“Why’d ya stop?” He looked panicked like I’d changed my mind.
“I thought what we did was just a one-night thing?” I cocked an eyebrow playfully.
He pressed his lips together, smiling almost shyly. “Make that just the two then.”
“I thought we were going to be just friends?”
“Well, I’m finding that a little difficult, as you can tell.” He showcased his sexy grin before his hand came to the back of my head, trying to pull me back down to him.
I resisted and smiled down at him. “It’s my house, my rules. Pants off, now.” He chuckled at me and began to kick his sneakers off. I watched as he then pushed his black sweats down beneath me, and yet again, Jamie Junior was roaming free. “What is it with you and no underwear?” I asked as he yanked off his T-shirt, leaving him fully naked and at my disposal.
“I hate being restricted. Now shut up and kiss me.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Thursday morning at the club, Jamie hadn’t shown and I wondered where he was. It wasn’t like him not to be there, and it unnerved me. At the back of my mind, I was scared Kal had found out. I’d not spoken to Jamie since he scrambled into my bedroom. Although, this time, I was reassured things were good between us after we slept together again, and I was the one kicking him out later that night. He reluctantly left the way he came in, so I knew whatever was going on, it wasn’t because of his feelings toward me. That only left me with the conclusion that Kal had found out. Dread slid icily through my veins.
“Where’s Jamie?” I caught Marc’s attention as he passed the desk.
He responded with a cheesy smile. “Why? You missin’ him?”
I let out a nervous laugh. I asked him because I thought he would be oblivious to why I was asking about him. Cam would have guessed straight away, and now it seemed Marc knew too. Did these guys have any secrets between them? “Someone called for him,” I lied, and silently begged him not to ask me who.
“He had to go home for a few days, sort some stuff out.” He threw over his shoulder as he walked away. Had to go home and sort some stuff out? What ‘stuff’? Maybe it wasn’t because Kal had found out after all. Seemed like he’d gone home because he needed to. I wondered if Marc knew why. Probably, but I didn’t press him any further.
In the last two months I had worked there, Jamie had never been absent or had gone home for a visit—well, not that I knew of. I knew his parents lived a few hours away; he told me that when we were talking the other night. They moved away from here when Jamie was eighteen because his dad got a bigger promotion at another hospital. I wanted to call him and make sure he was okay, but I didn’t want to cross the line into girlfriend territory, so agonizingly, I didn’t bother. I was sure he’d fill me in when he came back. If he came back.
Needless to say, my shift was boring, the usual making shakes, answering the phones, and wiping the equipment down. The guys busied themselves with their training, and Kal was nowhere to be seen. He wasn’t at the club today either. I wondered what was going on, and my paranoia over Kal finding out about us came back. Maybe he’d sent Jamie home?
When I got home from the club, Dad seemed agitated, which really unsettled me. I was instantly on edge. Every drawer in the kitchen banged as he slammed them shut, making me jump. Then he moved on to the cabinets, doing the same thing. “What are you looking for?” I asked him, as calmly as I could.
“The keys for the damn car.” I was met with a sharp glare.
I wondered if the drinking had started to affect his memory. The car had been in our driveway, broken for six months, because we never had the money to get it fixed, so it had no option but to stay there, gathering dirt. “The car’s broken, Dad.”
He slammed another drawer shut. “Tell me something I don’t know.” His harsh voice filled the room.
“I was just telling you in case you forgot. What do you need them for?” I couldn’t work out why he wanted them so badly.
“Help me fucking find them,” he spat, ignoring my question.
Sighing, I walked into the kitchen and squatted, looking in the lower cabinets as he took the top. He was just aimlessly shoving things to the side, and objects kept toppling out onto the floor. He was making a mess. “Careful, you’re spilling things,” I warned him, dodging a can of fruit.
With his hand, he knocked me onto my ass. “Keep your mouth shut and fucking find them,” he seethed inches from my face. I could smell the brandy on his breath, and the fumes were overpowering. Standing up, I left him searching the kitchen. I walked into the front room and looked in the sideboard to see if they were in there, but there was still no sign of them. I couldn’t even remember the last time I saw them. All I knew was I wanted to find them and quick before things escalated.
I glanced at Dad’s chair, and I was horrified to see two empty bottles of brandy lying on the floor next to it. I never checked his consumption, because he was always home, and I didn’t risk checking while he was there. I didn’t know if he’d drank them both today, or not, but he certainly smelt like he had. He would walk to the shop to buy his drink while I was out, so I never really got to see what passed his lips. It was only on the rare occasion he had run out that he would make me go to the store. I picked up the bottles to take them to the trash, and as I walked past him, his head turned at the clinking. He eyed the bottles in my hand, and fury consumed him. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Taking them out to the trash.” I shrugged. Suddenly, he charged toward me and I froze in fear.
“I told you to look for the goddamn keys.” He grabbed at one of the bottles in my hand, and for some reason, I couldn’t release my grip on it. He tugged forcefully and eventually pried it from me. “Useless bitch.” He yelled, and hit me full force on the side of my head with the bottle. Pieces of glass fell to the floor around me, and a searing pain tore through my head as I clutched it. Nausea and dizziness took over me, and I thought I was going to pass out or vomit. Stumbling back against the wall, I slid down to the floor, and it was then that I noticed blood dripping onto my top.
Releasing my hand from my head, I stared in horror, finding it was covered in blood. He’d cut me. I looked up at Dad, and pain tore through my head again. I gritted my teeth and held my head again, and he just looked at me with nothing in his eyes then turned his back on me. My chest was rising and falling rapidly as I started to hyperventilate at the sheer amount of blood that was dripping from my head. I knew I needed to get to the emergency room before I passed out or bled to death.
Using the wall, I forced myself to stand up, and the dizziness and nausea overwhelmed me. I staggered over to my purse, cruising the walls and furniture with my hands to stop me from falling over, and then I carefully made my way to the front door. I wanted to get out quickly, in case he decided to finish me off or try to stop me from leaving. I couldn’t see where he had gone, so I hastily let myself out the door.
As I stumbled along the sidewalk, I started to feel confused, which frightened me, and I couldn’t remember which way the hospital was. My vision was blurry, but I couldn’t waste time, so I carried on walking. People passing by me turned in my direction, and some grabbed hold of me, trying to help, but I shook them away. I didn’t know or trust them, and I was worried they would try to take me back home.
After a while, my feet hit gravel, and the building in front of me started turning upside down. My energy disappeared, and I felt powerless as my body slammed into the stones. I felt paralyzed. All I could do was blink slowly until I was too tired to keep them open. I could make out my name being called, and footsteps racing across the gravel…
****
Feeling groggy, I came around to a repetitive beeping noise. Where was I? I tried to open my eyes, but they wouldn’t; they felt too heavy. I clasped and unclasped my hands then felt the bed and blankets around my body before moving them up the plastic sides of the bed. I could feel something wrapped around my head, and I tried raising my hand to it, but I was to
o weak. Panic rose in my chest. I couldn’t move, and I didn’t know where I was. Slowly, I opened my eyes again, but when I tried to focus them, they couldn’t, and I struggled to keep them open. Feeling a panic attack coming on, I tried sitting up so I could breathe through it.
“Calm down, love. It’s okay.” A heavy hand tried to still me, but it frightened me even more.
“Get off me! Don’t touch me. I hate you!” I cried out, batting his hand away. Why was I here? What had I done? What had he done? My heart was now slamming against my chest, and I thought I was having a heart attack. I saw his shadow move across the room as he yelled, “Nurse!” and for some reason, his voice sounded frantic. Gradually, my eyes started focusing a little better and I could make out his form. He came back and sat beside me.
“Lauren, it’s okay. It’s me, Kal. You’re in the hospital,” he said softly.
Why was Kal here? Where was Dad? My head throbbed when I tried to think. “What happened?” I asked him, wincing as I talked. I could now make out his short, dark wavy hair and the dark set of his eyes.
