20. Grayson
20
GRAYSON
“ W hat are you doing?” I demand, leaning over the paramedic’s shoulder as he flashes a light in Riley’s eyes. I pull at my hair, nausea twisting my insides into knots as I stare at her bleary-eyed form. She’s so pale. So fragile looking.
What the hell was she doing, running across campus like a bat out of hell?
I’ll never forget the look on her face when she saw me. The blind terror. The suffocating fear.
“Sir,” the paramedic huffs, glaring at me over his shoulder in a clear back-off. Scowling at him, I reluctantly step aside to give him room to move. Instead, I snatch up Riley’s limp hand as I watch him work. She gives my fingers a slight squeeze, and I drop my gaze to where she’s lying on the stretcher.
“Aurora,” she mumbles, slurring slightly. Her gaze is unfocused, her eyes drifting shut before she snaps them open, only for the weight to drag them back down again. She was unconscious for several terrifying seconds after we hit the ground. I’ll never unhear the sickening crack as her head bounced off the asphalt. Even now, a fresh shudder wracks my body.
Thankfully, she came around before the paramedics arrived, although she was groggy and out of it. Confused, and worst of all—completely fucking terrified, shoving at my shoulders and clawing at my face until I had to restrain her so she wouldn’t hurt herself any further.
“Shh,” I soothe, brushing a strand of hair out of her face as I lower my head to hers. “Focus on you right now.”
She gives a minute shake of her head before whimpering in pain.
“Don’t move,” I chastise, struggling and failing to keep the snarl out of my voice.
“Grayson!”
Recognizing Logan’s panicked voice, I look away from Riley for the first time since I caught her in my arms. Logan and Royce are both racing toward us, Logan in his practice gear. I’d messaged both of them once the paramedics arrived. Logan wouldn’t have had his phone during practice, so Royce must have gotten him on his way here.
“What the hell happened?” Royce demands, pausing at the back door of the ambulance. Logan has no such intentions as he barrels into the cramped space, practically shoving me out the door as he moves straight to Riley’s side.
Her eyes are once again closed, her face pinched.
“Shortcake,” he murmurs, his tone gentle even as anguish strains his face. He reaches out to touch her but hesitates, leveling a glare on the paramedic, who is thoroughly unimpressed with our presence. “What’s wrong with her?” he demands, channeling the Logan his rivals meet on the ice.
“She’s got a concussion,” the paramedic states succinctly as he bustles about. “I’m checking her vitals, and then we’ll take her to the hospital.” Leveling each of us with a long stare, he dictates, “I need all of you to step outside and give me room to work.”
Logan looks like he’s about to argue when Riley’s weak voice penetrates the tension-riddled ambulance.
“Bertram.”
I go rigid, and I’m not the only one.
“Here…” Fuck. “Aurora.”
My brows furrow, and I meet Royce’s confused stare.
She grows agitated, attempting to push herself upright on the stretcher until Logan gently pushes her back down. “Easy now,” he soothes, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “You’re alright. The paramedic here is going to check you out, but we’ll be right here.” He points to where Royce and I are standing before the paramedic nudges him aside, and reluctantly, he moves to join us.
“What do you think she meant?” he asks with a frown, eyes glued to her while the paramedic moves around, taking her vitals. His gaze snaps to mine. “Was your dad here?”
I shrug, not having an answer for that. “No clue. I just saw her running across campus. She has a concussion, so it’s hard to know…”
Logan and Royce level me with a tell us what the fuck happened glare, and sighing, I lift a hand to rub at the back of my neck. My shoulder is already stiffening up, and stinging along my arm has me glancing down. For the first time, I notice the rips in my shirt, dotted with blood from scrapes I must have gotten from the asphalt.
Staring at the dried blood on my skin, I go back to the moment I got out of my car and saw Riley dashing toward the parking lot like the hounds of hell were on her ass.
“I’d just arrived on campus…”
Distracted by my father’s new tactic to undermine me at the office, I wasn’t paying any attention to my surroundings until I caught sight of a streak of familiar auburn hair from the corner of my eye.
