by Kendall Ryan
Tires squealed as the breath left my body, a white-hot pain shooting through my sides. I fell to the asphalt in a heap, the dim sounds of Bethany’s screams ringing in my ears. Footfalls rushed toward me, but I didn’t move to see where they were coming from. I couldn’t.
Because everything went dark.
Chapter Thirteen
Gavin
No matter how many times I went over it in my head, I couldn’t say what happened. In my mind, the events of that day were like fragments of broken glass on the floor. I could only see them in a certain light, and when the light was gone? All I could see was darkness and pain.
The fragments I remembered, though, were the ones that still cut deepest.
One moment I was in a meeting with a team of overpriced publicists, who were readying us for yet another press junket, and then the next, my cell phone was ringing in my pocket. On any other day, I might have ignored it, turned off the ringer and gotten back to work.
Not that day. Something in me knew that this was no ordinary call.
What exactly Cooper said when we spoke was beyond me. I couldn’t tell you what I said in return, either. All I remembered was my vision blurring and my heart pounding in my throat, and the next thing I knew, I was stepping onto the plane with Quinn while he said words I couldn’t comprehend. Not really.
I only knew one thing for certain.
Emma had been hurt.
And I wasn’t there to save her, wasn’t even there to sit by her hospital bed and ask the nurses about her condition. Wasn’t there to make sure she got the best care money could buy.
Damn it all.
Over the course of the flight, Quinn had tried over and over to engage me, but I was too far gone to listen. Instead, my mind was funneling down the old spiral of memories I’d tried for so long to keep at bay. Ashley, too, had gone to the hospital on more than one occasion. First, for surgeries on her feet, and then for stranger maladies that always ended in her taking home a fresh prescription for her beloved pain pills.
Emma wouldn’t be like that, I knew, but it didn’t change the way my stomach roiled at the thought of stepping inside a hospital again. Or the way I could already smell the antiseptic sterility of the halls clinging to my nose and throat, suffocating me.
Over and over, I relived every visit I’d made with Ashley until the very last one. The one just before the coroners took her away.
“Gavin?” Quinn said, interrupting my morbid thoughts.
We were in the car now, and I looked around to find that we were in front of the emergency entrance to the hospital.
Meeting his gaze at last, I asked, “Did someone send me the room number?”
He nodded. “Yes. And remember, everything is fine. She’s in stable condition. Doesn’t look like she broke anything. She’s bruised and in some pain, that’s all. I’m sure the doctors will tell you more, but she should be out of here tonight.”
“Good,” I said, finally in a place to really let the words seep in. She could have been killed, but the fact that she was in pain and afraid devastated me.
As the sun began to dip low behind the skyscrapers, I breathed out a sigh. From now on, I would be with Emma—she would never be hurt ever again. I just had to get her better and stick by her side until whatever this was ended.
“I’m going back to the office, but Cooper is there with her now.”
A flare of white-hot rage shot through me at the mention of his name, but somehow, I managed to nod. “Right, thanks.”
I slipped from the car and rushed inside, checking my texts for her room number. My heartbeat pounding in my ears, I took the elevator to the right floor and found my way to Emma’s room with little effort. As I walked, I wondered if I should have brought flowers or balloons or chocolates, anything to show her how sorry I was that I wasn’t there when I should have been.
Finally, I stepped inside the private room to find Emma sleeping peacefully. Her eyelids were a little purple and her skin was pale. An IV clung to her arm and I winced, hating every last detail of the image in front of me. Including my brother’s presence at her bedside.
“So, you show up now?” I asked him with barely checked fury.
Cooper blinked at me, then frowned. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Another burst of rage bloomed inside my chest. “Let’s have a talk in the hallway.”
Reluctantly, Cooper got up from his seat and followed me into the near-empty hall. I closed Emma’s door behind us, careful to make sure she wouldn’t hear any of what I had to say. What I needed to get off my chest.
“What the fuck did you do?” I ground out, my voice low but laced with venom.
“Are you under the impression that I’m the one who hit her with my car or something?” Cooper said. “Because—”
“I am under the impression that you had one job to do while I was away, and you failed. All you had to do was keep her safe, and here she is, lying in a fucking hospital bed.”
He blanched like I’d kicked him, but I didn’t give a fuck. “And what did you want me to do? Stand over her night and day until you got back? Nobody could have guessed—”
“Yes, they could have. We knew someone was out to hurt her. You were careless, and because of that she’s here, hurt.”
“I didn’t know someone was out to hurt her,” he said, his pulse throbbing in his throat. “It could’ve been a prank. I stayed with her last night, and she went to work this morning with the driver you hired for her. How could I have known? And she’s going to be all right. She has some bruises and a mild concussion.”
“She could have died!”
Cooper raised his eyebrows, then slowly lifted his hands as if to ward off an attack. “You know what, asshole? I took care of her when you couldn’t, despite the clusterfuck of feelings I’m still dealing with. Something bad happened and I understand you’re upset, but none of it’s on me.” He shook his head and stared at his feet, cupping one hand to the back of his neck. “I’ve had enough. I can’t deal with this anymore. You and Emma can have each other. I’m done.”
