The sound of her sobs shatters me, breaking my heart. I’m helpless, unable to comfort her or wake her from the grips of her nightmare. The warmth of her body is suddenly gone, and pain and darkness defeat me.
My time in darkness is becoming shorter as the pain lessens. I can hear voices. One is barely recognizable, but the other belongs to her. She sounds scared but determined. She’s worried about me.
I know she’s near even though the voices are gone. Sensing her distress, my own heart rate spikes and I try desperately to sooth her. I don’t know how I manage to grip her hand, but I squeeze it as tight as I can. Her breathing returns to normal almost immediately and I know that she knows I’m still her lighthouse.
Her lips brush my ear, and she whispers, “You are forever mine, come back to me.” Her words play on a loop over and over, shining a light in the dark corners of my consciousness.
SQUINTING AGAINST THE gleaming light, I open my eyes slowly. Ignoring the throbbing in my head, I take in my environment. Plain white walls, an IV attached to my left arm, and the antiseptic smell tells me I’m in a hospital.
At some point during my sleep I was able to wrap my arm around Avery. The memory of her words assails me, flooding my brain. Closing my eyes, I try to manage the pain. I open them quickly when concern for her gives me a rush of adrenaline. I will never be able to explain all the emotions that battle for dominance when my gaze meets hers.
“You came back to me,” she chokes out through her tears.
I force my hand to reach out and wipe away her tears. I’m relieved to discover that my limbs are now responding to my will.
Reciting a variation of her words, I say, “I’m forever yours. I will always come back to you.”
She gasps, sobbing freely. Lowering my head, I cover her mouth with mine, swallowing her pain. I kiss her deeply, transforming her sobs into moans, replacing her pain with pleasure.
“I need to call for your doctor,” she says, breaking our kiss.
“Five minutes,” I groan, claiming her lips once again.
Ten minutes later, I release her. It was a struggle controlling my body. I nearly lost my load twice. When she finally climbs out of bed, I find it hard to take my eyes off her. Her hair is sleep tousled and her lips are kissed swollen. She’s fucking beautiful.
From the bedside she presses the buzzer, calling a nurse. “Can I help you, Miss West?” the voice asks.
“Mr. Thorne is awake.” Avery’s warm hazel eyes smile back at me.
Moments later the door opens. The nurse, who is about my age, walks in. Her long brown hair swings from side to side in a ponytail. She’s wearing floral printed scrubs, a size too small.
“Welcome back, Mr. Thorne.” He greets me but is less than friendly to Avery. I’m Jenna and I’ll be your nurse tonight. How are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been hit by a truck.”
“I can get you something for the pain as soon as Dr. Howard examines you.”
“That’s fine, but I need this catheter removed now.”
Having a catheter shoved up my dick is not conducive with my hard on.
Jenna glances quickly in Avery’s direction, then back to me.
“Miss West should leave for the procedure, if you prefer privacy.”
“Only if she wants to.”
“I’m staying.” Avery holds my hand the entire time. Her gaze doesn’t leave mine.
“As you wish,” Jenna says, before removing the catheter in under two minutes. “I’m going to check your vitals.” She wraps the blood pressure cuff around my upper arm and takes my temperature. “No fever and your blood pressure is normal.” Just as she is removing the cuff the doctor walks in.
“Good evening, Mr. Thorne, it’s good to have you back with us. I’m Dr. Howard.”
Performing a thorough examination, Dr. Howard starts by checking the reaction of my pupils as he shines a light in my eyes. He also tests my reflexes. When the doctor asks if I remember how the head injury happened I draw a blank. He also asks more simple questions, such as, "Where do you live?" "What is your name?" "Who is the president?" to evaluate memory and concentration. Images of the limo exploding come rushing back, causing a shooting pain in my skull.
I wince, closing my eyes against the pain.
“Don’t force the memories, they will return gradually.” I open my eyes and his intense gaze greets mine. “I’ll prescribe something for the pain. In the meantime, Nurse Jenna will remove your IV and administer your pain medication.”
