Chapter 7
SEVEN
The room is too bright.
It feels like my head might explode and my mouth is full of cotton.
I glance around and see Sophia sitting beside me, smiling down at me.
When I turn to the guys, Joshua quickly moves to my other side, bending down to kiss my forehead.
His sudden move makes me flinch, causing a spike of pain.
But as soon as his lips touch my skin, I find it easier to breathe, and the pain fades.
“I love you. I love you so fucking much,” he murmurs against my skin.
There’s a dampness against my skin, and when I look at him, tears stream down his face, even though he’s smiling. “Joshua,” I whisper, reaching out to touch his cheek, and he closes his eyes, a sob escaping him.
“No one will ever hurt you again,” he mutters. “I’d die before I let him hurt you again.”
Suddenly, what happened comes back to me in a rush, and the heart monitor beside me starts beeping faster.
“Kitten,” Clay’s soothing voice reaches me from the other side of my bed, and as I turn to look at him, the sight of dark circles under his eyes, brimming with tears, tugs at my heart. “You’re safe. Breathe.”
I try, but panic surges through me, and my breathing becomes erratic.
I feel like I am still falling.
“I’m going to get a doctor,” Sophia declares, her voice filled with urgency as she hurries from the room.
Xander stands at the foot of my bed, gently holding my feet. I meet his gaze as he says, “Just breathe,” and slowly exhales.
I match my breathing to his rhythm, and gradually, my panic subsides. He gives my feet another reassuring squeeze once I’m breathing normally.
“How’s your head? What hurts?” Joshua asks, placing a hand on top of my head. The warmth emanating from his palm provides an extra layer of comfort as if his touch has the power to chase away the shadows of fear that just plagued me.
Just as I’m about to respond, Sophia returns, two people in scrubs in tow.
“Well, if this isn’t the Christmas miracle we’ve all been hoping for,” the doctor says, smiling warmly at me.
“Christmas?” I glance at Joshua in panic, and he nods in response.
I quickly scan the faces around the room, my heart racing once again.
“Chiara is with Leo. She’s fine,” Xander reassures in a deep voice.
I inhale deeply, exhaling slowly.
She’s okay.
“Miss Costa, I am Dr. Martinez," the doctor introduces herself, stepping to my side.
“You certainly gave us quite a scare.” She shines a light into my eyes, prompting me to blink.
“Follow my finger,” she instructs. “Good, your pupils are dilating quickly. How are you feeling? Do you know who you are? Recognize these people?” The doctor gestures to those around me.
“Yes,” I reply, my mouth parched.
The nurse places a glass of water and a bowl of ice cubes on the table next to my bed. She hands me the water, but Joshua stops her.
“She’d prefer this,” he insists, picking up an ice cube and pressing it to my lips.
I give him a thankful look, allowing him to slip the ice cube between my lips. Closing my eyes, I relish the cold sensation, glad that the uncomfortable dryness in my mouth is fading as I suck on the ice.
Joshua gazes down at me, love evident in his eyes, and then he leans in to give me a brief peck on my lips.
“Do you remember what happened?” the doctor asks, and I nod.
Clay, on my other side, takes my hand. Meeting his deep chocolate eyes, I’m overwhelmed by the emotions I see in them, prompting me to look away.
“We’ll need to complete some tests to ensure there’s no lasting damage,” the doctor explains. “However, everything seems promising so far. Your family can either wait or return later. The tests will take a few hours.”
A funny feeling bubbles up at the mention of the word ‘family.’
“We’ll be here when you’re back,” Joshua reassures me, stroking my head.
“We won’t be going anywhere,” Clay adds, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze before releasing it.
The doctor leaves the room and an orderly enters to help the nurse prepare my bed before wheeling me out of the room. “One of them was always by your side,” the nurse tells me as we move through the hospital corridors.
“They were?” I ask, surprised, a sense of gratitude welling up inside me.
She chuckles. “The handsome Korean boy was here every morning for a few hours. The big tattooed one came in the afternoons, and we had to ask the charming one to leave at least three times each night.”
“Really?” I ask, my heart swelling.
They came for me every single day.
“It must be fun having three boyfriends. Oh, to be young again,” she muses.
“Actually, only Joshua is my boyfriend. The other two are just friends,” I clarify, a hint of embarrassment coloring my cheeks.
“Sure,” she replies with a teasing tone. “It must be lovely to have three guys care about you so much then.” I’m about to respond, but she speaks first. “Here we are.”
For the next two hours, I undergo various tests and procedures.
Thankfully, they all show the same results—the swelling has disappeared, and I am fine.
There is no other damage, and after a few more days of rest, I’ll be back to full health.
They still want to watch me overnight, but I can go home tomorrow, which I dread.
I really don’t want to run into Roberto when I am still not one hundred percent.
But right now, I am just drained. My energy has been zapped by the rollercoaster of emotions and physical ordeal of the tests I’ve just had.
I’m gently rolled back into the room where the guys and Sophia wait for me, sitting with pizza boxes on their laps. They’ve kept their promise, patiently waiting for me, even though all the tests took ages.
