One nurse looked down at her with pity. "Miss, Dr. Boone left strict orders. If you try to leave again, we have to inject you with a sedative."

Arlene lay back against the pillows. She was trapped.