“Thank you,” I say as Dr. Howard prepares to leave.
“Get some sleep Mr. Thorne, the headaches will lessen with rest and time.”
Jenna quickly removes the IV before leaving the room. Less than five minutes later Jenna returns with my pain medication and water. I swallow the pill and gulp down the water, quenching a thirst I didn’t know I had.
“You should rest, Mr. Thorne,” she says, repeating the doctor’s orders as she fluffs my pillows and reclines the bed. “Good night, Mr. Thorne,” she says, giving Avery a less than professional glance before heading out the door.
“What’s that all about?” I ask, reaching for Avery.
Avery smirks. “She may still be upset because I attacked her late last night,” she offers by way of explanation.
Of all the possible reasons for Nurse Jenna’s hostility, Avery attacking her would have never made the list.
“Why did you attack her?”
“The room was dark.” The words come out in a whisper. And I know it’s not the whole story.
“Tell me the rest,” I urge, holding her hand in mine.
“I woke up from a nightmare and the room was dark. So, when I saw movement in the doorway, I reacted to what I assumed was a threat.”
“Where was security?”
“Outside the door. William came in within moments of the altercation. He turned on the lights and I let her go.”
“Tell me about your nightmare.”
Avery shares the details of her nightmare. Her body trembles visibly when she recalls how it felt watching me die.
“I felt overwhelmed with grief and guilt.” Her voice is an agonizing whisper, straining to get the words out. “I let you go and she killed you anyway.” Tears streak down her cheeks, and she wipes them away with the back of her hand.
“It was just a dream, Sweetness.” I pull her into my arms, consoling her. “I’m here with you.”
“My world ended, and I had no reason to go on,” she murmurs against my chest. When I pulled the trigger, my only thought was being with you again. In this world or the next, by your side is where I want to be.”
Her confession guts me, rendering me speechless. I’ve lived through the darkness that her nightmare conjured. When my son Ian died, I did everything short of taking my own life to end the pain. I can’t say during that torturous year that the thought never occurred to me. Even now I can’t imagine a life without Avery in it.
“We’re going to grow old together. We will have children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. And when it’s time for our life to end, we’ll go peacefully in each other’s arms.”
“How many children will we have?” she sniffles.
“I think three is a good number.”
Lifting her head, she says with a smile, “There’s a good chance we could have twins.”
“A daughter with her mother’s beautiful eyes and a son with his father’s rugged good looks.”
Avery’s smile widens, spreading across her face and brightening her eyes. I’d do anything to keep that smile on her face. Leaning down, I kiss her chastely, wanting to bask in the warmth and happiness she radiates. She chuckles against my lips, when my stomach growls loudly.
“You need to eat,” she discerns. “I’ll have someone from security get you some dinner. And while I’m doing that you can call your family and friends with the good news.”
She gives me a quick kiss and climbs out of bed. I watch her leave, eager for her retu
rn. The first call is to my mom and dad. I call my mom’s cell and she answers on the first ring.
“Hello, Mom.”
She gasps at the sound of my voice before yelling for my dad and Katelyn.
“I’m putting you on speaker, sweetheart.”
“What is it dear?” I hear my father in the background asking.
“Lucian is awake and he’s on the line.”
“Thank god,” Katelyn praises.
“How are you feeling?” I hear chuckles, as they ask the question almost all at the same time.
I assure them that I’m on the mend, but tired. They ask a list of questions I don’t have the answers to. The prominent one being, what caused the explosion? My head begins to pound, recalling the moments leading up to the event. All I remember is a thunderous boom and fading voices. The pain in my head magnifies as the last image of Franklin sears my brain. I try to focus on a more pleasant memory, but I have trouble concentrating.
“Lucinda, Charles, will you hold for a moment please,” I hear Avery say.
“Is everything alright?” The concern in my mother’s voice is clear.
“Yes, the nurse just walked in with Lucian’s dinner.”