Without another word, he turned on his heel and headed to the elevator. I should have gone after him, but I didn’t have time to worry about that now. In fact, I was certain I’d be better off if I didn’t have to see his reckless, stupid face for a few days.
Right now, all that mattered was Emma, and I wasn’t going to waste another moment before seeing her again. Slowly, I opened the door to her room again to find her squinting up at the television, a massive remote in her small hands.
“They don’t have any good channels at hospitals,” she said, though she grinned weakly at me as she spoke.
“Pet,” I murmured, my heart clenching at the paleness of her cheeks. “How are you feeling?”
She shrugged. “I’ve been better. How was your trip?”
“Does that matter?” I took the seat beside her bed and reached for her hand after brushing the remote away.
“Sure, it does. I like hearing about your exciting life. Beats the hell out of my boring one.”
“Yeah, your life really does look pretty boring right about now.”
She rolled her eyes, and I could tell she was trying not to look at me. “Where did Cooper go?”
“He had to leave. I told him you were in good hands, though.”
“Whose?” she teased, and I kissed her cheek.
“Don’t make fun of me. It’s been a stressful day.”
“I’m so sorry for your struggle. You’re right; the girl in the hospital should be more sensitive,” she joked, clearly trying to make me feel better.
“You’re damn right. Besides, you won’t be in here much longer. Word on the street is they’re letting you out soon.”
“That’s a shame,” she said with a shrug. “I don’t have nearly as many Jell-O cups at my house.”
“I’ll get you all the Jell-O cups you want.”
And I did. The second we left the hospital a few hours later,
I texted Ben, asking him to go to the store and pick up everything Emma could possibly need. Jell-O and pudding, fixings for sandwiches, a dozen different boxes of tea. Anything I thought she might like.
“I have bruises and a headache that’s almost gone, not a terminal disease. You don’t have to baby me,” she said as he delivered the items to her front door.
I scoffed. “Oh, I’m babying you. You just have to get used to it.”
Did she not know me at all? I wasn’t about to let her go through this alone.
Instead, I fetched everything she would want or need before she even asked for it. I called in to her work for her and held her while she slept—and while she dreamed. When she cried out, I was there to calm her back to sleep.
Emma could pretend to be tough if she wanted to, but there was no question she was afraid. The police still had no leads, either on the hit-and-run or the bloody mess left at her door, and her nerves and mine were starting to fray.
• • •
After a few days, I was sure my hovering was starting to annoy her, but most of the time, I thought she found it endearing. Which was good. All I needed her to know was that I was going to take care of her.
Always, if she’d let me.
“I’m going to get bed sores if you don’t let me start doing things myself,” she said on the fourth day of my doting on her.
She probably had a point. I hadn’t let her out of my sight.
“Baby, you’d still look cute with bed sores.”
She rolled her eyes. “Are you going to let me take a bath on my own, or—”
“I’m going to carry you up the stairs and put you in the bath,” I said.
“Of course you are,” she mumbled, her tone sarcastic.
Not wanting to listen to the rest of her protests, I went upstairs and drew her bath, making sure there were plenty of bath salts and bubbles, before heading downstairs and scooping her into my arms. By this point, she knew better than to argue, and when we reached the bathroom and she stripped down to nothing, I helped her into the tub and lathered a loofah while she breathed in the lavender bath oil.
“Let me do that. You go downstairs and take a break. I’ll call for you when I need help getting out.”
“Emma—”
“Gavin,” she said. “Really. Trust me to do this one thing myself. I’m giving myself two days to sulk and be afraid, and then I’m going back to work and getting on with my life. So, I’ve got to start somewhere.”
Only the certainty of her tone made me hand over the loofah to her outstretched hand.
“You promise you’ll call when you need help getting out?”
“Fine,” she said. “Now, go relax for a while.”
I straightened the sheets on Emma’s bed, but no sooner had I finished fluffing her pillows than the doorbell rang.
I frowned and headed down the stairs. In all the days I’d been here, only Bethany had come to visit. For all I knew, this could have been Emma’s attempted murderer, coming to make sure the job got done right this time.
As I strode toward the door with my fists clenched, I almost hoped for it. I was fairly certain I could kill the motherfucker with my bare hands.
I peeked through the peephole and then twisted the knob to find both my brothers waiting for me on the stoop.
“What’s wrong? I’m off work for the week, I told you,” I said as they stepped past me into the foyer.
“We know,” Quinn said. “But you also haven’t been answering your phone, and we need to talk to you.”
This, strictly speaking, wasn’t true. I’d been answering my phone . . . for everyone but my brothers. I just didn’t want to deal with work yet, not until I was sure Emma was safe and better.
“Okay,” I said. “What’s going on?”
“I’m leaving,” Cooper said bluntly.
I blinked, my mind reeling. “The company?”
“The state. I need some space, and I think this is the best move for all of us. I’m going to open a new branch of the business in a new city and get myself a fresh start.” His gaze was shuttered, and my gut churned at his icy expression.
I turned my attention to Quinn. “And what do you have to say about this?”
