The Secret

by Maggie Cole

  Derek ran in and hugged me. "Meg, I just heard about Collin."

  I started crying.

  "Hey now, he's gonna be okay. Collin's a fighter."

  My crying progressed into sobbing.

  "What about you? Are you hurt too?"

  "I'm fine."

  "She has a concussion and is being checked for internal bleeding," Liv updated Derek.

  "Meg, if you need anything—"

  "I'm fine," I repeated.

  Tom walked over. "Sorry D didn't know you were still in town or I would have called."

  "What's the current status?"

  "Waiting, man. They have two more bullets to remove still, but they're lodged in his muscles."

  "Shit, man."

  "Hey D, go give blood. All we can do right now is give blood."

  "Show me the way." Derek kissed me on the head.

  I don't know how much time passed. So many people arrived and left. Tom made calls, and Liv sat in a chair next to my roll away.

  "It's been a long time. Why aren't they coming out?"

  Liv stroked my hair. "They are lodged, so I think that means it will take longer."

  I closed my eyes. I was so tired.

  "The doctor mentioned it was safe and good for you to sleep. Why don't you take a short nap?" Liv suggested.

  I shook my head. "I need to know how Collin is."

  Liv bent down, so she was eye to eye with me. "I'll wake you up. You need to sleep."

  Exhaustion set in, so I closed my eyes and drifted off.

  I dreamed that Collin and I lived in our new place and made love in his bed. I saw him in the car shirtless, except for his tie. We were on a beach and got married.

  Then, I dreamed he pushed me to the ground, and his body fell on mine, as blood gushed everywhere, and he slipped away from me. I tried to grab his hand, but he floated farther and farther away.

  I started screaming, completely hysterical, as sweat poured out of me. Tears dripped down my face, and I begged Collin not to leave me.

  Tom raced over and woke me up. He held me in his arms, "Shh… It's only a dream, Meg."

  Relief surged through me. I had finally calmed down just as the doctor walked in.

  "Ms. Corwin?"

  She was nowhere to be seen.

  Tom walked over to the doctor. "She's outside getting some fresh air."

  "He's out of surgery and in intensive care. He lost a lot of blood. He's stable right now but not out of the woods."

  I stood up and walked over to them, grabbing Tom's arm to steady myself.

  "Can I see him?"

  "Are you family?"

  "I'm his girlfriend."

  He gave me an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but only family or emergency contacts are allowed in the intensive care unit. You'll have to wait until he wakes up or gets moved to a different unit."

  I looked at Tom in panic.

  "Doctor, Meg is his family."

  The doctor gave me another sympathetic smile. "I'm so sorry, but it's a strict hospital policy.” He turned and walked away.

  Liv came up and put her arm around me. "Let's go sit down, Meg."

  I let her lead me to the couch. "I can't believe this."

  I heard Tom say, "Keri, Sam, come here."

  Stacey appeared back into the room. "Did I miss anything?"

  "Only the update that he's out of surgery," I snapped.

  She jumped back, eyes wide.

  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap."

  She cautiously came over and sat down next to me. "Meg, right?"

  "Yes."

  "How are you feeling?"

  I shrugged my shoulders. "Probably better than Collin."

  She smiled. "Collin's tough. I'm sure he's going to be okay."

  Liv jumped in. "You're the only one allowed back."

  "What?"

  "They will only let family or the emergency contact in to see him. They won't let Meg or anyone else."

  "I see. Meg, do you want me to go check on him?"

  I picked my head up. She was Collin's ex, but it wasn't her fault that this happened or that they wouldn't let me see him. I wanted to go back, but at least she could confirm to me that he was okay. "Please."

  She patted my hand. "I'll be back soon." She turned and walked away.

  "Well, she seems nice," I mumbled to Liv.

  "I think under a different situation, you two would get along well."

  I rolled my eyes.

  It seemed like forever, but Stacey finally returned. She showed us her phone. "He's sleeping. I took a picture of him for you. Do you have your phone?"

  I glanced at Liv. "I don't know where it is."