Of course,” my mother says, unconvincingly.
Avery places the phone on mute and climbs into bed, straddling me. “Think about this instead,” she whispers against my lips.
Her mouth teases mine, seeking an opening. I grant her tongue entrance. She licks and sucks my tongue, pulling a groan from deep within me. The pounding in my head gives way to the throbbing of my cock. Moaning, I grind my cock against her warm center. Breaking the kiss, Avery stares into my eyes. I can only assume that she saw what she needed to see.
“When I walked in your eyes were clamped tightly shut. You appeared to be in pain.”
I nod, acknowledging her assessment.
“Are you okay to finish your conversation with your family?”
“I am.”
“Good,” she says, kissing me chastely.
“Mom.”
“Lucian, are you okay? The line was quiet before Avery spoke to us.”
“I’m okay. Just clumsy. But I’m feeling a bit hungry and tired.”
“Yes, of course sweetheart. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good night, Mom and Dad. You too, Katelyn.”
My family says goodnight and I breathe a sigh of relief. Avery attempts to climb off my lap, but I hold her in place. Needing the comfort of her body to anchor me, I rest my head on her shoulder. Knowing that I cannot put it off any longer, I ask my question.
“How is Franklin?”
She wraps her arms around my back and I prepare for the worst.
“He’s in ICU, in a critical but stable condition. The doctor was able to repair his spleen, but he lost a lot of blood during surgery. He also has second degree burns covering his hands, torso, and thighs. He’ll need to be treated in the burn unit.”
I exhale, releasing the breath I didn’t realize I was holding in. He’s not dead. Thank Christ. Avery and I hold each other until a knock at the door invades our sanctuary.
When Avery moves to climb off my lap, I let her go. Opening the door, she steps aside to allow Mathers to walk in.
“Good evening, sir. It’s good to see you.”
“Thank you. Good to see you too.”
Nodding, Mathers directs his attention to Avery and back to me. “Is there anything else I can get for either of you?”
“No thanks, that will be all, William,” Avery responds.
Mathers excuses himself, leaving Avery and I with our meal. Avery uses the tray table to spread out the contents of the bag. Mouthwatering lobster bisque soup and crusty garlic bread for two. Sitting with her legs folded on the opposite side of the tray table, Avery and I enjoy our meal in silence. I’m grateful for the peace and quiet and she seems to need it too.
Now that I’ve eaten all I can manage, an urgent need to relieve myself has me scrambling out of bed. Rushing to my aid, Avery pushes the tray table to the side. Wrapping her right arm around my back she supports me as I try to stand on wobbly legs. Taking baby steps, I hold on to Avery for balance. She doesn’t shy away from entering the bathroom with me. Having seen me take a piss many times this is nothing new to her.
“Do you need help with that?” I hear the teasing in her voice.
“I think I can manage, thanks.”
“Too bad. I was looking forward to playing naughty nurse.”
“You have a fetish for hospitals, Sweetness.”
I remember how wet she was for me when she had to stay in the hospital overnight due to anaphylactic shock. And as much as I want to be buried deep in her sea of wetness, I don’t think I can manage it.
“I have a fetish for you,” she confesses.
My cock twitches in my hand, and she notices. A sexy smile curls her luscious lips.
“Are you sure?” she tempts, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip.
Taking care of business, I try to ignore my throbbing cock. When I’m done I wash and dry my hands. Avery wraps her arm around me again, helping me to the bed. She is adjusting my pillow and blankets when her hand brushes against my skin, heating me from the inside. Avery climbs onto the hospital bed next to mine. They are jammed so close together, we have a king-size bed. She curls up next to me laying her head on my chest. Assuming the position, I wrap my arm around her. Burying my nose in her hair, I breathe her in. Lavender and honey and the intoxicating scent of Avery, the combination is better than any painkiller. I feel myself drifting off to sleep moments after her gentle snoring hums me a lullaby.