The aroma of pizza fills the room, but the mere thought of eating makes my stomach churn. Xander, ever attentive, notices how I turn up my nose at the food and springs to his feet, hurrying over to the window to open it, allowing in a breath of fresh air.
“You okay, kitten?” Clay asks, concern evident in his eyes. He sets down his slice of pizza and takes a moment to clean his hands with a cloth before he stands up.
“Thank you all for waiting,” I whisper, my voice quivering slightly as I struggle to contain my emotions.
“Nowhere else I’d rather be,” Joshua says from next to me, leaning down to kiss my temple.
“That looks like a nice little Christmas dinner,” the nurse observes, smiling at all of them.
“It’s great not to have to cook for once.” Sophia grins at me. Her smile is infectious and lifts my spirits.
“I am going to help you shower, and then you can join this little gathering, all right?” The nurse asks me, and I nod.
I definitely need that shower.
After what feels like an eternity, I finally settle back into the freshly made bed, taking a deep, calming breath to center myself. I look at each of them, hoping that the depth of my gratitude is evident in my eyes, and say, “I’m so sorry I ruined Christmas for you.”
Xander replies with a warm smile, “You made it better by waking up.”
“You granted me my Christmas wish.” Joshua smiles down at me.
“But you’re in a hospital eating pizza. I bet you usually sit around a tree, eating something fancy,” I whisper, feeling guilty for keeping them here.
“Shut up, kitten. If we wanted to be home, we’d be there.” Clay sighs, rolling his eyes.
“Keep rolling your eyes. You ain’t gonna find nothing back there,” I mumble.
His smirk turns into a broad smile, then he starts laughing, and Xander and Joshua join in. Sophia reaches out and gently squeezes my knee.
“We missed you,” she whispers, and I smile at her, sinking deeper into the pillows.
Overwhelmed with fatigue, I close my eyes, listening to their soft chatter until I drift off to sleep.
“Worthless pig,” Roberto sneers. “Just as useless as your father! Do exactly as I say, nothing more, nothing less.” he threatens. “You choose. Your arm or your throat. What will it be?”
“No!” I shout, my voice quaking with fear as I yank my arm free from the unseen grasp, my whole body trembling in the grip of the nightmare.
“Kitten,” Clay’s voice reaches me, a lifeline in the darkness, but I’m still trapped within the nightmarish tangle of my mind.
I sit up abruptly, cold and shaking. Darkness surrounds me. The shadows press in on me, and I hold my forearm close to my chest, gasping for breath.
“No, no, no, please, don’t,” I whisper, my voice trembling with lingering fear.
A soft light from the bedside lamp flickers to life, casting a gentle glow over the room and pushing back the oppressive darkness.
The bed shifts, and I’m pulled into a strong chest. “Shh, I’ve got you.
You’re safe,” Clay murmurs, his voice a soothing balm to my frayed nerves.
He caresses my hair and holds me close. “He won’t come near you again, Carolina. I promise.”
I look up at him, puzzled, his words and touch finally pulling me free. “How do you—”
“Chiara told us everything,” he whispers.
He adjusts our position so I’m lying with my thigh over his waist, my head resting on his shoulder, and my arm draped over his chest. It’s comforting and familiar, reminding me of how we cuddled on the couch a few days ago, or is it weeks now?
Then I process what he’s just said. “You can’t—” I start to protest, my voice laced with concern.
“Shh… we know. We won’t do anything. We’ll just get both of you out of there.”
“But—” I attempt to argue further, but he cuts me off with a gentle command.
“Hush. We can discuss this tomorrow. You need to rest now,” he soothes, gently stroking my thigh over his hip.
I think about the nightmare and shudder. “I don’t think I can sleep again.”
“Do you have nightmares often?” he asks softly, concern evident in his eyes.
“No, I’m usually too exhausted to dream, I think,” I admit, taking a deep breath.
“I can be your plushie for tonight. They keep bad dreams away,” Clay says with a hint of humor in his voice, his attempt to lighten the mood bringing a faint smile to my lips.
“I don’t think I ever had one,” I muse, trying to recall.
I remember having a snuggle blanket and dolls as a child, but not a plushie. I did give Chiara a teddy bear when our parents passed away, though, and it worked for her.
“Come here,” he murmurs, pulling me even closer and gently kissing my forehead. “Sleep so I can take you home with me tomorrow.”
I gaze up at him, my heart skipping a beat. “Home with you?” I whisper, my voice filled with both surprise and hope.
“We’d never let you go back there, kitten,” he murmurs gently, his fingers gliding through my hair. “I’m sorry it took us so long to intervene.”
Tears form in my eyes. “Thank you for coming for me once more.”
“Thank you for coming back to me. Now sleep, my kitty cat,” he soothes.
I rest my head back on his shoulder and close my eyes, comforted by his warmth and the gentle rhythm of his touch, making me feel so safe.
Just as I teeter on the brink of sleep, I faintly hear him whisper, “I love you.” But I’m fast asleep again before I can figure out whether his words are real or a dream.