Chapter 17: Chapter 17

◇ KEL ◇

What on Earth's happening?

This weekend was supposed to be a fun, celebratory occasion for my best friend, a birthday gathering with his rarely-around parents and close cousins.

But after having personally witnessed the dire consequences of a heinous crime, and before I had to resuscitate and stitch up two ambush victims in a matter of an hour,  I might just be trapped in a long, soul-scarring nightmare.

Where the heck was Miles? I hadn't seen him since he'd left me in the garden to have brunch alone. Was he okay?

Was he still in the study room with his parents?  I needed to see him now and tell him all the weird crap that's happened in the last hour and a half.

It was starting to feel like the longest morning of my life. It was almost strange that I'd been able to keep my brunch down even after all that bloody mess I had to manage just to keep Cloe and the injured guy alive.

Even the drying blood on my fingertips didn't faze me. I stared down at my chest, my tired arms, then at my hands. They still looked pinkish from all that blood I tried to wash off. My muscles felt tense and my strained legs still trembled somewhat, but not my hands.

Maybe it was a sign? A sign that I could survive med school, be a surgeon, and eventually make my career goals a reality?

Did I have to accompany Cloe and Enzo to the hospital with Ricchar and his men?  Crossing paths with murderous criminals wasn't on my to-do list, and I really would leave this place as soon as I could. No matter the slim chances, I would get out of here alive and in one piece.

I needed to go back home now. I had to. My family was waiting for me.

The recurring thought kept me preoccupied as I weakly stripped my bloody dress off of me. My sweaty underwear fell on the bathroom floor next, and I didn't bother turning on the lights before stepping into the empty and cold shower room.

Soon I would be leaving this estate with Miles. But first, I would calm my nerves with a quick, hot shower. I deserved it. I'd done a good job today—I saved someone's life. It was the only consoling thought keeping me from submitting to another panic attack.

The loud but soothing spray of warm water refreshed my skin in seconds, slowly but effectively ridding me of negative thoughts I shouldn't be focusing on at this moment.

I was alive and well. Miles and his family were okay. And I had unexpectedly saved two people from dying today. "Enough reasons to stay optimistic, K."  As far as my sanity was concerned, I had to maintain a positive mindset. The shampoo had just started making bubbles on my wet hair when thuds echoed in the spacious room.

Crap!  I hadn't locked the door? I was completely alone, vulnerable, and didn't have any clothes on! Ugh!

Panic made me hurriedly wash my face and rub soap off of my body as my heart was pounding harder in my chest. But before I could find a towel to cover myself up, the shower door slid open in one quick swoop.

Right in front of me stood a tall and wide-eyed, fully clothed guy I was just about to go look for. In his hand was my bunched up dress ruined by large, dark red stains. "Your clothes..."

"What—"

"You okay? Let me see." He grabbed me and abruptly turned me around. He gripped my shoulders tight enough to leave bruises.

"Miles!" was all I could say in utter shock. I was completely naked from head to toe, soaking wet from the shower, with the floor tiles still pink from all the blood I'd just scrubbed off of my body.

"Why're you bleeding? What's this?" His fingers pressed onto the side of my hip, then on the part above my buttocks.

"Ow!" I glanced down at his hand on my bare skin. On my hip and lower back were darkening contusions. From last night in the maze?

"Where'd you get this?"

"Could you just—" I hurriedly pushed him out of the shower room—only to regret it the second I realized I was going to slip.

But Miles caught me by the waist, and his strong arm kept me from falling face-first on the wet, solid tiles.

My sloppy nudeness got stuck on his clothes until the shock lessened and gave me enough strength to shove him off again. "Are you freakin' kidding me!"

"Like I haven't seen you naked before," he mumbled with a frown before he finally let me go. His hands, feet, and arms just got wet from the steamy shower. Miles handed me a towel when we stood face-to-face again, his pointed nose almost touching my damp forehead.

"You couldn't have knocked?" I grumbled while avoiding his eyes. I swiftly wrapped the towel around my exposed body. My chest still pounded like a jackhammer from all that physical contact. Jeez...

In all my 25 years here on this Earth, I had never let any man see me in nothing but my birthday suit. Much less the guy I was pretending to be in a relationship with!

"You scared me shitless!"  I rushed out of the bathroom as I caught my breath, leaving him alone outside the shower. My entire face probably blushed a tomato-red shade from utter embarrassment.

"I was just worried," Miles reasoned with a scowl that probably matched mine. His brows creased more as he wiped himself dry with his own shirt.

Drats. Why did he follow me back to the bedroom with just his damp pants on?

"Why was there blood on the floor?"  He stood near me now, with his bare chest still quite shiny from dampness. "Your cycle isn't supposed to start this week."

"Oh my g—"  How did he even know that stuff? Had he actually been counting? It shocked my thoughts even more, messing them up all over again.

"There's blood on the sink."

"Could you just stay outside for a minute?"  Annoyed and mentally swearing to myself, I rushed back to the bathroom with a robe this time. I had to finish my shower, which he had just rudely interrupted for nothing.

"Hey—"

I shut the door in his face. "Just gimme a minute."

"We're leaving. Hurry up."

"I would've been done by now if you hadn't barged in like that." I had to shout from inside the shower area. For seconds, I just let the water stay running while I leaned against the cold wall. I should be rushing to finish my bath, but, at the moment, my foggy head could think of nothing but his surprising comment.

What did he say? He'd seen me naked before?

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