Chapter Twenty-Five
Blair
I can’t see him, but I feel his breath on my hand and that’s all I need right now. When I woke up in the car, I was alone. He was bleeding, I was bleeding. I felt my life slipping away and all I thought about was him and my family. My mom would have to plan my funeral, and Elena would be left alone. I screamed for him until I couldn’t scream anymore. Blood. So much blood. Is it mine or his? I was in and out of it until I heard the sirens, and then the darkness took over.
When I opened my eyes in the room, all I could see was him in the car bleeding from his head and I couldn’t get to him. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t hear, all I could focus on was trying to get to him.
I feel his breath on my hand as the doctors look me over. I hear the girl that came in earlier, tell the nurse to give me something to help me sleep. “No!” I try to sit up and wince when a sharp pain shoots through me.
“Please, no!” Moving again, when I feel a hand on my shoulder.
“Baby, let them do this for you. I will be right here when you wake up,” I hear him, but I can’t see him, and I begin to panic again .
“Don’t fucking do this!” I scream. My mind becomes fuzzy and all I see is him next to me in the car.
“He needs help!” I scream.
The nurse looks at whoever is next to me, sympathetically. Her body is coming in and out of focus, the scene changing right before my eyes.
“Hunny, you are confused. We helped him and he’s here.” She nods towards him on my left.
I knew he was there, I saw him and spoke to him. But my mind keeps going back to the car. Tears run down my face. I shake my head a little to clear the confusion. I hear the frantic beeping of the heart monitor.
“H… He’s here,” my voice cracks.
“Her heart has been through too much tonight. I need to do this.” She looks over my shoulder again.
She takes the syringe from the nurse, “Wait,” a deep voice says.
Finally, I meet a pair of blue eyes, but I struggle to focus on just one. My gaze flits back and forth, attempting to comprehend the situation. He leans in and presses a kiss to my lips. "Please let them do this. You need to rest, and you'll be in a lot of pain. You need to heal," he urges gently.
Tears stream down my face in response, overwhelmed by the weight of his words. I blink a few times and reach up to touch his face, “You’re real,” I say more to myself than to him.
He smiles gently at me. “Yes, Little Dove. But I need you to relax, take a few deep breaths for me.” I do as he says, and his smile grows. I can’t keep my eyes off of him, scared he will not be there when I look back.
“I’m scared to sleep.” He rests his forehead on mine.
“I am not leaving you, I promise.” I feel my body relax.
"That's it. Be a good girl for me and do this," he whispers, his lips brushing against mine once more. I feel a heaviness creeping over me as I try to resist, but with each blink, my eyelids grow heavier until I'm unable to open them again.
I move around and moan in pain. I hear two men talking, one I recognize instantly.
“Is she in the basement?” Wyatt asks.
“Yes, she is there waiting for whenever you are ready. Pit said the lead was her brother Greg. It all leads to these two.” I hear something crash and he curses.
“Wyatt?” I try to say but my throat is so dry it’s barely a whisper.
I blink a few times and see him walking towards me. “I’m here,” he says leaning in and kissing my forehead.
“Good evening sleeping beauty,” Kade chimes in, coming up on my left side.
Giving him a weak smile, I turn towards Wyatt, afraid he won’t be there when I look back.
“What time is it?” I ask looking around.
I find the big clock that reads nine.
“It’s nine at night, baby,” his voice softer than it was a moment ago.
I look down and see my leg and my arm. “What happened?” He sighs.
“You’ve been out for almost two weeks. You would wake up screaming for me and they were afraid you would rip open your stitches. So, I had them keep you sedated. They took the pins out of your wrist and it’s healing nicely. Your leg is healing faster than they expected. The wound in your chest coming along ok.”
“When can I leave?”
“Not for a while, Little Dove. I need you better before I can take you home.” I roll my eyes and Kade laughs.
“Welcome back, I know a certain someone who is waiting to see you. ”
“You’re mom and Elena have been to visit you almost every day. I’ll call your mom and let her know you’re awake.” He kisses my head.
“Thank you.”
A few hours later Elena bursts through the door with big tears in her eyes. “Oh my god!” She runs to me and throws her arms around me. I gasp at the pain that shoots through my side.
Kade steps up and pulls her away, “Careful love, she’s healing.” she waves him off.
