Chapter Thirty – Lola
CHAPTER THIRTY
LOLA
The stench of antiseptic assaults my nose as I burst through the hospital doors, my heart pounding like a blown engine. My mind’s stuck on repeat: Cole. Accident. Chad. That bastard.
I skid to a stop at the nurse’s station, probably looking like I just crawled out of a burning wreck myself. “Cole Lawson,” I rasp, my voice as raw as my nerves. “Where is he?”
The nurse eyes me warily. Can’t blame her. I must look like a lunatic. “Room 313,” she says. “He’s stable, but?—”
I’m gone before she can finish, my feet carrying me down the hallway faster than I’ve ever run in my life. I really hope my lucky number works its magic. 301… 305… 313. Finally. I practically rip the door off its hinges.
And there he is. Cole. My Cole. Lying in a hospital bed, looking like he went ten rounds with a cement mixer and lost. His face is a patchwork of cuts and bruises, and the way he’s holding himself tells me his ribs are giving him hell.
“Cole,” I choke out, my voice barely above a whisper.
His eyes flutter open, and damn if he doesn’t try to smile. “Hey, boss lady,” he croaks. “Guess I zigged when I should’ve zagged, huh?”
“You idiot,” I say, but there’s no heat in it. Just relief that he’s alive and talking. “What the hell happened out there?”
His face darkens, and for a moment, I see a flash of the old Cole. The one who used to race with fire in his veins. “Chad.” He spits out the name like it’s poison, and he’s not wrong. “Bastard rammed me into the wall. Guess he figured if he couldn’t beat me fair and square, he’d take me out of the race altogether.”
White-hot rage floods through me, momentarily drowning out the fear and worry. Chad. That low-life, scum-sucking, son of a?—
“I’m gonna kill him,” I growl, already plotting ways to make Chad’s life a living hell. I really should have run him over. “I’m gonna rip off his arms and beat him with them. I’m gonna?—”
“Lola,” Cole’s voice, weak as it is, cuts through my murderous thoughts. “It’s not worth it. He’s not worth it.”
I deflate, the anger draining out of me as quickly as it came. I sink into the chair beside his bed, my hand finding his. “ You are worth it. But I guess you’re right… I don’t look that great in prison orange. I’m not sure my brother could get me out of a murder charge,” I admit grudgingly. “But God, Cole… when I heard… I thought…”
“Hey,” he says softly, squeezing my hand. “I’m okay. Well, mostly okay. Nothing a few weeks of your tender loving care won’t fix.”
I snort, but I can feel the tears pricking at my eyes. “Tender loving care? You’ve got the wrong girl, Lawson. I’m more likely to smother you with a pillow than nurse you back to health.”
He chuckles, then winces. “Cracked ribs,” he explains at my worried look. “Doc says I’ll be out of commission for a while.”
“Good,” I say firmly. “Because you’re not getting behind the wheel of anything faster than a mobility scooter until I say so. Got it?”
He grins that cocky, infuriating, heart-stopping smile that made me fall for him in the first place. “Sure thing, boss lady. Have you seen how fast those can go?” he says. “But you know what this means, right?”
I raise an eyebrow. “That I get to drive your car and you can’t stop me?”
“That, too,” he concedes. “But more importantly… it means you’re gonna have to stick around to keep an eye on me. Make sure I don’t do anything stupid.”
I feel my heart skip a beat. Is he saying what I think he’s saying? “Well,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “Someone’s gotta make sure you don’t kill yourself tripping over your own feet. Might as well be me.”
His eyes soften, and he tugs me closer. “I love you, Lola,” he says quietly. “Have for a long time. Probably always will.”
And just like that, all the walls come crumbling down. I lean in, pressing a gentle kiss to his battered lips. “I love you, too, you reckless idiot,” I murmur. “Now get some rest. We’ve got a long road ahead of us.”
As I settle back in the chair, our hands still intertwined, I make a silent vow. Chad might’ve won this round, but the war? The war is far from over. And this time, I’m not just fighting for myself. I’m fighting for us.
As I sit there, watching Cole drift off to sleep, his face relaxed despite the bruises, I feel a storm brewing inside me. Love, worry, and rage swirl together like nitro in my veins, threatening to explode.
I grab my phone and call my brother. If anyone can help me get justice—and maybe a little revenge—it’s him. Who am I kidding? I don’t think he’d be okay with the revenge part.
“Lola?” Brian’s gruff voice answers on the second ring. “How’s Cole?”