Looking up, I stared in confusion as Riley raced blindly toward the parking lot. At first, I thought she knew I was there and was coming toward me, but then she veered off. Concern pricked at my skin, and I called out her name.
She heard me. She looked right at me, but instead of stopping, whatever she saw only urged her on. I didn’t catch a good glimpse at her expression, but her glazed eyes had me running after her before I’d thought twice about it.
Her foot hit the sidewalk before she raced between parked cars and onto the road… right into the path of a car that I swear appeared out of fucking nowhere.
One minute, the parking lot had been empty, and the next, this car was racing right at her… right for my Tempest.
I’d screamed her name, the tendons in my throat tearing as I pushed my legs to go faster. With no thought for my own safety, I ran in front of the car, wrapped my arms around her, and threw us to the side as the vehicle roared past.
My shoulder took the brunt of our impact, but with my arms around her waist, I had no way to protect her head as it smacked off the ground. I might have stopped her from getting hit by a car, but in that moment, I failed her.
The panic that flooded me when her eyes closed and didn’t open, no matter how much I begged and pleaded for her to…
I’d known this woman was embedded beneath my skin, but I hadn’t realized how truly deeply until that moment. Until I feared I’d lose her.
Blinking out of my stupor, my head snaps toward where she’s lying in the ambulance as if needing to assure myself she is okay. Hurt, but alive. My throat is tight, my chest pinched as I watch the paramedic fuss over her.
“She was supposed to be in a meeting with her advisor,” Royce states, rubbing at his chin as he thinks. “Do you think your father ambushed her when she got out?”
His question forces my attention away from the entire reason my heart beats. “It would explain why she was running… why she seemed almost afraid of me.”
“There’s no brake marks.” We both turn, finding Logan has stalked off and is looking up and down the parking lot. He turns his face toward us. “You said she ran out in front of a car, but there are no brake marks.”
I walk over to join him. My gaze roams over the asphalt, realizing that he’s right.
“The car was there.” I point to where Riley had run out from between parked cars before walking over and doing a more thorough inspection of the area.
“If someone runs out in front of you, you slam on the brakes,” Logan presses as I wrack my brain, trying to remember more than the sheer terror that lodged in my throat when I saw that car barreling right for Riley.
“I don’t remember hearing the screech of brakes,” I state with a frown. “Or the smell of burning rubber.” I’d been too fixated on Riley then. However, no one else came to see if she was okay. That’s what any decent person would do, right? In fact, I don’t even remember seeing the car stop. One minute, it was there, and the next, I was alone with a concussed Riley in my arms.
The sound of a throat clearing has all three of us whirling toward the ambulance. The paramedic pales at whatever he sees in our expressions. “We’re taking her to the hospital now. One of you can join us. The other two can follow.”
Logan and I both step forward.
“I’m going with her,” I hiss, my tone non-negotiable.
“Like fuck?—”
Royce claps a hand on Logan’s shoulder. “Let Gray go with her. He’ll keep her safe. You need to go smooth over things with Coach since you just raced out of there without an explanation, and I wanna get CCTV footage and talk to Blue—get him to track Bertram’s whereabouts. Then we’ll go check on Riley.” Logan’s teeth grind, and I can see the refusal on the tip of his tongue before Royce says softly, “Trust him with her.”
“Fine,” Logan hisses. He jams a finger in my chest. “You better not let her out of your sight until we get there.” Not waiting for a response, he stomps off back to the hockey arena.
Royce remains, leveling me with a hard stare. “Look after our girl.”
“Always,” I vow before turning away and climbing into the back of the ambulance.
My heart hasn’t slowed down since we arrived at the hospital. I sit in the uncomfortable plastic chair beside Riley’s bed, every muscle in my body tense, my eyes never leaving her face. The sterile smell of antiseptic and the low hum of hospital equipment surround us, but all I can focus on is her. The stark white sheets are a harsh contrast to the bruises forming on her pale skin.