WHEN I WAKE, I FEEL well rested. Avery is still lying next to me sound asleep. I manage to untangle our limbs without disturbing her. Climbing out of bed, I’m relieved to find my legs are much stronger than they were last night. Making my way to the en-suite bathroom, I relieve my bladder. Catching a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror reminds me that I haven’t shaved in two days. I search my toiletry bag retrieving my shaving kit. After I have shaved and brushed my teeth, the shower calls my name.
The warm water cascading over my body has a healing effect instantly, cleansing me and washing away the anxiety I feel about the explosion. I’m reaching for the body wash when Avery steps into the shower and wraps her arms around me. My body reacts to her front pressing against my back. Her right-hand glides slowly down my stomach to my cock. Gripping my erection, my shaft grows harder and stiffer in her hand. She strokes me up and down, bringing me closer to my release.
“Avery,” I groan.
“Is this too much? Should I stop?”
“No. Never.”
I extend my hands, pressing them to the shower wall to steady myself. Only she has the power to bring me to my knees. Avery’s small frame surrounds me. Her lips brush against my back, kissing it tenderly. And her hands work in tandem. Her left-hand tugs and rolls my nipple between her thumb and index finger. But it’s her right hand that gives me the most undeniable pleasure. It’s her right hand that has me falling over the edge, growling her name. I shudder in her arms, as my seed erupts from my body and disappears down the drain. We spend the next fifteen minutes cleansing our bodies, touching each other intimately.
Dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and a silk blouse, I watch Avery’s hips sway from side to side as she walks to the door. The person on the other side barely has a chance to knock before she opens it. Her voice is warm when she greets and thanks whomever is at the door. Striding back to the small sitting area of the hospital room, I smile when I see she is carrying a thermal bag with the Thorne Enterprises logo.
“Breakfast,” she explains, sitting the bag on the table. “I spoke to Helen and she had chef Michael prepare this for us.”
Opening the bag, Avery removes the contents, placing them on the table. Our spread includes coffee, orange juice, bacon, English muffins, and omelets. My stomach growls with hunger. I spread blackberry preserve over the English muffin and take a big bite.
Smiling, Avery takes the seat next to me.
“Would you like a cup of coffee?” she asks. “I read that caffeine can help reduce the pain of a headache.”
Straddling me last night, Avery forced me to focus on her instead of the pain. She is the cure for what ails me.
“Are you asking me to choose between your kiss and caffeine?” Avery gives me a look of astonishment. “I’ll give up coffee today.” I close my eyes feigning pain. “And since I haven’t tasted your lips today, I’ll have to live with the pain.”
The surprised look in her eye is replaced with comprehension.
“I would never ask you to choose,” she says, adding sugar to the black coffee. “I know how much you love coffee.” Taking a sip of coffee, she flutters her lashes. “How can I possibly compete with that?”
Before I can get a word out, she is covering my mouth with hers. Avery’s tongue circles mine and I moan, tasting her and the coffee at the same time. She breaks the kiss and murmurs against my lips, “You can have both.” Avery takes two more sips of the coffee, kissing me deeply after each. I don’t think I will ever be able to enjoy coffee any other way ever again.
An hour after breakfast, Dr. Howard signs my hospital release papers after repeating the examination from the night before. Avery’s body tenses slightly at the news.
“You’ll need to rest for a week or so. And if any of the list of symptoms appear or if your headache worsens you need to return to the hospital right away. Avoid any stressful activities that may trigger headaches.”
I nod, eager to leave the hospital behind.
Saying goodbye, Dr. Howard leaves, closing the door behind him. Avery doesn’t seem to notice. Packing up my things, she enters the en-suite bathroom, returning with my shaving kit.
“Are you okay, Sweetness?”
She smiles but it does not reach her eyes.
“You’re going home, why wouldn’t I be okay?”
Answering a question with a question is never a good thing. But when Avery does it I know it means she is worried about something.
“I’m going to be fine,” I assure her.
“I know. You should call your parents and tell them the good news,” she says, changing the subject.
Inseparable Bond Page 6
