Awakened (The Fighter Series Book 3)

by TC Matson

  I glance to Levi. Yeah, he doesn’t like this at all.

  Several hours have passed since Adam went back to sleep. Paige ran and got us all some sandwiches. I could barely stomach a few bites before I felt like throwing up, but Levi devoured his even after saying he wasn’t hungry.

  The room has been quiet except for the few phone calls Levi’s made to Cory and his trainers, cancelling his training until further notice. I called Dave and told him what was going on. He told me to take my time and keep him updated.

  I also texted Sarah and Emily.

  Adam squeezes my hand, pulling me out of a short dose, and I look up to brown eyes watching me. “Sleepy head,” he rasps.

  “You have no room to talk,” I tease.

  “What happened? Why am I here?” he asks.

  “You got into a bad wreck,” I tell him.

  His brows knit together.

  “You were racing,” I add.

  He looks down to his arm.

  “You’re all busted up, man,” Levi tells him.

  I grab the water and move the straw to his lips. He takes a small sip and then closes his eyes. I resume my spot with my chin on the bed after placing the water back on the rolling tray.

  About thirty minutes go by and Adam opens his eyes again.

  He looks to me, then to Levi, and his lips tighten, the right side of his lips pulling up. “We took the scenic route. Laura said you still look like a punk, but she’s proud of you.”

  He loses consciousness again.

  “Laura?” I ask Levi.

  He’s blanched. Eyes wide with the most dumbfounded expression. He points to Adam. “That’s some deep, spooky shit, right there.”

  “What?” I ask.

  “What’s that mean?” Paige steps to his side.

  He shakes his head.

  “You can’t leave us hanging like that,” Paige says.

  He looks to her unfocused. “Yeah. Yeah I can. That’s his business and my promise.” He rakes his hands over his face and walks away, leaning against the corner, resting his eyes on his friend.

  My head is lying against the side of my arm that’s posted on his bed watching him sleep. All the lights are off except a dimly lit one behind his bed. The stitched up cut on his cheek will more than likely leave a scar. His busted lip and little scratches will heal and bear nothing afterward. His breaths are normal, and the echo of his heart monitor sounds normal.

  His eyes open.

  “Hey,” I whisper not moving.

  “Where’s everyone?” he whispers back.

  I nod toward the corner. “Sleeping. It’s late.”

  “Why aren’t you?”

  “I was ogling a pretty hot dude,” I say, sitting up closer to him.

  He smirks. “Me or Levi?”

  “You have him on the hotness scale.” I wink.

  “I’m sure I don’t look too hot.”

  “You’d be surprised. Besides, you’ll heal.”

  He clears his throat. “I’m sorry I left.”

  “You remember?”

  “Vaguely, unless I was dreaming. I left for a race, I think.” He looks to his arm. “Arm and leg, right?”

  I smile. “Right.”

  “Wrecked car is at my house, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “When can I go home?”

  I titter under my breath. “Slow down. You’re just now waking up and remembering things.”

  “I remember waking up last time, I think.”

  “Baby, you’ve been in and out all day.”

  “Guess I needed sleep.” He grimaces trying to move.

  “I’m sorry,” I say softly with tears beginning to sting my eyes. “I’m really sorry.”

  “Don’t cry, please. That hurts worse than all this shit.”

  I swallow the lump in my throat, but it doesn’t help.

  He grips my hand dragging his thumb over my knuckles. “We’ll, get through it.”

  Those were his last words before he blessed me with the sweetest smile and fell back asleep.

  Chapter 29

  I cringe at the pain in my side, laughing about Kelsie driving ten under, both hands on the steering wheel like she’s ninety years old. She’s scared to death that every turn, every bump is going to break me worse than I already am. I’m still busted up pretty badly but healing well. Most of the scratches that were on my face from the glass shattering are in their last stages of healing—little red whelps. They pulled out my stitches in my cheek a day ago. It’s ugly and for sure going to leave me a scar. My arm and leg…they have a ways to go.