She’s resting now, her breathing even, but I can’t shake the image of her lying on that pavement, unconscious. It replays in my mind on an endless loop, a constant reminder of how close I came to losing her. The moment I saw that car speeding toward her, instinct took over. Pushing her out of the way was the only thing I could think of. The sickening thud of her head hitting the ground still echoes in my ears.
I reach out, my hand trembling slightly, and gently brush a strand of hair away from her forehead. Her face is peaceful, almost serene, yet I can’t shake the terror in her eyes when they’d connected with mine in that parking lot.
The room is quiet, except for the heart monitor’s steady beeping. It’s a sound I’ve come to rely on, a constant reassurance that she’s still here with me. Royce and Logan are on their way, and they’ll bring their own brand of support and reassurance that I know Riley needs, but right now, it’s just me and her.
A rare occurrence.
Rarer still that we’re in the same room without sniping at one another.
Ironic how I’d give anything to have her ripping me a new one right now. How I’d love nothing more than to poke and prod at her until she erupts and unleashes all that hot-as-fuck fury onto me.
Nothing gets my blood pumping more than seeing her fire, than reminding her that life may be doing its damndest to snuff it out, but her flames burn eternal.
Clutching her hand in mine, I brush my finger along the back of her hand as I stare at her face. I know she needs rest, but I want nothing more than to see those hazel eyes latch onto mine. I need them to anchor me to this chair so I don’t give into the undeniable urge to storm out of this room and find whoever was behind the wheel of that car and make them pay.
As much as I want time alone with my Tempest, I need Royce to hurry his ass up and get here so he can fill me in on what he’s found.
The door creaks open slightly, and I straighten in my chair, thinking it’s them. A nurse peeks in, offering a reassuring smile before closing it softly. I exhale a breath, slumping back in my seat as my eyes once again return to Riley.
I startle when I find her heavily lidded gaze on mine.
“Hey.”
She licks her dry lips. “Hi.”
Grabbing the jug of water on her table, I fill a glass and help her sit up before bringing it to her lips. She takes several long gulps before relaxing back against her pillows.
“How are you feeling?”
Her brows furrow, a twinge of pain flashing across her features before she lifts her hand to touch her scalp. I capture it before she can prod the welt on the side of her head and hurt herself. “What happened?” she asks, seeming confused. The doctor had said that was expected, so I am trying not to worry.
“You ran out in front of a car.” It takes effort to keep the chastisement out of my tone.
“I… don’t remember that,” she murmurs, voice sounding far off.
“What do you remember?” I hedge, not wanting to push her too soon but needing to know what happened before I caught sight of her. Is my father responsible for this? Is he what drove her to race across campus like a maniac and eventually run out in front of that car?
“I…” Creases form between her brows before her eyes widen, fear bleeding into those off-green irises and dulling them as they meet mine. “Your dad.” She swallows, her hand squeezing mine to the point of pain. “Your dad has Aurora.” There’s an edge of panic in her voice that bleeds into her expression. Clearly not in her right mind yet, she throws back the cover and tries to sit upright.
“Whoa. You have a concussion. You need to take it easy,” I tell her, attempting to push her back onto the bed. Except she fights me. Was I just saying I wanted her to wake up and give me hell? I change my mind.
“Grayson,” she grinds, exasperated. “Did you not hear me? Bertram has Aurora! We need to go!”
“I heard you just fine, Tempest. However, you are not going anywhere, so how about you lie back there and tell me what exactly happened.”
She glares murderously at me, and something loosens in my chest at that spark of fire in her eyes. There’s my girl.
“What if he’s—” Her eyes are wide as saucers, skin sickly pale as she shakes her head. “I can’t let him?—”
I squeeze her hand, capturing her attention. “If Bertram has Aurora, he’s using her to get to you. I don’t think he’d… touch her.”
Her eyes bore into mine, and I can tell she’s not entirely there. That a part of her mind is elsewhere—on the past, on the possibilities. “She’s too young for him,” I say softly, watching as those words sink in and she finally relaxes—marginally.
