JULIAN

We took Claire to the hospital before we did anything else, the emergency department at Queens General was quiet at that hour.

A nurse took Claire's details at the front desk while I stood beside her, they took her through quickly, a young doctor, calm and efficient, examined her carefully, wrists first, the rope marks were red and raw against her skin. I looked at them and felt something tighten in my jaw.

"No permanent damage," the doctor said, examining them under the light. "Keep them clean and dry. They'll be tender for a few days but they'll heal completely."

Claire nodded, looking at her own wrists with an...