25. Lena
CHAPTER 25
Lena
I was really hoping when I visited her that I wouldn’t see him. It’s been over a week since he left my apartment, and he’s been sending a multitude of gifts ever since. At this point, I’m just stockpiling them in the corner so I can hock them at a pawn shop when I have the time. Some of the jewelry, though, I like. I’ll keep those pieces.
As I walk into Cinita’s hospital room, I lick my lips. His kiss is imbedded on them. It’s all I can feel, like a stain I can’t wipe off. It brands me in ways I don’t like to admit.
“Oh my gosh! Lena!” Cinita perks up in her bed, a bowl of Jell-O in her hand. It’s night and day to how I last saw her. Her bruises are a bluish-yellow now. She’s healing, but I can’t shake the visual of how dead she looked before.
Julie gives me a kind smile as she sits on a chair next to the bed.
“Julie told me you were the first person to come. You know, when I was brought here and stuff. Thank you. Oh, and I’m sorry about the rent situation. Things got kind of crazy, but you can sell my stuff to make up for it and all.”
I remind myself that punching a woman who’s recovering in the hospital is not acceptable. She’s not at all apologetic. She’s also kind of off, in a jittery way, and I can see she’s only had one mouthful of her Jell-O.
“It was an inconvenience,” I agree, “but I’m glad to see you’re doing better.”
She’s most likely going through withdrawals. I haven’t been around someone who’s dealing with substance abuse, but I was prewarned that she could have “moments.”
“Oh yeah, I’m totally being waited on hand and foot.” She rolls her eyes sarcastically.
Alek lingers near the door, and I see the way Cinita lights up around him. She’s like a moth to a flame, and I’m almost certain one that wants to perish in the fire. It makes me uncomfortable.
“The doctors said if I wasn’t brought in, I’d probably be dead. Which is super dramatic. I always knew he’d come, though.” She points her spoon at Alek, who doesn’t say anything. “Although, you didn’t answer my call the first time, so maybe I might’ve died.” Her tone has taken on an edge.
Silence fills the room.
He didn’t answer because he was with me.
“Doctor is cute, though,” she adds flippantly.
My phone rings in my pocket, and I couldn’t have asked for a better time to excuse myself. Because as sorry as I feel for Cinita, I’m not her friend. I’m not her anything. And I just don’t want this energy in my life.
When I pull out my phone, I realize I’ve missed a call from my mother. Seems like the lesser of two evils.
“I just need to duck out for a bit to call my mom back,” I say as I make haste out of the room. I push past Alek, and when he goes to say something, I put my finger up to him because I don’t want him to follow me.
“Alek?” Cinita calls out to him, clearly disgruntled by his momentary shift of attention.
I head out of the hospital, constantly touching my lips, unable to help myself. Despite the fact that I’m mad at him, I really do like the way he kisses me .
Looking over my shoulder to make sure he stayed with Cinita, I don’t see any sign of him. A part of me expected him to follow me. If everything he said is true, I should want nothing to do with him. He’s a killer. Imagine if I brought him home to my parents and introduced him. Hi, what do you do for work? Well, parents, I kill people for a living. Oh, and I have auctions where I sell sex and other illegal things.
No, thank you.
I call my mother back, grateful for the fresh air when I step outside.
Work has been a great distraction, but Alek just sucks me straight back in.
She answers and immediately reprimands me. “Lena, you haven’t called or texted since you paid us back. Is there a reason for that?”
Maybe dealing with Cinita was a better idea.
“I’ve been busy with work,” I reply.
“Well, your brother is a doctor, and he still manages to call. So tell me, Lena, who has more time?”
Of course she would compare us. That’s what she’s good at, and it’s what she’s always done my whole life. I’m pretty sure my brother could do no wrong in her eyes—not that I think ill of my brother. I actually think he’s amazing. Every time she would try to pit us against each other, he would always tell her how lucky she was to have a daughter like me.
“How is he?” I ask, changing the subject, knowing full well she enjoys the topic of anything associated with my brother. I’m pretty sure every person from our hometown knows exactly who my brother is, even if they haven’t met him, based on my mother’s mouth alone.
“He’s good. Actually, that’s why I am calling.”
“Oh?”
“He’s in New York now. He just called and said he thought he saw you at the hospital. Are you there? At the hospital?”
My jaw drops, and I look back at the hospital entrance.
“Archer is here?”
“Yes. Why are you at the hospital anyway?” she asks skeptically.
