The drive to the hospital was silent, the tension heavy as I kept glancing over at Vivian, who was pale and growing quieter with each mile. Her voice had started to fade, a strained whisper by the time we’d left the office. The bruises on her neck stood out, darkening with each passing hour, and she was beginning to look unsteady, her breaths coming shallow. I’d tried to suggest staying home and resting, but the hoarseness in her voice was enough to send us here.
By the time we walked into the hospital, she was holding her throat, wincing each time she swallowed. They took her back quickly, and I followed close behind, every step measured, each breath deep and steady to keep myself from storming right back to where Thorne was and finishing what he’d started. Just the thought of him, his h