  Liv pulled my phone out of her pocket. I gave her a grateful smile.

  Stacey air-dropped the picture to me. An image of Collin popped up. Tears flooded my eyes. He slept peacefully, with blankets pulled up under his arms, and a bandage wrapped around his left bicep.

  I thanked Stacey. She gave me a nod and walked over to Tom.

  The nurse came out for my checkup. "So far, so good. Did you get any sleep?"

  "A little."

  "That's good. Try to get some more if you can. I heard that Mr. Corwin is out of surgery. I'm sure he will be sleeping for a while."

  I nodded so she would leave. I was over this song and dance and needed to figure out how to see Collin.

  I laid down on the rollaway and stared at his picture. It was now early in the morning. I couldn't believe that just a few hours earlier, Collin and I were making out in the car. Now he was fighting for his life.

  A thought occurred to me. I walked over to Liv. "What happened to Matt?"

  Liv fidgeted with her fingers.

  "What?"

  She cautiously scanned my eyes. "They shot him."

  "Better be dead."

  She slowly shook her head.

  I stared at her and waited.

  "They shot him in the shoulder, and he was out of surgery hours ago. He is handcuffed to the bed and in recovery."

  Anger flew through me. I glared at Tom. "Your bodyguards let him live?"

  He stood up. "Meg, calm down."

  "No! Collin was shot three times, and Matt gets a shot to the shoulder? Are you kidding me?" I yelled at him.

  Tom ran his hand through his hair; his leg started twitching. "Meg, I would have killed the guy myself. I wish they would have. I'm still getting all the details of what happened."

  "What room is he in?" I sneered.

  Tom pretended he didn't know.

  For the first time since I met him, Tom Marko lied to me. And I knew it.

  I pushed his stomach. "You're a shitty liar, Tom. What is his room number?"

  He grabbed me by the shoulders. "His room is being guarded by the police. He is under arrest and will be processed once he's out of medical danger. You can't go down there."

  "Room number. Now."

  He shook his head.

  "Four-twenty-eight," Sam spoke up behind me.

  "Sam!"

  "I'll go with her."

  Tom put his face next to Sam's. "Not a good idea, man."

  Liv came up. "Let her go. Sam, go with her."

  Tom jerked his head at Liv, surprised. She reached out and put her hand on his twitching leg. "Let her go."

  "One condition," Sam told me.

  I waited.

  "Wheelchair or I carry you? Which one?"

  I rolled my eyes.

  "Pick, Grail."

  "Wheelchair."

  He grabbed a wheelchair down the hall.

  I didn't have a plan, but I needed to face him.

  Sam wheeled me down the hall and into the elevator. Once we got to the fourth floor, it was easy to know which room, because there was a policeman stationed outside his door.

  It was soon apparent the officer was a huge Sam Quinto fan. Sam put on the charm, thanked him for his service, and asked him about himself. After a few minutes, his voice got quiet, "Hey man, I need a huge favor. Do you think
you could help me out?"

  The officer smiled at him. "What do you need?"

  Sam leaned closer to him. "That piece of shit you have laying in there shot my agent, Collin Corwin."

  "Collin Corwin, the former Volts player?"

  Sam nodded. "Yeah, that's my boy."

  "I'm sorry to hear that, but I'm not sure I like where this is going." The officer shifted in his chair.

  He pointed to me, "This is Collin's girlfriend, Meg." Then he pointed to the door. "That douchebag used to kick the crap out of her and is laying in there while our guy is fighting for his life, so what I need from you is to give my girl a few minutes to get some closure, if you know what I'm saying."

  The officer exhaled. "I'm not supposed to let anyone in there."

  "I understand. Sometimes though, officers need to go to the bathroom, or get some coffee."

  The officer stayed silent.

  He raised his eyebrows at him. "Do you think you can help me out?"

  The officer peered at Sam, then me, then back at Sam. He finally held up his hand, "Five minutes—I was always a Collin Corwin fan. He's a tough baller, so I hope he has that on his side. Don't leave any major bruises." He walked away.

