Chapter 9
The black SUV was still outside.
I could see it from the side window of the consultation room.
Rear passenger door closed now.
Engine off.
A glossy object at the curb, no longer moving anyone anywhere.
Victoria stood near it with her arms crossed, speaking rapidly into her phone.
Natalie paced behind her.
Dominic remained inside the hospital lobby, looking smaller with every notification.
He had built so much of himself on motion.
Cars.
Flights.
Meetings.
Transfers.
Introductions.
Rooms opening because his name sounded useful beside mine.
Now everything around him had slowed.
That was what the call did.
It made people pause before obeying him.
A hospital administrator paused before accepting his version.
A nurse paused before letting him speak for me.
Gerald paused accounts from being quietly moved.
My father paused whatever story Dominic had already begun telling.
And I paused the instinct to protect him from embarrassment.
That was the hardest one.
Dominic finally stopped arguing and stared through the glass at me.
His face was pale.
Angry.
Afraid.
His mouth moved once.
I could not hear the words.
Maybe sorry.
Maybe please.
Maybe don’t.
They all looked similar from a distance.
Allison checked my blood pressure again.
It was high.
Not dangerous yet.
High enough that she frowned.
“You need rest.”
“I know.”
“Do you have a safe place to go?”
I almost answered automatically.
Home.
Then I realized I no longer knew what that word meant.
My father did.
His voice came through the phone.
“Yes. She does.”
Dominic’s phone rang again.
This time, he answered.
I watched his face.
The color drained completely.
He turned away from the glass, one hand pressed to his forehead.
Victoria rushed toward him.
Natalie stood still.
The hospital lobby around them kept moving.
People entered with flowers.
Doctors crossed in white coats.
A man bought coffee.
Life continued around Dominic’s panic, indifferent and bright.
Then Dominic looked back at me.
For the first time, he seemed to understand the call was not about a ride.
It was about everything he thought the ride proved.
Control.
Access.
Ownership.
May you like
All of it shaking.
Read the full story 👉 Dominic realized Audrey’s father had not simply arranged transportation; he had interrupted the systems Dominic used to control her.
