Chapter 4
Stefan
S hot?
What the fuck?
How in Christ’s name did that happen?
“Shot? Are you sure?” I asked just as the bitchy nurse with the stick up her ass stormed back in. She immediately ordered Francesca to leave. Which she did hesitantly.
But before she took off, she grinned and mouthed, “I’ll be back.” And then my angel was gone.
Two other nurses came in and poked and prodded and asked a shitload of questions. Their hands were bony and sharp. And they hurt everywhere they touched me. Then a few more people walked in, and started quizzing me, too.
Finally, I’d fuckin’ had it.
“Stop!” I yelled at them.
All of them.
My entire room was filled with assholes. Each one of them tried to take something from me.
My temperature.
My blood pressure.
My fuckin’ sanity.
“Get out of here. All of you. Leave me the fuck alone,” I snapped and shoved the last of their hands off me. “Go away!” I screamed, their shocked faces looked me over—and then they all left.
Thank fuck.
I didn’t want to deal with their bullshit tests. What were they going to say? Besides—you’re dying?
Because that was the only explanation for how I felt. No one could feel this horrible and survive. There was no way in hell I was walking out of this hospital alive.
No.
They’d be carrying me in a body bag.
My chest hurt like fuck, and I wanted to—
Fuck.
I just wanted to die.
Get it over with.
The suffering I’d felt in the last half hour was out of this world.
I wanted it to end.
What felt like hours later, my angel came floating back into my room. “Hi,” she said breathily. Once at the side of my bed, she pulled up a chair and sat. “You look so much better than you did an hour ago.” Her gaze glided over my face. “So much better. How do you feel?”
Christ.
Her voice and her touch were like a goddamn balm to my soul. When she was around, I hardly noticed how fucking shitty I felt.
“Oh, honey. No, don’t.” Her thumb reached up and she swiped something away. It was then I realized I was crying.
Fuck me.
I was crying.
Not only that, but I was doing it in front of my angel.
“You’re fine. Trust me. I wouldn’t lie to you.
I know you probably feel like complete crap.
But that will change. You’ll get better every day, Stefan.
You believe me. Don’t you?” She looked at me with hopeful eyes.
And I didn’t want to disappoint her. Why didn’t I want to disappoint her? Why did I care?
“I feel like shit.” I closed my eyes for a moment and got control of myself. “I don’t think I’m coming out of this, Francesca. I really fuckin’ don’t.” My eyes opened to see her standing beside my bed.
And then—I started fuckin’ crying.
Again.
Jesus Christ.
“Honey, don’t. Please, don’t. Can you try to get some sleep?” Her hand gently stroked the side of my face while I bawled like a baby.
“Here,” she said, letting go of my hand to unlatch the bed rail? When it was down, she slipped in beside me, curling her body around me in that tiny space. “Close your eyes.”
I sniffled and wiped my wet cheeks with my hand. “You’re going to get in trouble again.” I didn’t see how she wouldn’t. I mean, if they yelled at her for helping me, what the fuck were they going to do when they saw her in bed with a patient?
“Nah, you scared the crap out of them.” She giggled. Her breasts jiggled as she did so. “They sent me in to deal with you.” She laughed some more, and it—soothed me.
Having her close—touching her—smelling her—it all helped.
For some reason.
It helped.
And before I knew it, I was fast asleep.