  Sam helped me up and opened the door for me. I stepped into the room, turned, and looked at Sam. "Stay here."

  He hesitated, then nodded. I shut the door.

  I stood near the doorway and looked at Matt, who slept peacefully, handcuffed to the bed. After years of trying to erase the memory of him and all the abusive things he did to me from my head, I now stood in front of him no longer wanting to hide.

  As I thought of Collin, who fought for his life, the idea to put a pillow over Matt's head and suffocate him flew into my mind. Then, I saw a pillow in the chair and grabbed it. I walked over to him slowly.

  It would be so easy.

  When I was in the waiting room fighting Tom, or as Sam wheeled me through the halls, I didn't have a plan. Now that I stood in front of Matt, I felt a fear growing inside me.

  I wasn't scared of him anymore.

  I was scared at what I would do to him.

  Flashbacks of being beaten in my younger years popped up in my mind. The night he held a gun in my mouth and played Russian Roulette...the time he made me go three days with no food and barely any water, just for fun...the time he broke my ribs… I walked closer to him.

  My face was inches from his, and I watched him as he slept calmly, exactly like he used to after he would beat or rape me.

  Pain. That's what he needed to feel first before I killed him. So I pulled my face away and took one of my hands and slapped him as hard as I could.

  He woke up, yelled, and tried to move his hands, but they were chained to the bed. Then he realized it was me.

  "Meg, I'll kill you," he sneered.

  My hand automatically hit him again, as adrenaline raged through my veins in revenge.

  He screamed in pain.

  "No one is listening; yell all you want," I taunted him as I remembered when he used to say that to me.

  "You whore!"

  All the anger, pain, and fear I ever felt went into my next slap, as I slammed my hand into his face again.

  He yelled again and called me a dirty bitch.

  Without thinking, I took my fist and pounded it on his dick. He screamed in pain, and a tear fell down his face.

  Now we are getting somewhere.

  I sneered at him. "Nobody cares about you. You can live or die, and no one will care." More things he used to yell at me flew out of my mouth.

  His legs flew all over, as his hands desperately tried to escape the shackles.

  His nose started to bleed on the next round of slaps I gave him. "What are you bleeding for, bitch?" I yelled at him and remembered all the nosebleeds he gave me over the years, and how he would say that to me.

  He screamed again.

  Do it now, Meg. Do it while you can.

  I grabbed the pillow and stepped up to him. There was fear in his eyes I had never seen before, and I started laughing, happy for the pain and fear I had inflicted on him.

  Without even thinking, I put the pillow over his face and pushed harder as he moved his head and tried to escape. The entire time, I thought about how many times he would wake me up by half-suffocating me.

  "What's wrong, bitch, you can't breathe?" I hissed at him, just as he used to say it to me.

  I pulled the pillow back to slap him again, but Sam grabbed my hand.

  I didn't realize I was crying.

  Sam pulled me into him, as my legs weakened, and I lost the ability to stand. My head was a firecracker of pain, and the adrenaline quickly left my body. Sam picked me up and carried me back into the hall to the wheelchair.

  The police officer was nowhere around.

  "Stay here." Sam turned around and shut the door.

  I heard more screams, and then I heard Matt's desperate pleas.

  I don't know how long I sat there. It wasn't too long, but it wasn't too short.

  Sam came back out. I heard Matt's sobs.

  I caught the police officer out of the corner of my eye. Sam nodded to him and pushed me away. As we passed the nurses desk, a petite blonde stood up, and I saw Sam nod to her as well. She smiled back and walked toward the room.

  Neither Sam nor I talked about what happened. Back in the waiting room, Tom, Liv, and Keri watched us as we approached.

  Liv's eyes scanned us both. "Let me help you with your hands."

  I hadn't noticed the blood on Sam's hands nor mine.

  We followed her out of the waiting area and into the family restroom. There were no questions, no judgments, no explanations. Silently, Sam and I allowed Liv to clean both of our hands.

