5. Running from Nightmares
CHAPTER 5
RUNNING FROM NIGHTMARES
Nisa
I feel like someone is swinging a sledgehammer against my head. The hammer smashes against my skull with each pump of my heart. I open my eyes, and the muted light from the hallway outside is enough to make me turn over in agony.
The doctor said I'd have headaches but it's only a small side effect. He said that I was lucky to be alive and that it's a miracle I wasn't more severely injured.
How does a brain hemorrhage not qualify as severely injured?
I slowly sit up on the hard mattress and press the buzzer for the nurse. I need something for this headache before I bash my head against the wall.
I've been in the hospital for the past week, and though I'm feeling better, the doctor's still don't want to let me leave until I have a better handle on the pain. I was brought in with swelling, a brain bleed, as well as a nasty gash on my scalp. I'd have a bald spot for a while, but it's better than the alternative.
Death.
My phone vibrates loudly on the small dinner tray. I don't need to look at the screen to know who it is.
Marc.
My bad decisions are finally coming back to bite me in the ass. I don't know how I got involved in this mess, but it's too late for me to walk away. Hell, it was too late for me to walk away the moment that bastard knew who I was.
The vibrating stops for a second and only to start right back up again. My breath hitches as I try to keep myself from crying.
I can't deal with this. I can't deal with him. I need to go someplace where he won't find me.
"Hey darling, you rang for me?" Mallory, my night nurse stands at my door, she's usually one of three that work overnight, but I don't think I've ever seen the other two. I feel bad she's stuck doing all the work. I wouldn't have buzzed her if I didn't need it.
"Yeah, sorry to bug you but do you think I can get something for my head?" I look over to her, and she tilts her head to the side, her eyes full of compassion.
"Of course, give me a few minutes, okay? We're short-staffed tonight, and I'm running around like a chicken with no head." She rolls her eyes, and I chuckle along with her.
My phone vibrates again. I want to reach over and tell that bastard that I'm never coming back.
"You sure are a popular one, huh?" Mallory says.
"Yeah, unfortunately." I shake my head, and the small motion is enough to send another wave of teeth clenching pain through my system.
"I'll go get your pain pills."
I hear her walk off, but all I can focus on is my phone going off yet again. Since I've been here, my mother has been here every day. The police show up to question me under the disguise of checking in to make sure I'm healing well. The most surprising visits are from the Chrome Creed MC. So far, both Spike and Rumble have come to see me. The doctor banned them from coming back. Both times, they upset me so badly my blood pressure skyrocketed, and they had to medicate me.
Leo doesn't even have the balls to question me himself. I don't expect him to. Ever since my brother Hugh died, I only see Leo when I pop up at the club, and he doesn't even want me doing that. The man wants nothing to do with me.
"Here you are, sweetie." Mallory walks in with her cart and the medicine. She scans my wristband and hands me a small cup with two pills in it. Before she has a chance to pour me a glass of water, an emergency code is called over the PA system, and I see everyone running toward the other side of the floor.
"Nisa, you okay? I need to go!" Mallory is already rushing out of the room with her cart before I can answer. I throw the pills in my mouth and swallow them down with no water.
The phone buzzes again.
Fuck this!
I hop off the bed and answer it. "Marc, leave me the hell alone. I already told you-"
"Shut your mouth, Nisa!" Marc's voice thunders through the phone, and every ounce of my bravado evaporates.
His voice softens before he continues, "It seems like you forgot what the fuck I've done for you. If it weren't for me, you and your mother would be in the alley sucking dick for cash. You need me, Nisa. I don't know why you think fighting this will change the outcome. You always come back, I'm all you have. I'm all you need." Marc sighs, "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."
The line goes dead, and I'm stuck looking at the phone, waiting for someone to come through the line and drag me back to him. After a second, I toss the phone on the bed and press my hands to my face to catch the tears streaming down. I'm sucking in air so fast it feels like my lungs are racing to keep up. The world starts to spin, and I know if I don't get myself under control, I'm going to pass out.
I lean back against the bed and force myself to breathe normally.
Deep breath in through the nose, hold it, out through the mouth.
I do this until I can sit up without worrying about falling face-first to the ground.
The nights here are the worst, It's so quiet, and I'm always so alone. I get up and walk over to the door to see if Mallory is sitting at the nurses' station. She's always good for a quick chat.
I peek my head around the door frame, and I see no one. They must all still be working on that sick patient.
There's no one around.
This is it! My chance to run away without anyone noticing. I'm sure they have camera's here, but I'll be long gone before they look through that.
It'll break my mother's heart to lose me, but I can't stand the thought of something happening to her because of my poor choices.
I rush over to the small closet in the room and pull out one of the outfits that Mom brought for me. It's a black jogging suit. I'm assuming she thought I'd be comfortable in it. Right now, I need to be stealthy in it. I pull the hood of the thin sweater over my head, slip my phone in my pocket, and tiptoe to the door.
"Mallory?" I call just loud enough for her to hear if she were near. When I don't hear a response, I rush to the elevator, keeping as close to the walls as possible. I hope it's enough to keep me out of the cameras.
No one stops me as I walk through the lobby downstairs and out the front doors.
The brisk night air caresses my skin as I speed walk away from the hospital. I keep going until I can only barely see the lights of the hospital. I don't hear any police sirens. Maybe they won't come for me.
I hope it's this easy.
I stop and lean against the sidewall of a shuttered clothing store to catch my breath. The throbbing in my head is starting back up again, but it's not too bad. I'm going to be missing those pills soon.
"What the hell am I going to do now?"
I can't go home, I will never go to Marc, and the Chrome Creed don't want me.
For someone who's supposed to be so lucky, it feels like my life is just one shit day after another.