Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Crew
L oud beeping echoed through the room, and I kept my eyes closed, holding back a moan. It felt as if I were trying to crawl through mud, my body far too heavy, my limbs not doing what I needed them to do.
“Crew. Crew I need you to open your eyes. You’re so close. But I need you to open your eyes for me. Please, baby. Open your eyes for me.”
I didn’t know why Aria sounded so scared. And I wanted to do what she asked. Hell, I would do everything for her. Anything she asked, I was hers. But the thought of opening my eyes felt insurmountable.
Instead I let the quicksand take me under once more, the beeping growing distant, everything feeling far heavier .
The next time the beeping returned, it was slightly louder, a sharp staccato against my temple. Although I didn’t know if it was a machine making noise, or the sound of my pulse.
What an odd thing to wonder, considering it felt like something I should know.
“Aria. You need to get some sleep. At least take a shower.”
“You might be my twin, but you don’t get to physically haul me out of here again.”
“I am your twin, and though we don’t have that psychic twin thing that people always say we should have, I know you’re in pain.”
“I always thought it was weird that Dara and Gus got that so-called psychic thing and we didn’t.”
“They were just messing with us.”
“Were they? Maybe. I can’t leave his side, Sebastian. What if I leave him, and he’s afraid he can’t open his eyes again? Because he opened his eyes that one time. I wasn’t making it up.”
There was a rustle of fabric, the sound of a chair squeaking. “I know you weren’t. He’s going to wake up.”
“They keep telling me it’s going to happen. But they also say the longer it takes, the worse it could be. And I don’t want it to be worst case scenario. But if it is, I’ll be there. Right by his side. I don’t want to let him go.” There was a shuddering sigh and another squeak of the chair. “I’m sorry. I know being in this hospital probably isn’t the best place for you.”
“We already talked about that. I’m always here for you. But you need to shower. You really stink.”
I wanted to growl. How dare Sebastian be so mean to Aria when she was clearly not feeling well. But I couldn’t get the energy to move. Aria wanted me to open my eyes, and I was going to do it. I just couldn’t.
I sank back into the quicksand, but perhaps not as deeply as I had the first time.
The next time sounds echoed through me, it was a deeper voice at my bedside.
“You’re really starting to scare us. You’re not one for dramatics. But then again, I didn’t realize my best friend was going to jump from the bridge. I know you loved that one show from back in the day, but you didn’t have to reenact that teenybopper crap. And don’t tell me you didn’t love it. Because you knew exactly who the characters were when Aria was talking about it with Daisy. So instead of reenacting it, wake up and tell me I’m an idiot. Just wake up, please.”
“Did Aria really jump into the river?” I croaked, and immediately regretted saying the words. It felt as if fire licked up my throat, and my parched lips parted .
“Holy hell,” Lexington barked before he scrambled up, and I realized my eyes were opened.
The lights were dimmed thankfully, so I didn’t feel as if I were being blinded, but from what I could tell, Lexington hadn’t slept for shit, and Aria wasn’t there. My best friend had dark circles under his eyes, his clothes rumpled. He looked like he had spent hours running his hands through his hair so it stood on end. I could only imagine what I looked like.
“Did she?” I asked, wondering exactly what I was talking about.
Lexington just smiled at me, his eyes filling with tears. “Aria did. Haley was wearing that wedding dress, remember? She would have sunk. But Aria jumped into the damn thing after you. Don’t scare me like that again, Crew. I should go to the doctors. The nurses. The National Guard. Hell, the Montgomerys. I will go tell the Montgomerys you are awake, and they will handle it.”
I had never seen Lex so discombobulated, that I just lay there, my limbs still too heavy, and tried to get into the present.
“I will be right back.”
I tried to reach out for him, but my hand was too slow, and my fingers nearly brushed his skin.
Lex froze before turning to me. “You are going to be okay, Crew. They’re going to explain everything. But Aria is going to kick my ass because I was here, and she wasn’t.”
“Water?” I rasped.
Lex cursed under his breath before he scrambled to a plastic cup and pitcher next to the bed. That’s when I realized I was in a private hospital room, with oxygen filling my nostrils and an IV in one arm. There was a pulse ox meter on my finger, and probably a dozen other things that I couldn’t quite figure out. There were also flowers, a couple of bags, a makeshift bed on the couch underneath the window, and photos that had to be from Aria. Still a little dizzy, I couldn’t quite make them out, but I knew I would one day trace my fingers over all of them. Because those were Aria’s. What she saw. What she wanted me to see.
Below them were hand drawn colorful pictures I knew had to have come from the kids. All of the Montgomery children who were starting to multiply.
My damn family had left their mark on this room, and I had no idea how long I had been here. I didn’t even know if my blood family had visited me. But they didn’t matter.
It had taken me a long time to realize that—almost too long—but in the end, my family was here. Including the man who was practically my brother in a twisted way. Lex stood over me, plastic cup of water in his hand.
“It hasn’t been that long, really. We just threw the photos and things up an hour ago or so because we needed something to do with our hands. Okay, I’m going to get you some more water, and then I’m going to get the others. Because if I don’t, I’m going to have to deal with all of the Montgomerys. And they may be my family, but I’m frightened of them.”
A tear fell down his cheek, and I smiled before nearly dropping the cup. Lex took it away from me and shook his head.
“I think I saw in one of those TV shows if you have too much you could throw it up. I’m not sure. This is why I need a professional.”
“Who the hell are you talking to?” Sebastian asked as he walked into the room. He froze as he looked down at me, before a wide smile covered his face, and he clicked his tongue ring against his teeth. “Well damn. You’re a sight for sore eyes. I’m going to go get my sister before she escapes our parents’ clutches. They’re trying to feed her right now after we hosed her down in the shower that the hospital let us borrow after she checked out. That girl would not leave your side. Not that I blame her. If Raven was the one in that bed, hell, I would have done the same.” Sebastian shuddered, and I knew exactly what he was thinking of. Marley. The woman that he had loved and who had died in childbirth. No wonder Aria had been so worried about Sebastian being there. Aria’s twin tilted his head. “So, you were awake for that.”
I hadn’t even realized I’d said that out loud. I clearly wasn’t all here yet. I shook my head and immediately regretted the action. “Not really. But I thought I heard voices.”
“Those are always the best voices to hear,” