“Oh, my God! Blake! Is he all right? Oh, my God.” Avery’s panicked words smash into my ears as she races to my side. “Is he . . . Did you . . . Oh, God.”
I reach out and touch the side of his neck with two fingers, hoping to find a pulse. Relief floods me when his skin is warm to the touch and I detect a faint pulse.
“He’s alive, but he’s really hurt. He needs an ambulance,” I say.
Avery grabs her cell and dials 9-1-1, explains the situation, and runs out front to get Blake’s house number for the operator.
While she does that, I stare down at my friend and wish there was something I could do for him. I feel so helpless just sitting by him without being able to do anything.
I touch his arm and try to do the only thing I can by comforting him. “You’re going to be all right. Hang in there, buddy.”
Sirens wail all around as an ambulance and police cars arrive at the scene. The paramedics work quickly to move me out of the way and then get right to work on Blake.
They try to talk to him, but he never responds. One of the guys holds open his eyelids and shines a light in his eyes while another pulls out a needle and pokes it into Blake’s skin to start an IV.
Avery clings to my side and presses her face against my shoulder. It’s hard to watch them work on him and it hits me that this may be the last time I see my friend alive if they can’t help him get better. Watching Blake fight for his life opens the floodgates to a lot of still-healing memories.
“Avery?” The same cop from the bar the other night approaches us and removes his hat. “I know this is a difficult time for you, but I need to ask the two of you some questions so we can get a handle on what’s happened here.”
Avery nods. “Anything. I want to help find whoever did this.”
Officer Ryder pulls out a notepad and says, “How did you discover the victim?”
“When we came to check on him, the front door was locked, so we thought we’d try the back, and that’s when we found him.”
The cop nods. “What made you come check on him?”
This time I feel that I need to speak up.
I clear my throat. “I stayed here two nights ago, but I hadn’t seen him since the fight at the bar. When he didn’t return my calls, I started to worry.”
He makes a few notes on the paper. “Do you have any idea what happened to him and why he’s out in his backyard like this?”
I shake my head. “No, but I did notice he’s wearing the same clothes as the last time I saw him.”
“Oh, God,” Avery interjects. “Do you think the guys from the bar that night followed him home? That’s the only logical explanation, and they’re the only people that I can think of who would want to harm Blake.”
“It’s highly likely that’s exactly what has happened,” the officer says. “Which is why I’m going to put out an APB on the men who had the confrontation with him the other night. Those men are known problems in this town, which is why I wish Blake would’ve pressed charges when he could before. Having incidents on record is always helpful, especially when a situation like this arises. It gives us a clear picture most of the time on who we need to start with in our line of questioning. There’s no doubt that whoever did this to Blake didn’t intend for him to live to identify them, which is why it is of utmost importance to find these guys and get them off the streets. If they aren’t afraid to do this kind of crime and hurt someone like this, they won’t give it a second thought when they do it again.”
“I’ll do anything I can to help, officer,” I tell the man. “Just tell me what needs to be done.”
He frowns. “There’s not much that you can do but sit back and let us do our jobs. We’ll find them and bring them to justice. If you think of anything else, let us know.”
Officer Ryder squeezes the button on the side of the walkie-talkie that’s strapped to his shoulder and says, “We need an APB on Jerry Rose, Thomas Hersel, and Larry Deitz. All known to be associated with the organized gang the Outlaws.”
The radio buzzes to life. “Copy that.”
The paramedics work quickly to get Blake on a backboard and then put him on a stretcher. A white plastic neck brace is also strapped on him to stabilize his head and prevent it from moving around.
Avery turns into me, tears flowing from her eyes. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her in tight against me. I wish I could tell her that Blake’s fine, though the truth is, I’m worried about him myself. But at least now Avery and I have each other and we can get through this together.
AVERY
It’s been close to five hours since they brought Blake into the hospital and he hasn’t woken up yet. All the testing they did on him revealed a slight brain bleed but the doctors think it’s not enough to cause significant swelling to the point where they would need to operate. They’re hoping his body will simply reabsorb the blood and the swelling will reduce on its own.
I sit at Blake’s bedside and hold his hand in mine while Tyler sits next to me. Being here reminds me of being at Granny’s bedside after the fire years ago. It’s difficult to witness someone you care about struggle with so much pain. I pray Blake’s outcome is better than my father’s was and that whatever happens, Tyler can handle it and won’t take off running like he did the last time when things got hard.
We haven’t left the hospital since they brought Blake in. Blake’s mom stopped in to see him, but she didn’t stay long. It was the first time I’d ever met the woman in the time I’ve known Blake. He doesn’t talk much about her—just says that they aren’t that close.
I check the clock on the wall, and it’s nearly eight in the morning. It’s almost time for Maddie to get up, so we’re going to have to decide how much longer we stay here because Maddie will be asking for me before long.
I called Granny last night to make sure she was okay watching Maddie all night, and of course she told me that it was no problem. Granny loves spending time with her great-granddaughter.
Tyler rubs smooth circles on my back. “Tired?”
“Yes,” I say and then scrub my hand down my face. “I don’t want Blake to be alone when he wakes up, but I think I need to get home to Maddie soon.”
Tyler fishes his keys from his front pocket. “Take the car and go home and rest.”
“What about you?” I ask.
“I’ll be fine. Come back and get me in a few hours.”
I stare into Tyler’s eyes, and all I see is how caring and loving he is. He’s been amazing with Maddie and I know if I allow myself, I could fall madly in love with him very quickly.
I don’t know how I’m going to feel when they find that singer in his band and he has to go back on the road. It’ll crush me and I’m sure now that Maddie knows him, she’ll have a bunch of questions of her own when he’s no longer around a lot.
Just as I’m about to stand up, Blake’s fingers twitch in my grasp and I immediately freeze in place. “Blake? Can you hear me?”
They twitch again and I reach for the call button attached to the side of the bed to alert the staff that we need a nurse.
There’s a knock at the door and the petite, dark-haired nurse who’s on duty enters the room. “You needed something?”
“Yes!” I say and I can hear the excitement in my own voice. “He’s moving!”
She rushes over to his bedside and pulls a penlight from the front pocket of her scrubs. She lifts Blake’s eyelids and shines the light in his eyes one at a time. “Blake, I’m Anna, your nurse. I’m going to grab your hand. Give it a squeeze if you can hear me.” She takes the hand opposite of the one I’m holding and says to him, “That’s me touching you. Squeeze back if you can. Let me know that you can hear me.”
We wait with bated breath, but then something magical happens. Blake’s fingers twitch on the other hand and he squeezes not only the nurse’s hand but mine too.
“Good, Blake,” the nurse says and then leans
over to adjust the IV tubing attached to him.
“You’re hot.” Blake’s scratchy voice comes out barely over a whisper.
The nurse’s cheeks turn a deep shade of red. “It looks like someone is starting to feel better.”
“How are you feeling?” I ask Blake. “Is there anything I can get you?”
“Her phone number would make me feel a lot better.”
Tyler chuckles beside me. “And he’s back.”
The woman assesses Blake’s physical condition, all the while fending off his advances with smiles and shakes of her head. It’s obvious that this brain bleed isn’t going to keep him down for long.
When she’s through, the nurse smiles and addresses Blake directly. “Okay, try to take it easy. I’m going to alert your doctor that you’re awake. He’ll want to talk to you right away.”
“Okay.”
“Use the call light if you need me for anything,” she reminds him.
His eyebrow tweaks up and even though the swelling hides most of the expression on his face, it’s clear to see that his brain is thinking up some typical Blake ornery things to say. “You mean, when I want you, all I have to do is press this button and you’ll come to my room? Sweet. I need to talk to someone about getting one of these things installed at my house. I’d love to have you as my beck-and-call girl.”
She rolls her eyes. “Rest, and only the button if you need me for something pertaining to your health.”
“Sex is very much a part of a person’s overall health,” he argues.
The nurse gives him a pointed look and then leaves the room. Clearly she’s not going to fall for Blake’s bullshit.
As soon as the door shuts, Blake sighs. “She totally wants me.”
Tyler and I laugh in unison, and my heart is happy now that my friend is okay.
“It’s good to see the two of you together again. Did you finally let him meet Maddie?” Blake asks and I nod. “Good. I never felt right about keeping it secret, but it wasn’t my business to tell him about her. That was between the two of you.”
“Thank you, Blake. You’re a good friend.”
“Does Maddie have you wrapped around her cute little finger yet, Tyler?”
My gaze flicks over to Tyler and he nods. “She does. I’m such a goner when it comes to that girl.”
Blake grins. “I knew she would. She’s too adorable for a person to not fall in love with her the moment they see her. You’ll be a good dad.”
“Thanks, man. I’m sure going to try. I’ve got a lot of making up to do—” Tyler reaches over and threads his fingers through mine. “—with both of them. I’m going to do right by them.”
Blake nods. “I know you will.”
We sit there for a moment, and then finally Tyler asks, “What the hell happened to you? Did those dudes from the bar that night do this to you?”
He sighs. “Yeah. Those assholes must’ve followed me home from the bar, because they totally caught me off guard. I was unlocking the house and then boom: I was knocked out cold from behind. The next thing I knew they were dragging me around back where they finished beating my ass as one big group.”
“Shit, man. I’m sorry I wasn’t with you.”
Blake shakes his head. “Are you crazy? You’d probably be in the bed right next to me if they’d snuck up on us both, and Avery would be here holding both our hands.”
“You’re probably right. All the same, I’m still sorry.”
“Don’t lose one night of sleep over it, man. I’ll be fine.”
Another knock on the door sounds and then Officer Ryder walks in the door with a stack of papers in his hands. “How are you guys doing? I heard from the nurse Blake was awake in here, so I thought it would be a good time to come in and take a report from him about what actually happened. Did you get a good look at your attacker’s face or faces?”
Blake turns toward me. “Can you help me sit this bed up a little?”
I press the button and his head rises up. “Better?”
He nods and then slowly turns his attention back to Officer Ryder. “I did. It was those same douches from the bar that we got into it with earlier that night. The three of them attacked me as I was going into my house.”