  I regained most of my memory a few days ago. I remember a lot of what happened except for the ending. I sort of recall sliding sideways, broken glass, and a weird view of the sky, but after that it’s all fuzzy. I’m not sure I want to remember it all anyway.

  I shake my head, laughing. “At this pace, we’ll make it to your house next year.”

  We…let me rephrase that. She decided I will be staying with her until I’m fully recovered. Levi is on the way to my house to grab my clothes. I didn’t want to go. I don’t want to see my fucking car right now. As much hard work as I put into her, adding to the sentimental value she holds, I’m sure it will bring me to my fucking knees.

  Amusingly, her eyes flit out of the corners. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “Gas is on the right. Push it a little farther down.”

  She listens, speeding up to the speed limit. “You know, I could let you sleep on the back porch,” she quips.

  “You wouldn’t be comfortable.” I chuckle.

  “I might gain the courage to throw you out there with much more of your lip.” She cracks up.

  “Remember I’m in casts over here.” I play the hurt card.

  She pulls into her driveway and observes me. “I’ll put you in more if you’re not careful.”

  She tried so hard to say that without a laugh.

  She helps me frantically get up the steps and then rolls me into the house and out of the wheelchair onto the couch. Something soft, finally. Hospital beds aren’t comfortable and neither are the non-padded ass chairs.

  She hands me the remote, a pillow and a blanket. “What would you like to drink?”

  “I’m not staying here if you’re going to act like my maid.”

  She looks over my body and snickers but keeps whatever thoughts she had to herself. “Enjoy it for a little bit. Water or soda?”

  I glare at her with a smirk. “Water.”

  After handing me the bottle, she sits at the other end of the couch at my feet. Her hair is pulled up in a mess, her skin is natural and soft without makeup, and her eyes are bright but weary from the lack of sleep. She missed a whole week of work, never leaving my side while I was in the hospital, except for rushing home one time to grab a bag of clothes and a shower.

  “Come here.” I hold my right arm open for her.

  She sits right on the edge of the cushion and I pull her to me. I kiss her softly and moan when I do. The divine taste of her plump satin lips is something I didn’t have during the hospital stay, only quick pecks here and there.

  “Thank you,” I whisper.

  She smiles patting my chest. “I’m glad you’re home.”

  My tongue slides against hers and I nip her bottom lip. She leans into me, dragging her hand up my chest and gripping my chin. “Please, do not ever scare me like that again.” Her tone is dripping with a sobering seriousness.

  “I didn’t mean to.”

  We share a devastatingly vehement stare only to be interrupted by Levi’s knock. Kelsie tears her eyes away from mine and opens the door for him.

  “Room service!” Levi yells in his best attempt as a woman, setting my black suitcase down by Kelsie’s recliner. He looks around and smirks like a bastard. “Nice place. All female and shit. Adam’s gonna love this.”

  Anticipation eats away at me, gnawing at my bones. “How bad is it? And don’t sugar coat the shit either,” I add.
>
  “Totally fucked.”

  I sigh. “Fixable?”

  He shakes his head and digs in his pocket for his phone. “Be happy you’re alive.” He taps the phone a few times then hands it to me.

  My lungs deflate. Soul sinks. Throat tightens. My poor car is a mangled mess—torn to pieces, crushed, crinkled. There’s not a straight line on it. “Damn,” I exhale.

  “Same words I said. You’re pretty fucking lucky, dude.”

  I blink away the flashbacks from the wreck. “It goes without saying I won’t be making it to your trainings, but come hell or high water, I’ll be at your fight.”

  He waves his hand dismissing my statement. “Focus on getting better. Then when you get out of those casts, we’ll work your chicken limbs out and get them back right.” He slaps his legs and stands. “I’m out. Dropped Paige off at my house so she can rest. I’m gonna go break my bed back in and head back to Chapel Hill. You call me if you need anything. I’ll be here.” He points.

  Kelsie takes my suitcase to her room.