“Don’t worry, love. The nurse will tell you all that,” he comforted.
Just as he said that, a lady in a uniform came into view holding a rectangular clipboard. “Hi, Lauren, how are you feeling? Can you remember what happened?”
I nodded as the memories came back. Dad hit me with a bottle, so I walked here. But I didn’t want them knowing it was him who did this to me. Or did they already know? I was still confused why Kal was here. Who called him, and where was Dad? “What’s wrong with me?” I asked.
“You have a nasty laceration to the left side of your head, and you’ve had fourteen stitches.” I lifted my hand up to the padding and felt the bandage. “We’ve had to shave some of your hair to allow for the stitching, but it will grow back, and you should be able to cover it up pretty good.”
That was a lot to take in. I had to have stitches and my hair shaved? I hated him. “How come you’re here, Kal?” I looked over at him sitting in the chair beside my bed.
He looked concerned. “Do you not remember?”
“I got attacked and I walked to the hospital. Who called you?” I asked quietly.
He shook his head gently. “You came to the club. There was blood pouring from your head and you collapsed in the lot. Marc saw you from inside and ran out.”
I started to feel tired just trying to process what he was saying. I didn’t remember walking to the club.
“The hospital wanted to call your dad, but he’s away for the week, isn’t he? So I rang him to give him the heads up,” he said, looking at me strangely, then gave a confident smile to the nurse. Tears stung my eyes. Putting my head in my hands, I began to sob. How could he do this to me? His own flesh and blood. Kal shifted in his seat and patted my back, while the nurse left the room, saying she would bring more medication.
I doubted Dad had gone. “Where’s my dad, Kal?” I asked, wiping my eyes.
“I don’t know, love. I lied to the nurses to give you some thinking time.” He scratched his head. “Did. He. Do. This?” He said each word slowly, almost in disbelief. I nodded, wiping my eyes again. “Jesus.” He harshly ran his hand through his hair then scrubbed his face. “And the other times too?” I nodded again. I didn’t want to lie to him. I knew he wouldn’t do anything about it; I trusted him. “And that time you hit Jamie?”
I suddenly yearned for Jamie at the mention of his name. “Yeah.” I remembered now he’d gone to his parents’. Kal had been gone too. Thoughts about my head took a backseat as I wondered whether he knew about us. Was he pretending he didn’t know anything because I was in the hospital? You can’t be angry or sack somebody while they’re laid up in the hospital.
“The nurses wanted to ring the police. I told them to wait until you could decide for yourself.” He sat back in the chair and folded his arms, waiting for my response.
I didn’t want to get Dad arrested, even though he deserved it. “I can’t, Kal.” I shook my head and rubbed the damp tissue between my fingers.
“Look what he did to you.” He gestured to my head.
I looked down at my hands. “I know,” I sighed.
“Okay, love,” he replied, and being the understanding man he was, he didn’t push it anymore.
The nurse came back in and gave me a dose of morphine, and it was just in time because the cut on my head had begun to sting and tingle. “You don’t have to stay here with me, Kal. Go back to the club. I’ll be fine now.” I felt awful that he was wasting his time sitting here with me when he could be back at the club with the guys or spending time with his family.
“But you don’t have anyone to stay with you.” He looked at me with sadness in his eyes. I gave him a small smile in appreciation for his concern for me. “I’ll be fine, honest. I can take care of myself.” I’d had to for a long time.
“Marc mentioned a friend you might have. Maybe we can call her?”
I brightened at the thought of Taylor, although I didn’t know what I was going to tell her. “Yeah, I’ll give her a call later. Where did they put my purse?”
He reached into a cabinet beside the bed and pulled out my purse, which was streaked with dried blood. Screwing my face up, I took it from him. It looked a mess. “Bastard ruined it,” I growled, holding it up to inspect it. Kal began to chuckle. I looked at him, and he was holding himself like he was trying to stop his laughter. “What?” I asked, wondering what he found so funny.
