Addicted
Thanks for the reviews! This chapter was a little difficult to write, so I hope y'all like it...
Chapter Eleven
Maxie rushed into the house to change her clothes. Her day so far had been horrible. Mac had conned her into going down to the station to giver her statement from the Black and White Ball. She couldn’t understand why Detective Harper was so suspicious of Coop. She knew in her heart that Coop didn’t strangle Emily. Anthony Zacchara had to be the one that did it.
Had Spinelli given his statement yet? “Stop it Maxie,” she scolded herself as she pulled out her cell. She called the boutique to tell them that she was going to be late before she turned to head up stairs.
The floors creaked behind her and she stopped. Her heart skipped a beat as fear took over. She was paralyzed.
Maxie took a deep breath as she turned around, facing her fear head on.
The room was empty.
A wave of relief washed over her. Paranoia was definitely kicking in. It had been since the night of the ball. With a sigh, Maxie turned back toward the stairs.
“Ahh,” she screamed as she was grabbed from behind, a cord wrapped tightly around her neck. Her small hands moved to her neck, struggling to pull the cord away. God she wasn’t ready to die. Not now, not like this. Not without telling her family that she loved them. Not without telling Spinelli that he was the love her life. She knew that now and it was too late.
Darkness settled around her as she collapsed onto the floor.
Maxie opened her eyes sometime later to find Georgie and Mac standing over her. Was she dead? Was she having one of those out of body experiences?
“She’s awake,” Georgie said with relief as she pulled Maxie into her arms.
“Thank God, the paramedics are on their way,” Mac replied, giving her a light kiss on her head.
“What happened?” she asked, as her hand moved the couch cushion under her. Wasn’t she on the stairs?
“We’re hoping you could tell us. I received a frantic call from Spinelli, telling me that you had been attacked and that I needed to get here as soon as I could. He had already called the paramedics and everything. I was here within minutes,” Mac explained.
“Spinelli was here?” Maxie sat straight up in the couch in shock.
“Yeah, he drove me home to pick up my history book. I had told Spinelli that I thought I had either left it in your car or on the table by the door, so he offered to check inside while I checked the car. Next thing I know, I’m hearing him scream my name and I saw someone run out the front door as fast as they could. When I got inside, Spinelli was carrying you over to the couch and calling Mac.” Georgie paused, running her hand through Maxie’s hair.
Maxie smiled as she laid her head on her sister’s shoulder. Her knight had come through for her once again, but where was he? “If he found me, then why isn’t he here?”
“I’ll tell you once we get you to the hospital,” Georgie replied as the paramedics rushed in.
Thirty minutes later, Maxie was in her room at the hospital awaiting her test results. Mac had left to go check on a lead, leaving Georgie and Maxie alone.
Maxie looked over at her sister. “Georgie, why wasn’t Spinelli there when I woke up?”
Georgie took a deep breath. “He ran out the door as soon as I came in.”
“Where’d he go?”
“I don’t know Maxie.”
Maxie frowned as she leaned back against the stiff pillows. Why didn’t he want to be there when she woke up? Why didn’t he stick around to make sure she was okay? Where was he?
“What’s going on between you and Spinelli?” Georgie asked, snapping Maxie out of her thoughts.
“There is nothing going on.” God, was she that transparent?
“I’m not stupid Maxie. I’ve noticed the looks that the two of you have been giving each other when you think no one is looking.”
Maxie’s eyes lit up. “He’s giving me looks?”
“I knew it,” Georgie stated, clapping her hands.
“What are you talking about?” Maxie asked curiously.
“You’re in love with him.”
“Georgie, that’s ridiculous,” she replied, turning from her sister.
“I don’t think so and I think he feels the same way.”
“Why do you say that?” Maxie asked cautiously. Did her sister know something she didn’t?
“Because he kissed you and vowed that he would find the person who did this to you,” Georgie replied with her head down.
“And you didn’t stop him?” she snapped.
“Maxie I was a little preoccupied at the time. I more worried about you than your lover.”
“Oh, so that’s it. You’re jealous of me and Spinelli.”
“I’m not jealous Maxie, I’m hurt. My sister and my best friend have been seeing each other behind my back…”
“Georgie, don’t think I didn’t notice the looks that you’ve been giving him. I know that you want him for yourself,” Maxie replied, glaring at her sister.
Georgie stood up and started to pace. “I did at one time. I used to think that Spinelli was the perfect guy for me. We had so much in common, but I never had butterflies when I was with him. I wanted them, I really did, but they just weren’t there. Someone made me realize that you couldn’t force the butterflies. They had to come naturally.”
“This person wouldn’t happen to Johnny Zacchara now would it?” Maxie asked, giving her sister a worried look.
“I’m not going to lecture you about Spinelli, so you don’t lecture me about Johnny.”
“I just want you to be careful.”
“I know, but we were talking about you and Spinelli.” Georgie sat back down beside her and took her hand. “I’m hurt that you didn’t feel like you could trust me enough with this.”
Maxie rolled her eyes. “Come on Georgie. If I had told you that I was secretly seeing Spinelli, you would’ve said that I was just using him to get back at Lulu.”
“Are you?”
“No,” she replied as she sat up in the bed. “If I had wanted to use him, wouldn’t I have already told Lulu, so I could rub her nose in it?”
Georgie laughed. “I guess you would.”
Maxie gave her sister a worried look. “Do you think he’s going to do something stupid?”
“I hope not,” Georgie whispered, taking Maxie’s hand in hers.
Maxie gripped her sister’s hand as she said a silent prayer. Please God, give me the chance to tell him that I love him. Bring the same man back to me.
TBC