“He… he told me he loved me,” Brook whispered, tears once more pooling in her eyes, before spilling down her face. “If I’m honest, I think I already knew… but then… then he said that he will love me every day, for the rest of his life.”
Brook stopped as she recalled just how hurt he’d looked once more, as a sob escaped from deep inside her.
“The thing is,” Brook continued, finally looking at Nell. “Warren used to say that too. He would say that he would love me for the rest of his life, and that I belonged to him. He would say that after he’d hit me. He would ask why I made him hit me, when I knew he loved me so much.”
“Oh, Sweetheart,” Nell sighed, giving her a warm smile, as she reached up and softly touched her face.
“The thing is,” Brook continued with a quiet sob. “I know that Dylan is nothing like him. I know he would never, ever hurt me, not like Warren did…”
“But the words got to you,” Nell finished her thought, smiling once more.
“I never meant to hurt Dylan,” Brook whispered once more.
“I know you didn’t,” Nell said, giving her a reassuring smile. “And deep down, Dylan knows that too. Okay so he stormed out. He’s always been a little more sensitive than the other boys, in some ways. But that’s only because his heart is so big.”
“But how do I make this right?” Brook asked, as she wiped away her tears.
“You talk to him,” Nell replied. “I know you are afraid to let someone in, but if you and he are ever going to work, you need to trust him. Tell him the truth; all of it. Take back the power. Warren has taken enough from you, don’t let him take your future too.”
Before Brook could reply, there was a soft tap on the door.
Brook looked up, half expecting to see Dylan walk in to the room. But when the door opened, she was surprised to see Sean walking in instead.
“Hey,” Nell said, as she turned and gave her husband a broad smile, but the look on Sean’s face said something was wrong. Something bad. Brook knew it, and Nell knew it too. “What’s happened?”
“I don’t want you to freak out, okay,” Sean said, before he looked at Brook. “Either of you. Liam called. Dylan is on his way to USFC. He came off his bike.”
Brook felt like every drop of blood had drained from her body, as her heart hammered rapidly in her chest. Dylan was hurt.
“He’s okay!” Sean continued, quickly. “He slid clear of the bike, and he wasn’t badly hurt. He just bumped his head and has some cuts and bruises. Liam said they are taking him to USFC to have him checked, just to be safe. But he said that Dylan is fine.”
“We need to go there,” Nell said, climbing up from the bed.
“I’ve called Thomas,” Sean told her as he walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her. “He will be here in five minutes.”
Brook sat on the bed, staring at Dylan’s parents. She felt like she had floated up out of her body, and she was watching herself sitting there too, looking like she was about to come apart at the seams.
Her chest hurt. Like it was on fire. She closed her eyes, feeling the last piece of fight she had inside her fade away.
Dylan was hurt.
He was hurt and could’ve been killed. He could’ve died and the last thing she would have said to him was she wanted him to go.
“Brook,” Nell’s voice crashed into her head. “Sweetheart, I need you to breathe. He’s okay. We’re going to go see him now.”
Brook opened her eyes and looked up at Nell, but the panic inside her was almost suffocating.
“I need to go see him,” Brook whispered, knowing she needed to go tell Dylan how she was feeling, right at that moment.
“That’s a good thing, Sweetie,” Nell said, reaching out her hand to Brook. “Because if I know my son as I think I do, you are going to be the first person he’ll want to see too.”
Brook smiled at Nell and nodded, before she climbed from the bed.
“I’ll leave you to get ready,” Nell said, smiling at her once more, before she headed for the door.
Brook stood there for a moment, trying to think what she needed to do. Suddenly nothing else seem to matter anymore. Warren, her past, her insecurities; they all seemed somehow unimportant at that moment. All she could think about was Dylan and how much she needed to see him.
She hurried to the closet. She needed to get dressed quickly. The sooner she headed down to Nell and Sean, the sooner she would get to the hospital to see Dylan.
When she was dressed, she stood for a second in front of the mirror in the closet, staring at her own reflection. It was at that exact moment; one single thought consumed her mind.