  21

  Meg

  Liv convinced me to take a shower at the hospital, and Keri brought me clothes from my apartment to wear. I let the nurse give me a painkiller, and it must have knocked me out.

  I woke up on the rollaway, but it was now the next day, sometime in the afternoon.

  Keri and Tom had a game that night. Liv made them go home to get some rest before they had to play. No matter what, the Volts didn't stop for anyone.

  I thought about Collin, our negotiations, and how we made plans for the game. It seemed like so long ago.

  Collin still wasn't out of ICU, and they still wouldn't let me see him. It was torture. Stacey went home to rest, so I couldn't even get a report.

  Liv stayed with me and fell asleep on the couch. Sam went to practice and told me he would be back after.

  A nurse came up to me. "Are you Meg Grail?"

  "Yes." I figured I was probably due for another check.

  "Mr. Corwin is awake and asking for you."

  My heart soared. I sat up a little too fast, and dizziness flooded me.

  "Whoa! Let's go slow."

  I slowed down. The last thing I needed was to pass out.

  She walked me down the hall to Collin's room. I started crying the instant I saw him.

  "Hey, babe." He smiled at me.

  I raced over to him and threw my arms around him.

  He winced. "Come on this side," he patted the bed with his right arm.

  I walked around, laid down on the bed, kissed him, and cried.

  "Shh… It's okay, babe. I'm okay."

  When I pulled back, he drew in a sharp breath. "Meg, what happened to your head?"

  "It's not a big deal."

  "You have a bruise on your forehead."

  I rolled my eyes. "It's only a concussion. I'll be fine."

  "A concussion? That's serious."

  "Not a big deal."

  He put his hand on my back, and I winced. "Meg, what happened to you?"

  "Collin, you're in the ICU. You had three bullets removed, and I don't know how many different pro athletes' blood transfused into you. My little wounds aren't a big deal."

  "Let me see your back."

  I shook my head.

  "Meg, I swear to God, if you do
n't let me see your back I'm going to get off this bed and turn you around myself," he spat out.

  I wasn't going to win this one. I sat up, and Collin lifted my shirt. "Oh, my God. Meg, what happened to you? Your back is covered in bruises."

  I cuddled into his chest. "I'm just a little hurt from you saving my life."

  "I did this to you?" Horror filled his face.

  "No, Collin, you saved my life. If you didn't throw me on the ground, I probably wouldn't be alive."

  He leaned down and kissed me. "Babe, I'm so sorry."

  "Collin, you saved my life," I repeated. "Besides, it's my fault this all happened."

  He quieted. "That was your ex-fiancé, wasn't it?"

  "Yes."

  "Did they find him?"

  He didn't know. I took a deep breath. "The bodyguards shot him, and he's recovering. The police have him handcuffed to the bed and are guarding his room."

  "He's here?"

  "Yes."

  Collin's body tensed up. "What's his room number?"

  "Don't worry, Sam and I handled it."

  He gazed at me in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

  "Can we discuss this later? I don't want to talk about him. I need you to hold me."

  He paused and wrestled with his mind. "All right, babe."

  "Oh, and can you add me to the list so I can see you whenever I want? They wouldn't let me back because I'm not family or Stacey."

  "Stacey?"

  "She's your emergency contact."

  He rolled his eyes. "I never thought to change it. I'm sorry to put you through that. I'm sure she wasn't too happy."

  "Actually, she was nice to me."

  Collin grabbed a box and hit a button on it. "Well, that is good to hear."

  "Besides your bicep, where were the other bullets? I can't believe I never asked."

  Collin gave me a naughty grin. "Maybe we should play nurse, and you can discover it on your own."

  I bit my lip and grinned. "Slow down, cowboy. You just woke up."

  He kissed me. "All on my left side—the back of my waist and thigh."

  A nurse came in. "Mr. Corwin, what can I do for you?"

  "Can you bring me the papers to change my emergency contacts and next of kin please?"

  "Sure."

  "Is there anything I can sign now to add Meg to the visitor's list?"