“I’m torn. This family feels broken now, and things don’t seem to be getting better. But from a business perspective, it would be the right time to purchase new real estate.”
I nodded and glanced at Cooper. “When will you go?”
“When we know for sure that Emma is all right and out of danger, I guess. For now, I’m trying to figure that out.”
I knew I should argue, maybe even apologize for blaming him. But it was all too raw, and I couldn’t seem to push the words past my throat. “Right.”
“Gavin . . .”
Emma’s voice echoed down the stairs, and my brothers looked at me with understanding, sad eyes.
“Well, you’re needed here. We’ll discuss more details when you’re back,” Quinn said.
“Okay.”
Cooper said nothing. Instead, he turned and headed back down the steps with Quinn trailing behind him.
When they were gone, I locked the door and called back to Emma, “Coming,” as I trekked up the stairs. I reached the bathroom and she glanced at me, but as soon as her gaze met mine, the soft smile on her lips died away.
“What’s wrong? Who was at the door?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” I assured her with a fixed smile. “It was the guys. Just some business stuff, but it’s nothing that we need to worry about. I’m only thinking about you right now. Tell me what you need, pet.”
Her blue eyes darkened as she looked me up and down. “I need you to join me.”
“In the tub?” I laughed. “No way.”
“Then out of the tub. On the floor. On the counter.” She looked me over again, a slightly desperate edge to her chuckle. “Anywhere. I don’t want to feel like an invalid anymore. I want to touch you and—”
I bit back a groan as my cock instantly swelled at the thought. It had been almost a week since we’d touched like that, and I could still feel the heat of her around me.
I shoved back the thought and shook my head. “You’re in no state for something like that.”
She pouted, lifting a hand toward me. “Gavin, please? I need you.”
Her voice was so raw with need that my cock grew thick and achy, but I forced myself to remain strong.
“Not until you’re better.”
“Fine, then. Can you help me dry off, at least?”
She rose a brow in challenge, but I ignored it as I rolled up my sleeves and lifted her from the tub. Once she was standing on her feet again, I handed her a towel, but she shook her head.
“I want you to do it.”
“Emma . . .”
“What? I thought you wanted to do everything for me. Please?”
When she raised her eyebrows, I let out an exasperated sigh. She was determined to get her way, and it was beyond me to not let her have it. I would have given her anything just then—she was dewy and pink from the heat of her bath.
Bending low, I brushed the towel along her ankles and feet, then higher, up her creamy thighs. As I wiped the droplets from her skin, she spread her legs a fraction for me, offering me a better view of her, and I clenched my jaw as I moved to the next leg.
“I know what you’re doing,” I said, my chest tight.
“Getting dry?” she said in her most innocent voice.
I sucked in a steadying breath and grunted. “Don’t toy with me.”
“I would never.” Her lips twitched with a smirk.
“Emma, I don’t want to hurt you. Your ribs . . .” But then I was moving up to her stomach, sliding the towel over the white plane of her skin and watching as her nipples stiffened at my touch.
I swallowed hard, then moved to dry her perfect, round breasts. It took all my internal fortitude not to stop right then and drop my mouth to those silky pink tips and suck them hard so I could feel
them grow stiff in my mouth.
“I want you,” she whispered. “And I can see you want me too.”
“You’re not in shape to be jostled around like that, Emma.”
“Then let’s not do that. We can do other things.” She moved to get on her knees, but I held out a hand to stop her.
“No. No fucking way. If we’re doing this, then tonight is about you.”
Slowly, I interlaced her fingers with mine and led her into the bedroom.
“Lay on the edge of the bed and spread your legs for me,” I demanded, suddenly desperate to feel her clit against my tongue.
“But, Gavin, I want to be with you.”
“You will be. And don’t argue,” I said.
Silently, she did as she was told and lay back, allowing me to see every inch of her milky-white skin and the pretty pink space between her thighs.
Staring at her, I tugged my own clothes away, not caring where they fell. She watched me, her pupils dilated as I pulled my boxers down and allowed my length to spring forward. Tempting me, she licked her lips at the sight, and I gripped my shaft, stroking it to quell the insistent ache that always came when I saw her bare.
Working myself up and down, I got to my knees in front of her and licked her in soft strokes, teasing her until I was ready to explore the space where I knew she needed me most.
She let out a gentle moan and I growled low in my throat, praising her for the sound even as I worked my cock in longer strokes, desperate for more.
“That’s it, baby. Show me how much you like it,” I whispered, then lowered my mouth to her again, lapping her core until I finally reached the tight bundle of nerves that I knew was begging for my attention.
Slowly, I circled her, loving the little twitch of her hips as she responded to my touch.
“Gavin,” she moaned. “You’re so good at this.”
“Yes, beautiful. Just like that,” I told her. And she did. With every push and pull of my tongue, she rocked her hips into me, pushing me to kiss her deeper, suck her harder, to work her to the breaking point.
As she moved, I gripped my shaft tighter, closing my eyes as I imagined her rocking into me this way, pulling my cock deeper into her body with every little spasm.