“Did any one of them specifically do this or did they all three have their hands on you?”
“All three,” he confirms. “Worst thing is they were smiling and fucking enjoying themselves. It made me sick.”
The cop makes a few notes and then says, “This isn’t the first time we’ve had problems with these guys, but it is the first time someone has been brave enough to identify them in a crime and then stick by it. These guys like to hurt people. They get off on it, so I’m going to do everything within my power to make sure these guys pay for their crimes against you. We’ve already got them in custody and will proceed with criminal charges now that you’ve been able to identify them.”
“Thank you,” Blake says. “You let me know what you need from me, and consider it done. I don’t want these pricks doing this to someone else—someone who might not be as lucky as I was.”
“Will do. Take care of yourself.” Officer Ryder turns toward me and smiles. “See you around, Avery.”
Tyler’s fingers curl around the armrest of the chair and as soon as the cop leaves, he says, “That guy has a thing for you.”
“What? No, he doesn’t,” I quip. “He’s just being friendly and doing his job.”
“Well, I don’t like it. I don’t like the idea of him sniffing around you when I’m gone.”
His admission of jealousy catches me off guard. “Tyler, if this is going to work, then you’re going to have to trust me. We’ll be spending a lot of time apart, so trust is going to be crucial in our relationship.”
Tyler sighs deeply and then scrubs his hand down his face. “I know. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to sounds like . . .”
“A jealous stalker boyfriend,” Blake adds in for him.
Tyler gives him a pointed look. “Yes, that.”
“No problem, dude. But seriously, Avery’s a good girl. I don’t think you’d have to worry about her running around on you. She’s—”
“Blake,” I cut him off, stopping him midsentence. “I know you’re trying to help me, but Tyler and me . . . we got this.”
He gives me a sheepish grin. “Sorry. Continue.”
Tyler grabs my hand and stands up. “Let’s go talk.”
“Oh, come on, guys. You can’t take away my entertainment,” Blake complains.
I laugh as Tyler pulls me toward the door.
We walk hand in hand through the hospital, and I’m not sure what’s on Tyler’s mind, but there’s a worried expression on his face. It seems that whatever he wants to talk about is pretty damn serious.
TYLER
When we reach the parking lot, I turn to face Avery. “There’s something that’s been weighing on my mind all night and I think we need to talk about it.”
Her brow furrows. “Okay. I’m all ears. What’s up?”
I lick my suddenly dry lips. “I don’t want to go back on tour with my band.”
Since I met Maddie the other day, the thought of leaving this town hurts like hell. Maddie instantly stole my heart and made me realize that music should not control my life. I can be a musician anywhere. The music is in me, and I’ll never lose that, even if I follow my heart and chase a new dream.
It’s the choices I made that led me to Wicked White even though my heart really isn’t into the kind of music that we perform. I want to make music that speaks my truth, and in order to create that kind of music, I have to start with being honest with myself and going after what my heart truly wants. Right now that’s to be a family with Avery and Maddie. Nothing else matters to me but them.
Shock passes over her face. I’m sure the admission I just made isn’t one that she expected to hear. “What makes you say that? I thought music was your life.”
“It was,” I say and then pause. “Growing up
, all I ever dreamed about doing was being a musician. Creating music and performing has been one hundred percent what my life has been about. There was nothing that mattered more to me. My dad knew that, which is why he pushed me so hard to get out of this town. He knew that a career as a performer would never be anything more for me than just a dream if I got trapped in the small-town life. He didn’t want to see me get tied down like he did. He loved to tell me stories about all the big dreams he had growing up, and when I asked him why he never tried to make them come true, he would always just tell me that things changed for him when he met my mother—that she became the most important thing to him. They got married. He got a job at a local factory and then they had me.
“For some reason he never thought his simple life was good enough for me. He never wanted to see me settle for anything less than my dreams, so he pushed me. He pushed me to be better—to want to get out of this town. Dad’s biggest fear was that I would get a girl pregnant and get trapped here in this town, which is why I think he made me make that promise to him.”
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting your child to accomplish more than you did,” Avery says. “I can see why he would push you like that. I want the same for Maddie. He wanted you to have the best life you can.”
I take her hand in mine. “That’s where I think he was wrong though, Avery. When he told me to go out and find my dream, I don’t think he could’ve ever possibly known that my dream was going to come into this town and find me.”
“What are you saying, Tyler?” she whispers.
I trace her cheek with the tips of my fingers. “I’m saying that my dreams have changed, and if I’m to keep my promise to my dad, then I need to go after them. My dream is you, Avery. You and Maddie. I want us to be a family.”
“I told you we’d give us a shot,” she says.
Instantly, I shake my head. “I don’t want to be away from you and I don’t want to miss a single day in Maddie’s life. I’ve missed too many firsts already that I’ll never get back. I love you, Avery. You and Maddie. I don’t want to see you just part-time or the times when I’m not on the road or in the studio—I want the two of you in my life every day.”
Wicked Love (Wicked White Series Book 3) Page 18
