Free Violet Addiction by Kirsty Dallas Page B

mind, Miss Trivoli.”
    “Violet,” I said, my thoughts far from my name.
    “Violet.” The doctor smiled gently.
    “What’s wrong with it?” I wondered as his hands carefully pulled the gown down to check my chest. I was so confused; the fact my breasts were suddenly exposed to the strange doctor and cool room barely registered.
    “You were resuscitated, twice,” he explained as he gently pressed my abused ribs and chest. “We did chest compressions. It took quite some time, and to say you are lucky is beyond measure.” Obviously satisfied with whatever he was seeing, the doctor carefully put my gown back in place and pulled the starched white sheet up high.
    “I’m Doctor Willis. I worked on you when you were first brought in and have been monitoring you since. We were able to revive you, obviously, and you’ve been in a coma since then, which was probably for the best. Your body was able to carefully and slowly repair itself somewhat naturally. It also meant you missed the painful period of detox, where you would have been in a considerable amount of discomfort.” The doctor stepped back, and from behind him Harry stepped forward. I wondered why Harry was here, and where exactly was Cain?
    “We’re going to monitor you for another day or so, and if everything seems okay, we will let you go. However, I recommend you head straight to a rehabilitation clinic.” Doctor Willis gave me an apologetic smile. “I am sorry to be so blunt, Violet, but I don’t see many patients come back from this. You were clinically dead for three minutes, and it took your body six days to wake up. That kind of toll on the body usually comes with lasting consequences which we won’t know of immediately. You’ve been given a second chance, don’t throw it away.” I rubbed my head as I nervously wondered what the hell had happened. My skin felt dry and actually dirty, maybe…salty? “We haven’t been able to do more than sponge bathe you this past week. The detox had you perspire quite a lot, which is normal. You will likely find your skin covered in the residual toxins that your body pushed out, as well as a fair amount of salt. We’ve been pumping fluids back into you, but you will need to drink plenty of water and try and get some food into your stomach. You’ve lost a lot of weight in a very short period of time.” The doctor became quiet and what should have been an uncomfortable silence ensued. I was too busy allowing the doctor’s words to sink in. I had OD’ed? I had died?
    “Thank you, doctor,” Harry murmured, which was obviously the doctor’s cue to leave. With a cordial smile, he made a hasty retreat from the room. I glanced around the small private hospital room, taking in the stark decorations. A couch sat against one wall with a discarded blanket on one arm. I guess Cain had been sleeping here. Cain…he would be so pissed at me. Harry’s mouth opened to speak, but I beat him to it.
    “Where’s Cain?” My manager shifted nervously; it was an odd look on him. Harry was never nervous. “He’s gone for Starbucks, hasn’t he? So typical. Missed my grand entry back into the land of the living.” My voice was scratchy, and Harry must have noticed, grabbing a glass of water and helping me raise my head to take a long sip. While I drank, my eyes shifted to Harry’s. He was doing his damnedest not to look at me. “What?” I finally asked as he lowered me back to the pillow.
    “I’m going to find you a clinic, Violet. I don’t care if it leaves me broke, but I won’t let you do this to yourself anymore.” He was angry, and if Harry was angry, Cain would be livid.
    “You sound like Cain,” I said, smiling.
    “Yeah, well, he said something to that effect when he phoned me six days ago. Mind you, he didn’t offer to pay, but his words were something along the lines of, ‘I’ve had it, get her into a clinic or I will kill her myself’.” Harry laughed, nervous again. “Shit, he would crap