Forever Distraction (Distraction #3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

of the trips to the hospital in the past, how they walked ahead of me to shield me from any of the staff. A sickening thought filled my body and I shivered. Smith grabbed my good arm and I pulled it away. I didn’t need to be comforted or touched. I didn’t need anyone. He could leave; he should leave. I heard more footsteps behind me and glanced back at the two other bodyguards following me. I laughed at the thought Smith believed he could protect me from my parents. Even my grandfather tried, and the only thing effective was complete separation, which I had a hard time believing they would allow to happen again.
    We took the elevator to the second floor and neither parent st alled or hesitated; no detours were taken. They walked with purpose and practice, our feet knowing the way by heart, whatever the hell that meant, because what was about to happen next had nothing to do with heart. I walked with them out of habit. I walked with them instead of running away from them out of a combination of anxiety, shame, and embarrassment. I’m not the victim , I continued to repeat in my head. I would face every fear to prove I could, no matter how badly I wanted to sprint in the opposite direction. I knew the drill—look down, don’t make eye contact, and don’t draw attention. It was the same every time they brought me here. The faster I followed their rules, the faster I could get the hell out of there. I heard commotion behind me, and I heard my name, but my father grabbed my good arm, coaxing me down a hall and through some offices until we reached an exam room.
    “Katarina , you can wait in there.” My father looked behind me, and then he turned his full attention back to me. He lowered his voice, acting like I was a fragile being. “We called Dr. Holtin, and he is on his way.” Shit. My eyes rounded and my heart pumped more radically. I think my father enjoyed that expression, because his smile widened as he took a moment to bask in my fright. It was something I hid, compartmentalized, and he rarely saw, but I was off, my game face gone with the numbness. I couldn’t mask how much I hated Dr. Holtin. He was an evil spawn and the scariest man I have ever met, worse than the boogey man in my closet. He was my parents’ friend and my longtime pediatrician, except I wasn’t sure he really was a pediatrician. He just didn’t seem to have the caring qualities a children’s doctor had. He always treated me like a project with his complete lack of empathy; all of it made me believe he was just someone my parents hired to hide what they did to me. I took a seat in the corner of the room and picked up a magazine. I peered up at the sound of a door closing as my father left. Anxiety filled me, knowing what was next, dreading the alone time with Dr. Holtin.
    A little while later , a young, female nurse walked in. I only noticed her small feet; if I was guessing, they were a size six. Light blue scrub pants and white tennis shoes moved quickly under my fallen head. She started chattering, but I ignored everything she said, knowing from experience I was not supposed to talk to anyone in the hospital; it was a rule. I continued to read about the royal baby just born, and the nurse kneeled down in front of me, trying hard to get my attention. She put her hand on my now-bruising arm.
    “We should get an x-ray of that.” I continued to pretend she was only a figment of my imagination. “What happened, Ms. Covington? Does it hurt?”
    I knew she was seconds away from getting in trouble and then fired. “You shouldn’t be in here,” I whispered.
    “What?” Her voice was as soft as mine, but I didn’t break my attention away from the magazine . I heard the door swing open, and felt a rush of air that followed. The nurse stood up, and I watched her Nikes move away from me. I heard her murmur about ordering an x-ray, but the doctor quickly dismissed it, ordering her to leave the room. His voice slithered underneath my skin, and