“I was so worried about you. I…I’m sorry. If it weren’t for me, you would have been at home, and this wouldn’t have happened.” She wipes the tears from her face.
“What? No El, this is not your fault,” I try to sit up, but Wyatt stops me. I look at him and he shakes his head.
“This is not your fault.” Looking at both of them, but Wyatt turns away from me. I’m not unaware of the tortured look in his eyes.
“I was so scared I’d never get to see you again,” she cries and throws her hands around my neck.
I wrap my left arm around her and squeeze, “I love you, B.”
“I love you more.”
“I’m going to step outside for a moment, I’ll be right back,” Wyatt kisses my head and I feel my heart race.
“I promise.” I’m sure the look on my face says it all. I grab his hand and he looks down at me. He squeezes my hand and pulls away from me. I watch him walk out the door, Kade winks at me and it closes behind him.
“Are you hurting?” She looks over my body like something will be screaming ‘I hurt here’.
“I’m fine. Tell me what I’ve missed.” She looks skeptical but doesn’t argue .
“Tell me about Kade.” her smile widens.
“He’s been a perfect gentleman, actually.” She blushes.
I will not tell her he saw me naked twice, though I am sure she knows.
“After the club, he uhm,” she bites her lip, “Ugh, Blair,” she exclaims.
“Do I want to know?” She nervously laughs.
“I’ll just say we talked, a lot. And I don’t know, B. I like him a lot. I think,” she exhales, “I’m falling in love with him,” she gulps.
Elena is not the one to fall in love. She is the type to screw you and then leave you on read. “I’ve spent every day with him since the night of your accident.”
I smile the best I can, “Elena Phillips is in love, I thought I’d die before that ever happened.”
“He is a man that has many talents.” She wiggles her eyebrows.
“Ew, Elena.” I throw my pillow at her, and we laugh.
“I’m really glad you’re ok,” she says again, grabbing my hand.
“I’m alive.” She rolls her eyes.
The door opens and my mom walks in. “I’ll go find the guys. I’ll be back.” She kisses my cheek and hugs my mom before she leaves.
She slowly walks to me with shaky legs, “Are you really awake?” She asks, like she doesn’t believe it.
“Hi, Mom.” She breaks down in tears and sits in the chair next to me. She puts her hands on me and then takes them off.
“You can touch me, I’m not going to break.” She cries harder.
“I thought I lost you, Blair. I… I can’t lose another baby.” My heart sinks .
“You didn’t I’m here Mom.” I reach my left arm out and she grabs it.
“She kisses it and then strokes my cheek. I’ve been here every day watching you sleep. Wyatt has been a mess, I think that man loves you,” she says wiping her tears.
I blush, “I’m so happy you’re here,” I change the subject.
“I love you, bunny,” a sob slips from her lips and she squeezes me.
She hasn’t called me bunny since I was fourteen and told her I was too old for that. She laughed but agreed, she only calls me that every once in a while now. And hearing it now just makes me realize how close I was to not ever hearing it again.
I’m not sure when I fell asleep but when I wake up my mom has her arm over me, and she is sound asleep. I blink and few times and look around the room. My head is foggy, and my mouth is so dry when I try to swallow. My mom stirs but doesn’t wake up. I feel someone leaning over the other side of the bed and then I see him. His bright blue eyes stare at me intently.
"Good morning, Little Dove," he greets me, and I find myself unable to tear my gaze away from him.
Leaning in, he plants a gentle kiss on my lips. "We're going to try to eat today," he informs me softly.
"I'll get the nurse and let her know to put in an order for you," he adds, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face before standing up, and leaving the room.
My mom wakes up when the door shuts, “Morning.” She smiles.
She’s wearing different clothes than she was last night. “You look nice.” She gives me a tight smile. Somethings wrong.
“What? ”
“Nothing, baby. I’m glad you’re finally awake.” She kisses my cheek and now I’m confused.
“What do you mean? I just spoke to you last night.” She looks around the room, to find us alone.
“Blair, don’t freak out.” I narrow my eyes.
“You’ve been asleep for…” she sighs.
“How long Mom?” She jumps at my outburst.
“Three weeks,” I choke on my spit.
“Three… three weeks?”
“Your arm is healed, and your leg is too. They were waiting for you to wake up to take the brace off.” Did she just say three weeks? That’s five weeks of me being in this damn hospital! I don’t understand.