“You, love. You’re lying in the hospital after being attacked, and you’re more angry your purse is ruined.” He shook his head, smiling. I managed a small smile back at his humor before finding my cell. I texted Taylor about where I was and asked her to come see me in the morning. I presumed I was staying here tonight. I had nowhere else to go.
Oh, my god, are you okay? she text right back. I gave her a brief overview of what happened, and she promised to come first thing. I buzzed for the nurse, and when she came in the room, I asked her what was happening with me. She confirmed I was staying overnight for observation, and that I could go home tomorrow if all was well and my wound was showing signs of healing. She then sat down beside me and explained that the police could be called when I was ready. I knew Kal wanted me to turn Dad in, but I just couldn’t. So I told her I didn’t want them to be called. She tried pressing me for an answer why, but I just told her I wasn’t ready to. Kal remained quiet beside me.
When the nurse eventually left the room, I told Kal to leave again, and he reluctantly agreed, but not before he made sure the nurses knew to ring him if anything happened. He also told her on no uncertain terms was I to leave the hospital without him. His sentiment touched me.
“If you need me, ring me anytime, okay?” He clasped my shoulder gently, and he still looked unsure about leaving me.
“Thank you, Kal, for everything,” I said appreciatively. He’d shown me more love today than my father ever had in twenty years. He nodded then gently kissed my forehead and left, but not before asking me again if I was sure about him leaving. Once he did, I carefully got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. I wanted to see myself, even though I was scared at the same time.
Taking a deep breath, I faced the mirror. The bandage covered most of my head, so I couldn’t actually see the cut or where they’d shaved my hair. I was dreading that more than anything. My blonde hair was matted in blood, and I had a black eye forming under my left eye and red grazes down my cheek. I also needed a shower desperately, but I didn’t have the energy for one. I used the bathroom and climbed back into bed.
My cell buzzed with a text from Taylor again, and I spent the night texting her, reassuring her I was fine. She wanted me to take selfies so she could see how bad I looked. I told her she was sick. When her next text came through, my heart jumped up into my throat. It was Jamie.
Cam rang and told me. Don’t know what to say. How are you?
I’m okay.
No, no you’re not, far from it.
I�
��m fine. Kal just left.
It’s killing me not seeing you right now.
Don’t do anything stupid, I warned him, worried he would go after Dad.
I won’t.
Promise?
I got no response for a few minutes, which alarmed me. I knew Jamie; this would be hard for him to leave alone. I didn’t need him causing trouble. He constantly made the threat that one day he would make Dad pay, and that didn’t sit easy with me at all.
Promise me, I said! I hoped he realized how serious I was.
Yeah, I promise. His text came back almost instantly.
Then my battery died. I didn’t even get a chance to ask him if he was okay and why he was at his parents’, or if he was coming back. Tiredness took over, so I buzzed for the nurse and asked her to turn my lights down so I could sleep. I then tried to find a comfy position for my head to lie in, which was difficult. I settled for lying on my back, and I lay there in silence for what seemed like forever. My childhood entered my thoughts, resurfacing old memories. Moving around a lot. Mom and Dad’s volatile relationship. Their drug and alcohol abuse. Them abandoning me.
At one point, I remembered being dumped with a neighbor, and I didn’t see or hear from them for weeks. Then Mom left not long after, and my relationship with Dad went downhill, turning unstable, and he began hitting me. I wasn’t in the mood for a trip down memory lane, although I was surprised I was still sane after all of it. I wasn’t one to dwell on my past; it happened, and I couldn’t change it. But I could change my future, and that’s what kept me going.
So much of my life had been centered on Dad, his needs, his wants. If I was to have any kind of future, I needed to do things for me. Now that this happened, I was feeling stronger and more determined. I’d always dreamed of becoming a teacher, and I wasn’t going to let him get in the way of that. I was almost there; graduation was only a month away. Then I was leaving for Texas.
Reckless Retribution (West Warriors Book 1) Page 19