She was in love with Dylan.
When they reached the hospital a short time later, they found Liam standing in the corridor, talking to one of the doctors. The moment he saw Brook and his parents rushing towards him, he smiled at them before he excused himself from the doctor.
“He’s okay,” Liam said stepping forward, releasing a long breath. “He’s complaining about being here, and being a horrible patient, so I think it’s safe to say that there’s not that much wrong with him.”
“What the hell happened?” Sean asked, giving Liam a worried look.
“It was that stupid bike of his,” Nell huffed, releasing a long breath. “I’ve warned him about it. We’re lucky he wasn’t killed on that contraption.”
“Well, Dylan said it wasn’t his fault,” Liam sighed, giving his parents a worried look, before he glanced at Brook briefly, then turned back to his parents. “He said a car ran him off the road.”
“What do you mean, a car ran him off the road?” Nell demanded. “Who was driving the car?”
Brook had heard enough, she just wanted to see Dylan now and make sure he was alright. She didn’t care how it had happened, all she cared about right at that moment was if Dylan really was okay.
As the three continued to discuss what had happened to Dylan, Brook quietly walked away, deciding to go find Dylan herself. She peeked through the doors, as she walked along the corridor, each time disappointed that Dylan wasn’t inside. Finally, she reached a door at the end, where she found a very unhappy looking Dylan, sitting on a hospital bed, reading what was most likely his own chart. He had a small dressing on his forehead, but other than that, he looked okay.
He set down the chart and looked up, his eyes instantly finding Brook’s.
Dylan stared at her for a moment, before a nervous smile finally spread across his face. Brook instantly smiled, back then she hurried into the room, towards his bed.
“Brook!” Dylan began to say. “I’m so sorry…”
But before he could finish what he was saying, Brook took his face in her hands and kissed him softly on the lips. Dylan didn’t hesitate. He wrapped her in his arms, drawing her into his embrace, as he returned her kiss with great passion.
“I’m so sorry that I hurt you…” Brook whispered when she finally broke her lips from his, but Dylan pressed his lips to hers once more, stopping her from saying anymore.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he finally breathed against her lips. “I want you to know that you never have to say sorry to me. When you love someone; I mean, really love them, your heart knows what’s in theirs, so words no longer matter.”
He lifted her hand, placing it against his chest.
“I know you in here, Brook,” Dylan whispered, before he pressed his hand to her heart. “Please let me in there.”
Brook stared at him for a moment, knowing there was nothing she could say that could ever express how she was feeling.
Instead she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his once more, kissing him like she’d never kissed anyone before.
A cough from the doorway, pulled them both from the moment, and Brook turned to find, Liam, Nell and Sean standing at the door. Instantly her face burned with embarrassment.
“Does this mean that you two have made up?” Nell asked, giving them both the biggest smile.
<
br /> “I think we still have some talking to do,” Brook said, giving Nell a knowing grin, before she added. “But yes, I think we’ve made up.”
“What am I missing,” Liam asked, giving them a questioning look.
“Nothing that matters right now,” Nell replied, walking further into the room, making her way over to Dylan, kissing him on the forehead. “I just want to be sure that my baby is okay.”
“I’m okay, Mom,” Dylan sighed, giving her a reassuring smile. “I would just like to know what that asshole was trying to do. I mean, other than trying to kill me.”
“But why would someone do that to you?” Nell asked, giving him a worried look.
“Mom, I will get to the bottom of that,” Liam exclaimed, as he came further into the room, before he turned his attention to Dylan. “Tomorrow, you and I are going to sit down and talk about this. See if there is anything you can remember to try to help me figure out who did this. But tonight; tonight, I want you to go home, and try to stay out of trouble, Little Brother.”
“Fine!” Dylan sighed, rolling his eyes, before his gaze fell on Brook, and he smiled. “I think I can manage that.”
“I’ll make sure of it,” Brook said, returning Dylan’s smile, before she turned to Liam. “I give you my word.”