  The next thing I know, she’s waking me up with soft kisses across my forehead.

  “Hungry?” she asks.

  “For you? Always.”

  With concern, she looks down at my body.

  “My dick isn’t in a cast,” I mutter, bringing her hand to my mouth and placing a kiss to it.

  Carefully, she drags her hand up my chest and into my hair. I unsnap her bra, one handed and begin pulling her shirt off.

  “Adam, I don’t want to hurt you.”

  Her mouth can say what it wants but those gorgeous eyes are saying much more.

  I twist my body, resting my broken leg on the coffee table. I pull the front of her shirt to me. “Take your shirt off and straddle me,” I order.

  She does, slowly placing a leg to each side of me, but she holds herself up preventing any pressure on my lap.

  I squeeze her tit with my hand and bite her nipple.

  “Ouch!” she exclaims, jerking back. “Easier.”

  “I’m a little eager for my girl.” I chuckle.

  I knead her plump mound, gently swirling my tongue around her nipple.

  I push her hips. “Take your pants off.”

  As she undresses, her ravishing body bare, I pull my cock out and stroke it at the sight of her. She watches me with eager eyes and then waits no longer, delicately, crawling back on me.

  “Fucking hell,” I groan, dropping my head back on the couch as she slides down onto me.

  She freezes. “Does it hurt?”

  “Are you fucking kidding me? Far from it.”

  Gradually, she fills herself with me. Easy and steady. Rooted.

  I grab her chin and tug her to me.

  “You feel so fucking fantastic,” I groan against her lips.

  Her bounce becomes a little more aggressive, jarring parts of my body, but this…this is worth the fucking pain. She braces on the cushion behind me and I lap at her tits jumping before me. Rocking, bobbing, I can feel her pussy contract. Her breath hitches and skin flushes. She’s there.

  She imbeds me deeply with a frenzied writhe and cries out, erupting. The stimulating and colorful display before me shatters me, and I come hard. I hold her shoulder and prod myself to the hilt, spilling everything I have, allowing her to milk my last drop.

  She’s still trying to catch her breath when she curls against my side, resting her head on my chest.

  “I hope that didn’t hurt,” she says quietly.

  I don’t have the heart to tell her it did, jolting parts that are still sore, but…

  “Worth the pain,” I tell her with a wide smile.

  After dinner, she helped me into the bed, piling as many pillows as she could find to help prop me up. Lying flat is horrific.

  She’s nestled into my side with her arm draped over my lap. I’m brushing through her hair with my fingertips, watching her with heavy eyelids.

  “Sit up for a second,” I tell her and she jerks up.

  Heat envelops me and I’m instantly sweating.

  Knowing what I needed, she melts her lips against mine. Sensually, passionately…

  “I love you,” I say softly.

  Her eyes dampen fleeting between mine. “I love you too.”

  “I have for much longer than you’ve known. Just didn’t want to admit it to myself. I should’ve told you that night. I wanted to so fucking bad, but I choked.”

  She squeezes my neck and kisses my cheek.

  I clear my throat and stare at the curtains across the room to give me something to focus on, something to keep me grounded. I’ve not hashed out these parts of my life in many years. “As a kid, I always had a crush on this girl who lived a few blocks down. I watched her grow from a pretty little girl to a bombshell. When I was a freshman in school, I finally got brave enough to chase her.”

  Kelsie leans back, listening intently.

  “She was a cheerleader—beautiful and smart—completely out of my league. I was just a chump rolling through school with a dysfunctional family. Don’t get me wrong, I was just as sexy then as I am now, but she was busy doing her own thing. After a few weeks of charming her, she finally agreed to date me.” I chuckle at the memory. “I was a few months away from getting my license and Levi didn’t have his yet either, so I resorted to walking to her house. We hung out all the time. Inseparable. Dated all the way through high school and planned to move in with each other after she graduated. I bought the house I’m in now for us, keeping her parents’ wishes tucked in my back pocket. She supported my decision to work with Levi, stood by me the whole way. Those two were like brother and sister.”