“I was visiting a friend,” I explain. Why didn’t anyone tell me sooner he was in town?
“Mom, I’m going to go and find him,” I say excitedly. My brother’s timing couldn’t be more perfect. He’s exactly what I need right now—something familiar.
“Oh, he’s working, Lena. You know better than to interrupt him at work.”
“Okay, Mother,” I say and hang up. When I step back into the lobby, I go to the reception desk and ask where I might find Archer Love. They direct me to the same floor I came from.
I offer a timid smile of appreciation because… fuck me, really? Why must I continue bumping into Alek when I’m trying to avoid him? Because now all I can think about is how many more of his toxic kisses I want.
Stepping out of the elevator, I turn right toward the nurse’s station instead of left in the direction of Cinita’s room. I spot Archer right away, standing behind the desk and talking to a nurse. He’s instructing her on what to do with his patient. He signs something, then he looks up, and recognition blooms immediately. Archer’s dazzling smile grows bright. He hands her the clipboard and beelines it straight for me. As soon as he reaches me, he picks me up and swings me around.
“Little. You’re here.” He’s called me little since we were kids. He puts me down but grabs my hand and holds it in his.
“How come you didn’t tell me you were in town?” I ask, surprised.
“I wanted to see your next show and surprise you. Are you here visiting someone? ”
“One of my old roommates is here. I just popped in to see how she’s doing.”
“Oh, who is it?”
“Her name is Cinita. She’s at the end of the hall.” He drops my hand, and I see a look of worry cross his face.
“Archer?”
He reaches for me again and pulls me in to whisper in my ear.
“You aren’t using like she is, right?”
I hit his chest with a shocked laugh.
“Never. You should know that,” I say. “I would never do anything to hurt my pipes.” I touch my neck.
“Good. That’s good. She’s had some questionable people come looking for her,” he tells me. “Especially that one. Just don’t look right away.” I nod and step back. Turning my head slightly, I see Alek watching us. Tensing, I look back at Archer.
That man pops up from thin fucking air.
“Are you free for dinner later?” he asks.
I’m still shocked he’s here, and I’m trying to will away Alek’s stare that I can feel drilling into my back.
“That sounds good,” I say with a grin.
He gives me another smile, and I know he wants to rough up my hair but won’t while he’s working. “I have to go, but I’ll text you,” he says as he pulls me in for another hug.
It’s nice. And familiar. A bit of home.
I watch him as he walks into another room, trying my hardest to ignore Alek’s presence. I head for the elevator. I don’t want to deal with Cinita or Alek, and I’m sure Julie will understand if I send her a text to apologize.
I step into the elevator, grateful it opened immediately. I grab my phone to text Julie, but I’m startled as Alek invades my space before the doors shut.
The doors close before I can get off, and I silently curse under my breath.
“You’ve kissed a lot of men today, it seems,” he says, standing way too close to me.
“Seems you want too many people,” I shoot back, not looking his way, instead staring at my phone to type out the message.
“No, I only want one. Who was that, Lena?” His tone has a deadly edge, and I can’t help but raise my head and meet his eyes. He’s only a breath away from me. It’s impossible to ignore this man.
“Why do you care?” I bite out. Because he doesn’t get to have a say about anything that pertains to me.
“I have to decide whether I think he’ll be good enough to keep treating Cinita or if I should kill him. ”
“Oh my god! Don’t you dare threaten to kill my brother again,” I growl, and shove him. He just smirks down at me.
“Your brother?”
The elevator doors open, and as I step off, I spin around and say, “Go and kiss your other woman, you pig.”
The person waiting seems too nervous to step into the elevator with him.
Before I can take another step, he grabs me and pulls me back toward him. Our bodies collide, and he grabs my face with both hands and slams his lips against mine. I feel the elevator start to move, but I’m helpless to stop it. He pushes me up against the wall and runs his hands down my body. My hips are traitorous, as they grind against him, wanting and needing more than this panty-dropping kiss.
When he manages to pull away, he stares at me. “Just you. You’re the only one I want to kiss.” He takes my breath away as he traces the back of his finger along my cheekbone.
I can’t look away as I try to catch my breath. I’m fighting against myself. I know I shouldn’t want more. But every part of me comes alive when he touches me like that.
The doors open again, and I shove him away from me, wiping my mouth as an older couple walks in.
I step off and don’t look back.
Even though I can sense his smile.
Asshole.