“Good,” Liam replied, giving her a smile. “Now, I’m going to head home to my beautiful wife. I assume you guys can take this Loser home.”
“Liam Murphy,” Nell scolded him, then gave him a smile. “If you can’t say something nice…”
“I know, I know,” Liam laughed, before he turned and gave Dylan a worried look. “Just no more scaring me like this. You’re the other side of my coin. If anything happened to you…”
“I know,” Dylan said, giving his brother a knowing smile.
“I’ll call by in the morning,” he croaked, before coughing to clear his throat. Then he turned to Brook, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Take care of him for me.”
“I will,” she replied, giving him a warm smile, before he turned to his mom, kissing her too.
“Good night, Mom,” Liam whispered. “Good night, Dad.”
“We’ll walk you out,” Sean said, giving Nell a look that said, they should leave Brook and Dylan alone.
“Are you okay?” Dylan asked Brook once they were alone. He gave her a smile, but still Brook could see the worry in his eyes. She sat down on the edge of the bed, then reached for his hand.
“I will be,” she replied, giving him a reassuring smile. “I just need you to be patient with me.”
“I’ll be anything you need me to,” Dylan whispered as he reached out and gently touched her face. “Because I love you, Brook. I know that is scary to you. But…”
Before he could finish, she leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.
“I love you, too,” she breathed out against his lips. “And yes, it is scary. But I’m done living my life in fear of the past. I want to be happy again, Dylan. I want to be happy with you.”
Dylan smiled, and Brook knew she had just said the words he’d been longing to hear. Once more he claimed her lips with his. And for the first time, Brook believed that maybe she could get her happily ever after.
Chapter 23
“Are you’re sure you’re okay?” Nell asked, giving Dylan a worried look as he walked into the house a little over an hour later. He was a little stiff, but other than a few minor scrapes on his arms and legs, and a crappy headache, Dylan felt surprisingly okay, considering.
“Yes, Mom,” Dylan assured her as he turned to give her a kiss on the cheek. “But I am going to call it a night.”
“I was going to make some hot chocolate,” Sean said, as he walked slowly towards the kitchen. “Does anyone else fancy some?”
“I’m good thanks,” Dylan said, giving him a grateful smile. “I’m just going to turn in.”
“Brook?” Sean asked as he turned to look at her, giving her a smile. “Would you like some?”
“Actually,” she yawned before she smiled at him, too. “I think I’m just going to call it a night myself.”
“Okay,” he nodded before he turned to Nell. “Just you and me, Babe.”
“And that’s code for, ‘Nell will you make me hot chocolate’,” Nell laughed as she kissed Brook on the cheek. “Good night, Sweetie.”
“Good night, Nell,” Brook replied with a smile. “Good night, Sean.”
“Good night, Angel,” he replied, giving her a warm smile. “Good night, Son.”
“Night, Dad,” Dylan called out as his parents made their way into the kitchen. He turned to Brook, offering her his hand. “Let’s get you up to bed. You are still supposed to be taking it easy, young lady.”
Brook smiled as she reached out, taking hold of his hand before Dylan led her up the stairs to her room.
“Today has sure been a crazy day,” Dylan said, as he stopped outside Brook’s bedroom door. Brook smiled as she turned to face him.
“It sure has,” Brook sighed as she gave Dylan a worried look.
“What’s wrong?” He asked as he took hold of her by the waist, drawing her in closer to him.
“Are you sure that you’re okay?” Brook asked, looking up into his eyes.
“Yes,” he said, giving her a soft kiss on the lips. “I promise.”
“Good,” she replied, leaning up to kiss him once more. “I guess I should say goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Brook,” Dylan said as he smiled at her once more. “Sweet dreams.”
Reluctantly, he released her from his embrace as she stepped backward, slowly turning towards the door. With one last smile, she was gone.
Dylan stood there for a moment feeling a mixture of frustration and relief in equal measures. He had longed to take her in his arms and beg her to spend the night with him. Yes, he wanted to make love to her, but it was more than that. It was something far deeper. He just longed to hold her in his arms all night long, knowing that somehow she belonged to him.