“Alive,” I say, my voice tight. “No thanks to Chad.”
There’s a pause, then a low whistle. “So, it’s true. That son of a bitch actually did it.”
“You knew?” I hiss, anger flaring up again.
“Heard rumors,” Brian says quickly. “Nothing concrete. You know how the racing world is, kiddo. Gossip spreads faster than an oil leak. Plus, I can’t do anything based on rumors.”
I take a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. Getting mad at Brian won’t help Cole. “We need to do something, Brian. We can’t let Chad get away with this.”
“What do you have in mind?” There’s a note of caution in his voice, but also curiosity.
I glance at Cole, peacefully sleeping, and feel my resolve harden. “First, we need proof. Security footage, witness statements, whatever we can get our hands on. Then we take it to the racing board. Get Chad suspended, at the very least.”
“And if that doesn’t work?” Brian asks, though I suspect he already knows the answer.
A slow, dangerous smile spreads across my face. “Then we get creative. I’ve still got a few tricks up my sleeve from my days as the town troublemaker.”
Brian chuckles a sound that’s equal parts proud and worried. “All right, kiddo. I’m in. You know I’d do anything for you. But let’s try the legal route first, okay? For Cole’s sake. As much as I enjoy seeing you at work…”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s too soon for another bring your sister to work day ,” I agree, my gaze softening as I look at the man I love. “Thanks, Bri. I’ll keep you posted.”
As I hang up, I feel a spark of hope ignite in my chest. I lean over, pressing a gentle kiss to Cole’s forehead. “Rest up, hotshot,” I whisper. “I’ve got this covered.”
And as I settle back in my chair, my mind already racing with plans, I can’t help but smile. Let the games begin.
As the hours tick by, I find myself drifting off, lulled by the steady beep of Cole’s heart monitor. But my sleep is fitful, filled with dreams of screeching tires and crumpling metal.
I’m jolted awake by a gentle touch on my shoulder. It’s Maria, Cole’s pit crew chief, her usually cheerful face drawn with worry.
“How is he?” she whispers, nodding towards Cole’s sleeping form.
“Stable,” I murmur, stretching out the kinks in my neck. “Cracked ribs, cuts, and bruises. He’ll be out for a while, but he’ll recover.”
Maria’s eyes flash with anger. “Chad’s going to pay for this,” she growls. “The whole crew’s ready to teach him a lesson he won’t forget.”
I grab her arm, shaking my head. “No, Maria. We can’t stoop to his level. We’re going to do this right.”
She looks at me skeptically. “Since when are you the voice of reason, Lola?”
I can’t help but chuckle. It’s a valid question. “Trust me, I want nothing more than to introduce Chad’s face to my fist again. But we need to be smart about this. For Cole’s sake.”
Maria sighs but nods. “All right, what’s the plan?”
I fill her in on my conversation with Brian, watching as her expression shifts from skepticism to determination.
“Count me in,” she says firmly. “I’ll talk to the rest of the crew and see what we can dig up. Chad’s not exactly Mr. Popular in the pit lane.”
Just then, Cole stirs, his eyes fluttering open. “Lola?” he mumbles, voice thick with sleep and pain meds.
I’m by his side in an instant, my hand finding his. “I’m here, hotshot. How are you feeling?”
He manages a weak smile. “Like I went ten rounds with a brick wall. But hey, at least I’m prettier than the wall, right?”
I roll my eyes but can’t help the smile tugging at my lips. Even battered and bruised, he’s still an incorrigible flirt.
“Listen,” he says, his voice growing serious. “About Chad?—”
“Don’t worry about Chad,” I cut him off gently. “We’ve got it handled. You just focus on getting better.”
He looks at me, his eyes searching mine. “Lola, promise me you won’t do anything crazy. I know you. When you get that look in your eye?—”
“I promise,” I say, crossing my fingers behind my back. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. “Now, how about some ice chips? I hear they’re all the rage in fine dining establishments like this.”
As I fuss over him, making sure he’s comfortable, I can feel Maria’s eyes on me. When I turn back to her, she’s got a knowing smirk on her face.
“You lied to him,” she whispers as we step out into the hallway.
I shrug, not bothering to deny it. “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. And right now, the less he knows, the better.”
Maria nods, a fierce gleam in her eye. “All right, Lola. Let’s go catch ourselves a snake.”
As we walk out of the hospital, purpose in our steps, I feel a surge of determination. Chad thinks he’s won, but he’s about to learn a very important lesson: You don’t mess with the people I love and get away with it.