“She still shouldn’t be alone with him.” Her voice is so tiny, almost defeated, as she sags against the pillows.
“We’ll get her away from him, Tempest,” I promise her. “But we can’t do anything until you explain everything to me,” I tell her. She nods slowly, sitting stiffly in the bed as she stares at me with an absent look that I absolutely detest. “Bertram was on campus…” I start her off.
She nods, wincing when the movement causes her pain. “H-he was in my advisor meeting.” That fucking bastard. “Afterward, he caught up to me.” Her gaze lowers to her wrist sitting in her lap. I’d noticed the redness and bloom of fresh bruises, but I’d assumed she landed on it awkwardly when we hit the ground. However, now that I look closer, I see the distinct impression of fingerprints. That fucking bastard! I’ll kill him for laying a hand on her.
Her lower lip trembles and her voice begins to shake. “H-he said every day I defy him, he’ll punish her.” Tear-stained eyes lift to mine. “That either I come to him or she has t-to fill my shoes.” Big fat tears spill over, streaming down her cheeks.
“Grayson,” she sobs, keeling over as though she no longer has the energy to remain upright. Her shoulder falls into my chest, her face burying into the crook of my neck, and I hold her like I’m the only thing keeping her together. “What am I going to do? He has her. ” Her entire body shakes with the force of her sobs. “He has my little girl. He’s had her this entire time! What if he destroys her just like he did me?”
Murderous rampage blazes through my veins.
Fuck going after the driver of that damn car, I’m going to murder my father. My teeth grind so forcefully that I’m shocked I don’t crack a tooth, and it’s only the blatant fear in Riley’s eyes, the trembling of her shoulders, that stops me from marching out of here in search of my shitstain of a sperm donor.
My mind whirs, trying to put the pieces together and figure out what we missed, how he could have had her this whole time, and we had no idea. We didn’t even know he knew of her existence!
“I will never let that happen, Tempest,” I vow, my voice a dark and violent rasp. “ We will never let that happen.”
Cradling her head in my hands, I lift her face to mine. Despite the storm raging inside me, my gaze holds steady on hers. Unwavering. Confident. Sure.
“He did not destroy you, and we won’t give him the opportunity to touch her.”
“How?” Her voice is hoarse. Broken. “How can we stop him? If I don’t do what he wants?—”
“You are not giving yourself to him. You know that’s not the right thing to do. It’s why you didn’t go with him there and then.”
“ What then?” she cries. “What are we going to do to get her away from him?”
I tighten my hands around her face to get her attention and implore her with my eyes. “Trust me. Trust us. ”
She holds my gaze, and I can see the hope buried in her fear. She wants to believe me, but life experience has taught her not to have such expectations.
Well, fuck life! I’ll show her that her past experience has no bearing on her future. Everyone has let her down, but not any longer. Logan and Royce have been working to show her she can depend on them, and slowly but surely, she’s been opening up. Leaning on them. Trusting them.
But I want her to lean on me, too. Trust me, too.
“We will do whatever it takes to get her away from him. I swear it to you, Tempest.”
Her throat bobs, the brown and green swirl of her hazel eyes holding me captive. I can see her desire to believe in what I’m saying, but she’s not quite there yet, and that’s okay. I’ll prove to her that she is right to put her faith in me.
She sniffles, wiping at the tear tracks beneath her eyes. “Why do you call me that?” she asks after a moment.
Her question hangs in the air between us as I take her in, trying to find the right words. I could give her a dismissive explanation. Something vague and insignificant, but I can’t keep holding her at arm’s length. I need to let her in if I want any hope of a future with this woman. I need to be vulnerable with her, even if it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
She deserves the truth. The raw, unfiltered truth.
“Tempest,” I begin, my voice low and steady, “because you’re a storm. You’ve been through so much, more than anyone should have to endure, yet here you are, standing tall. You’ve faced trauma and pain head-on, and you’ve survived. But it’s more than that.”
I pause, gathering my thoughts and feeling the intensity of the moment. “You stand up to me, Riley. You don’t let me get away with anything. You call me out, argue with me, and you never back down. You give me hell, and I respect you so much for it. You’re fierce, and you fight for what you believe in, for the people you love. You don’t let anyone, not even me, push you around.”
I can see the emotions swirling in her eyes, which spurs me on. “You’re my tempest because you’ve shaken up my world. You’ve made me confront parts of myself I didn’t want to face. You’ve challenged me and made me better. And through all of it, you’ve shown me what real strength looks like. You’ve shown me that it’s okay to be vulnerable, to let someone in.”
My voice softens, and I lean in closer, my gaze never leaving hers. “You’re my tempest, Riley, because you’re a force of nature. You’re wild, unpredictable, and incredibly beautiful in your strength and resilience. And I wouldn’t want you any other way.”
As the words leave my lips, I feel a weight lift from my shoulders. It’s terrifying, letting her see this side of me, but it’s also liberating. Riley looks at me like she’s seeing me for the first time. And perhaps she is. It’s the first time I’ve permitted myself to drop my walls, to show her the damaged parts of me that I usually keep buried deep. The damage that has been heavily impacted upon in these last few months as I’ve been forced to face each horrifying truth: The actual reason for my mother’s death. The reality of the man I’ve called father. The existence of a sister I never knew about. The hurt I allowed to happen to this woman who has become my whole world. Who forces me to be better. To see the world through a new lens. To confront every complex emotion that I’m so used to burying.
Her lips part, and I lean forward, desperate to hear what she has to say.
“Shortcake!”
The door bursts open, and Logan rushes in, going straight to Riley’s side and pulling her in for a hug. She returns the embrace while her eyes remain on mine, the softest expression on her face I’ve ever seen when she looks at me.
“How are you?” Logan pulls back, cupping her face and forcing her attention to him.
“I’m okay,” she assures, giving his shoulders a gentle squeeze.
I snort. “She is not okay. She has a minor concussion. Doctors are waiting on scan results. We should hopefully hear more soon.”
As if nothing had just transpired between us, Riley pins me with that fierce glare of hers. For the first time since I saw her in that parking lot, I feel calm. The tension bleeds out of me, and my muscles relax, making me feel like everything will be okay—that she will be okay.
Logan goes to make himself comfortable on the bed beside her, but he’s dragged away by Royce’s tight fist on the back of his hoodie.
Logan lets out a stream of curses that has Riley smiling. The sight is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen before Royce replaces him at her bedside. Leaning down, he cups the side of her neck, his fingers brushing along the underside of her jaw as he presses his forehead to hers. They communicate with nothing but their eyes, the world around them entirely forgotten. I watch unabashedly, irrationally jealous of my best friend and their ease of connection.
It’s ridiculous. I’m happy for Royce, especially given how difficult he finds it to talk to others. Yet, I’m still jealous as fuck that he has what I want.
I catch Logan watching me from the corner of my eye. Giving him my attention, he smirks knowingly. I scowl. “We have a problem.”
“Like that’s anything new,” Logan huffs, collapsing onto the end of the bed so his back is slouched against the footboard.
“My dad is the one who has Aurora.”
That gets the idiot’s attention as he pings upright, mouth dropping open. “How?”
I shake my head. “He was on campus today. Showed up at Riley’s advisor meeting and told her Aurora would pay if she didn’t do what he wanted.”
Royce’s forehead creases. “That doesn’t mean he has her,” he muses aloud. “Just that he knows of her existence.”
“And the fact that she’s missing,” Logan adds.
Riley’s shoulders climb up to her ears, her eyes darting back and forth at the realization Bertram could have been playing her. I wouldn’t put it past him to not have Aurora for the mere fact of using the knowledge that we don’t have her to fuck with Riley’s head.
Royce already has his phone in his hand. “I’ll update Dax. If Bertram has her, there has to be something we can find to confirm it—shopping receipts, CCTV.”
“I already asked him to look into my dad and David. Although it was more just to keep an eye on them. I wanted to know what they were up to.”
Royce nods. “Well, they’ve just become Blue’s top job to investigate.”
Rubbing at the back of his neck, Logan confesses, “We’ve got more problems than just your dad.”
I perk up at that, my gaze swiveling to Royce’s. “The car. What did you find out?”
“Got a make and model. There was no license plate, and the driver was wearing a cap, so you can’t see his face. Regardless, I’ve sent the footage to Blue. Hopefully he can work his magic and ID the fucker.”
“The car I ran out in front of?” Riley asks with a frown, looking between us. “Is that what you’re talking about? Why would you be looking into the driver? I’m the one who ran out in front of him. None of this is his fault.”
“Ry, baby,” Royce says softly, lowering so he’s eye level with her. “You might have run out in front of that car, but he had no intention of stopping. He wanted to hit you.”
“What?” Riley asks, expression incredulous as she sits up straighter. “Why would he want to do that?”
Royce shakes his head while Logan watches on from the bottom of the bed, furious murder blazing from his chestnut eyes.
“I don’t know, sweetheart. However, there were no brake marks, and he sped out of there as if his life depended on it after Grayson pushed you out of the way.”
Riley’s eyes meet mine. “Are you sure?” she asks, voice small.
I give a helpless shrug, but it’s Royce who answers. “I saw the CCTV footage. He was flying through that parking lot.”
“That doesn’t mean he wanted to hit me,” she argues, but I can see the thin thread of hope she’s clinging to.
“Either way, we have some questions for whoever he is.” The silent threat in Royce’s words promises more than words will be exchanged before the end of that encounter.
The doctor, a man in his mid-forties, chooses that moment to enter the room. Pausing in the threshold, his sharp gaze rakes over each of us, likely picking up on the underlying tension and violence, before resting on Riley. He gives her a reassuring smile.
“Miss James, I’m Dr. Beaumont. I’d like to discuss your condition.” He glances warily at the rest of us. “Would you prefer to discuss it in private?”
Riley waves a tired hand. “It’s fine. You can talk in front of them.”
With a curt nod, he adjusts the chart in his hands and says, “I have good news for you. The scans are clear. There are no signs of any bleeding in the brain or fracture to the skull, two issues we were particularly concerned about. However, you do still have a minor concussion. Therefore, it is important that you take it easy for the next few days.”
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, the tight knot in my chest loosening just a bit.
“You are free to be discharged,” Dr. Beaumont glances between us, sizing each of us up, “but only if there is someone at home who can keep an eye on you for the next twenty-four hours. It’s crucial to monitor for any changes.”
“We’ll take care of her.” Royce’s voice is firm, his protective nature evident.
The doctor nods, satisfied. “Good. You’ll need to watch out for persistent vomiting, severe headaches that don’t go away, confusion or difficulty waking her, weakness or numbness in her limbs, slurred speech, or any unusual behavior. If any of these symptoms occur, bring her back to the hospital immediately.”
Riley looks slightly overwhelmed by the list, but Logan moves to her side, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Got it,” he states confidently to the doctor.
“Make sure she gets plenty of rest,” the doctor continues. “No strenuous activities.”
Logan, always the practical one, asks, “Is there anything specific we should do?”
“Keep the environment calm and quiet,” Dr. Beaumont advises. “Dim lights are better; she should avoid reading or looking at screens. Hydration is important, and small, light meals are best. If she has any pain, over-the-counter acetaminophen can be used, but avoid ibuprofen or aspirin as they can increase the risk of bleeding.”
“Thank you, doctor,” I say, unable to hide my relief.
He gives us a tight, although reassuring, smile. “You're welcome. Riley, if you have any concerns or if anything feels off, don’t hesitate to come back. Take care, and I hope you feel better soon.”
With that, he leaves the room, and I return my attention to Riley. There’s relief in her eyes, but it’s overshadowed by concern for her daughter. I know we’re going to have a hell of a job getting her to relax and recuperate until we have Aurora home safe and sound.
“We’ve got you, Tempest,” I say softly. “We’ve got both of you.” I swear it.