“No, mom, that can’t be right. We just talked last night. You’ve got to be joking.” She grabs my right arm and I wince thinking it is going to hurt but it doesn’t.
I lift it and see the long scar that goes from my wrist to my elbow. “How?” She sighs again.
“When you went to sleep that night, you started screaming for Wyatt again. Saying that he was bleeding, and you opened your chest wound. I tried to get you to understand he was here, but you couldn’t hear me. They had to rush you off to surgery. When you came back, patched up, he told them to keep you sedated.”
“He just wanted you to rest and heal. I agreed that it was best for you baby, please don’t be mad.” I can’t even wrap my head around it.
“I’m not,” I say honestly.
I remember the dreams; they were so real. I believe her, not that I wouldn’t, she has never lied to me. Wyatt walks in with a nurse. His blue eyes find mine instantly and I narrow my eyes at him. He actually smirks at me .
“I heard you’re going to eat today. Let’s see what we can do about that. I just need to do a quick assessment and then we can bring you a menu.” She pats my arm and smiles.
“I’m thirsty.”
“I will get you some water in just a second,” she says sweetly.
Wyatt stands on my left and helps me sit up. I gasp when I feel the pull of my chest. He stops, “Maybe we should wait longer.”
“No,” I warn and he takes a deep breath but helps me.
I sit up, and my whole body hurts. “Can you take this off,” I point to the neck brace, and she giggles.
“Yes, but I have to wait for the doctor. He is on his way now.” I roll my eyes.
“I’m going to text Xaden that you’re awake. He’s been worried about you.” She kisses my cheek and leaves.
“How are you feeling?” She asks.
“Everything hurts,” I admit, and she nods in understanding.
“We will get you up and moving after you eat something.” She pats my arm.
“Everything looks good on my end. I’ll just get the doctor to write off and I’ll bring you that menu.” The cute blonde nurse with piercing green eyes, leaves the room.
Wyatt moves in front of my bed, “Are you angry, Little Dove.”
I narrow my eyes, am I? No. Will I tell him that? Also no. He gives me a huge smile and my heart almost stops, “It won’t work you know.”
“What won’t?”
“You pretending to be mad at me.” I huff.
“I never said I was.” He chuckles .
"Okay, Little Dove. Whatever you say," he acquiesces, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he reaches into his pocket and places a Dove chocolate on my bed. My stomach flutters with excitement.
"Why do you do that?" I ask, unable to hide my curiosity.
He smirks, his eyes softening with warmth. "The first time I saw your eyes, they were looking up at me, pleading for help. I couldn't help but notice how they reminded me of milk chocolate—so innocent and sweet," he reminisces, his voice tinged with fondness. "I knew then that I wanted to see those beautiful brown eyes again," he adds, a gentle sincerity coloring his words.
“Stop leaving me chocolates,” I try to sound stern, but it comes out cracked. Not that I didn’t love hearing that, but it reminds me that he has been stalking me since I was ten years old.
“No.”
I open my mouth to argue, when the doctor walks in. “Ahh, it’s good to see you, Mrs. Eden.” My mouth would fall open if I could move it enough.
“What?” my heart rate accelerates causing the machine to beep, and the doctor pats my leg.
“Let's get you out of these.” He walks around and takes the brace off my neck.
It’s like I am a free woman again, it feels so good to be able to move my head. I turn it to the side and then tilt it, hearing it crack. I look down at my gown and open it from the collar. There is a huge scar on the right side by my ribs. I run my thumb over it and sigh. Wyatt grabs my toes and squeezes. “You’re beautiful,” he says. I lock my eyes with him and look away. I’m broken, scarred for life.
“We can take this off and replace it with a boot. The x-ray we did yesterday shows me that it’s healed but weak. It’ll need to be in this for at least two more weeks, maybe three, and then you will be boot-free. Your chest wound is healing nicely, and your lungs are working better. Your arm healed up but may be sore from laying down.” His smile spreads and I can’t help but return it.
“Thank you. I’m thirsty,” I mention again, and he nods.
“She’s clear for food and drink. Take her for a walk when the boot is placed.” He pats Wyatt on the shoulder and leaves.
Wyatt's phone rings, he pulls it out and looks at me. He hit ignore and whoever calls right back. “Go, I’ll be here when you get back.” I give him my best smile.
He walks around, answers the phone, and kisses me. “I won’t be long.”