Still, he felt a sense of relief that even if only in the smallest way, they had moved forward in their relationship. Brook had said she loved him too. He knew she was still completely terrified at the thought of letting him get that close to her, but in his heart, Dylan knew she meant it.
He smiled to himself before he turned and headed to his own bedroom feeling tired more than anything else.
As he stripped for bed, he thought about everything that had happened that day, though as it was almost three in the morning, so it was the technically day before.
As he pulled back the bedclothes, he thought about Brook once more. He longed to touch her. To feel her body close to his as it had been when they were in the closet in her room. The feel of her soft skin, the sound of her laboured breathing, as her body longed for release too. Instantly his cock sprung to life, and he released a long, frustrated groan.
Suddenly, there was a soft tap on the door.
Great! He groaned to himself in his mind, and he hurried towards the door, adjusting himself so his now rock-hard erection was not the first thing whoever was at the door would see when he opened it.
Pulling open the door, he was surprised to find Brook standing there.
“Brook!” He exclaimed, feeling almost like he’d been caught once more. “Are you okay?”
“Uh, yeah,” she replied, looking up at him from beneath her long lashes.
“Would you like to come in?” He asked, having no clue why she was there, though if he was honest, part of him hoped she had been thinking about him too, and she needed to finish what they had started.
“Sure,” she replied, releasing a deep breath before she stepped through the door. She walked into the room but seemed like she was filled with uncertainty as she looked around. Finally, she turned to look at Dylan. Her cheeks were flushed, and her breathing was shallow.
“Is everything okay?” Dylan asked, choosing to remain by the door not to make her more nervous than she already seemed.
“I…
I was hoping…” she stopped, and her face flushed with embarrassment. “I thought that maybe we could talk.”
“You want to talk?” Dylan said, finally taking a step closer to her. “Sure. We can talk. Would you like to sit down?”
He pointed to the bed, as he walked slowly towards it himself. He had no clue what she wanted to talk about, but he was happy to listen.
She nodded, then without saying a word, she walked to the bed, sitting down. Dylan sat down too, making sure to keep enough distance not to make her feel uncomfortable. They both sat for a moment in silence, as Brook just stared down at her hands that were clasped on her lap.
“I wanted to talk about earlier,” she finally said, without looking at him. “Or rather, I need to explain something.”
“You know you don’t have to,” Dylan said, sensing she was completely and utterly out of her comfort zone.
“I know,” she replied, finally looking up at him. “But I want to.”
Dylan just smiled at her, realising this was something she clearly needed to do.
“I want you to know that you did nothing wrong,” she began, releasing a long breath. “You have never been nothing but kind and sweet.”
“Then what happened?” Dylan asked, though, in his heart, he already knew the answer to his question.
“God, it’s so hard to explain this,” Brook said with a nervous laugh. “Especially to you.”
She looked at Dylan, giving him a smile, and Dylan knew that she was so terrified of letting him in.
“The thing is,” she finally continued. “Warren didn’t just hit me. He broke me, and I don’t mean just my bones. He shut me away from the world. He made me feel worthless on so many levels, that sometimes I wondered if maybe he was right. Maybe I needed to be taught a lesson; maybe I deserved to be beaten.”
“How could you ever think that?” Dylan asked as his heart broke for this woman he loved so much.
“Because Warren was so good at what he did,” Brook replied, smiling at Dylan once more, but this time her smile didn’t reach her eyes. Instead, her eyes looked sad. Sadder than they had ever looked before. “Tonight, what you said… I know you didn’t know. How could you? But the words you used… he used them too. After he would beat me, he would ask me, why I like to make him so mad? Why I made him hit me when I knew he loved me? Then he would tell me that I belonged to him. That he would love me every day, for the rest of his life. That he would kill me before he would ever let me love someone else.”
Dylan (The Murphy Series Book 5) Page 22