  “What was her name?” Kelsie asks.

  “Laura.” I almost melt hearing her name from my mouth.

  “What happened?” she asks carefully.

  I swallow hard unsure my nerves can fucking handle this. “She called me one night after work to tell me she was on her way over. I love you were the last words spoken between us.”

  Kelsie gasps.

  “The next call I got was from her mother telling me she had been in a wreck.” I squeeze my eyes remembering the terrifying dread that night. “She never made it to the hospital. She died coming to see me.”

  Kelsie squeezes into me. “I’m so sorry.”

  “My heart shattered at nineteen.” I exhale the pressure off my chest. “I dreamt that I saw her while I was in the hospital. We used to always go driving to get away from everyone. No destination in mind, just open road and each other. We had the best conversations.”

  Kelsie smiles a sweet smile. “Maybe she came to visit you and help you through your trauma?”

  I chuckle shaking my head. “Don’t believe in that crap.”

  “I can’t believe you had to deal with that so young. It’s heartbreaking.”

  “I went wild afterward. Pissed. Hurt. You name it, I was feeling it. I swore off relationships. I never wanted to feel that again. I didn’t have the heart to fucking care.”

  I feel her body stiffen. “Do I have anything to worry about?” she asks quietly and unsure.

  I kiss the top of her head. “You have a tight hold on my heart.”

  She rests her head on my shoulder. “I was so worried about you.”

  “Everything’s going to be fine.”

  “I love you,” she says lovingly, pressing her body into mine.

  No more words are said as we lie in the bedroom staring out into the faintly lit room. Only the sound of her annoying ass clock ticking fills my ears. It’s not long before my heart beat slows back from the grueling retelling of my story, and I can hear her subtle breaths. I stroke her hair and kiss the top of her head again. It’s the first time in a while she’s been able to sleep peacefully in my arms…

  Chapter 30

  I gulp for air. Tears sting my eyes before falling and scorching my cheeks. Elation, panic, excitement, paralyzing fear, and happiness rock me to my bones. I sit in silence with shaky hands, staring at the two pink l
ines.

  When I bought it, I didn’t think there was a chance. I only did so because Emily and Sarah pushed me to do it. I figured all the stress with Adam’s wreck caused me to miss my period, and Sarah’s chicken salad sandwiches gave me a touch of food poisoning.

  Two pink lines—a life changer.

  Adam calls for me from the living room and my heart jack-knives. Oh, God. How’s he going to feel about this?

  “Be out in a minute!” I yell back, cleaning and hiding my evidence. “Fuck,” I mumble putting everything into the plastic bag and shoving it deep into the trash can.

  Quietly, I call my doctor. Thankfully it’s a small office and they managed to squeeze me in today—in an hour.

  “You alright?” He looks with a leery lingering eye.

  I fake a smile. “Yeah. Sarah called me to run to the mall with her. Do you mind if I go?” I lie straight through my teeth.

  He scours over me with skeptical eyes and shakes his head. “I don’t mind.”

  I lean down and kiss him, soft and sensual. “I’ll be back in just a bit. Call me if you need anything, okay?”

  He holds my wrist. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “Of course!” I chirp, probably over the top, but oh well. “I’ll be back soon.

  I pull off in Sarah’s direction and call her.

  “If anyone asks, I’m with you, okay?” I tell her.

  “What’s wrong?” Her tone drips with concern.

  “I’m going to the doctor.”

  She gasps. “It was positive wasn’t it?”

  “Please. If anyone asks, I’m with you.” I’m almost in tears. “They managed to get me in. I’m on my way there now.”

  “You better call me when you get out,” she says sternly.

  “I will.”

  I hang up.

  I’m nauseated while the doctor reveals my results from my bloodwork. Those pink lines weren’t fake. They were real as real can be. My only thought is Adam and how he’s going to handle the news. He’s never spoken about wanting kids, but we’ve never had that serious of a conversation either. We haven’t been dating very long.