Blood Lies Read Online Free PDF Page A

ahead. I walked over and sat beside her. Our bodies were inches apart, but the divide between us was expanding rapidly.
    Emily cleared her throat. “It’s not their fault.”
    “You don’t pour gas on a wildfire.”
    “That’s how you think of me?” She turned to me, genuine hurt in her eyes. “Totally out of control?”
    I shook my head. “It’s hard enough without them waving temptation right under your nose.”
    “Ben, it was just a couple lines of coke.”
    “And a couple of drinks, too.”
    “Can’t you cut me a little slack?” she said. “Remember? We had my six-month cake last week.”
    “And now we’re back to day zero.”
    “No.” She took my hand in hers. “We’re going to get married next month. Remember? This…” She waved a hand dismissively over the scattered bottles. “It was just a slip. Like cheating on a diet.” She flashed puppy dog eyes at me. “Can’t we write it off as a moment of weakness on a special night?”
    My hand lay flaccid in hers. She squeezed harder. “I’m going to be Mrs. Benjamin Dafoe soon. The mother of your kids. I wouldn’t let any chemical in the world screw that up.”
    She leaned forward and planted her lips on mine. In spite of my passiveness, she kissed harder, her soft tongue caressing my lips and tongue. Her hand reached under my shirt and skittered over my chest before tucking into the waistband of my jeans. Her hand crept lower until it found the perfect spot. When she rolled on top of me and dug the warmth of her groin into my leg, the last of my resistance drained. I yanked off her skirt as I wriggled free of my jeans.
    The angry sex we had was as intense as it had ever been. She fell asleep with me still inside her. I clung to her warm sweaty body, wanting to believe everything she said but sensing that we’d just rounded another curve in a downward spiral.
     
    Three hours after I’d set out on the mountain-bike ride that was supposed to help me forget Emily, I returned home missing her even more, almost disappointed to have remained in one piece. By early evening, despite my exhaustion, I still wasn’t any closer to sleep.
    At a loss for what to do, I showered and headed back to the hospital. There, I went directly to Lara Maxwell’s ICU room. Despite the typical mess of machines and IV lines surrounding the sleeping patient, I was relieved to see the endotracheal tube gone from her mouth, meaning Lara was free of the ventilator.
    Eyes closed, her sister Isabelle lay curled up in the chair beside the bed. With her face clear of all the tears and mascara, Isabelle looked like a normal teenager; a far sight from the drag princess of the morning. Compared to all that I’d seen this day, the two sisters were a wholesome and welcome sight. I turned to leave. Halfway to the door, I was stopped by a soft croaky voice. “Who are you?”
    I looked behind me. Lara sat up in her bed.
    “I’m Dr. Dafoe. I saw you in the Emergency Room.”
    Isabelle roused at the sound of my voice. She stretched in the seat beside her. “Remember, Lara?” She yawned. “He’s the guy I told you about.”
    Lara looked away. “Oh.”
    Isabelle rose and stood at Lara’s bedside. “Mom and Dad will be here in the morning.” She sounded far more defiant than earlier. “And I already told them everything,” she said, as if stripping me of a weapon.
    I nodded. “It’s none of my business.”
    Arms crossed, Isabelle glared at me in full agreement.
    “I just dropped by to see how Lara was doing.”
    “My throat hurts.” Lara coughed harshly. “And it’s still not too easy to breathe.” She adjusted the nasal prongs running under her nose, but her eyes were fixed on the bedsheet. “I guess it could’ve been a lot worse though.”
    “Much.”
    She looked up at me tentatively. “The nurses said you saved my life.”
    “There were lots of people who took care of you.” I shrugged. “What I do know is that Ecstasy and cocaine just about ended your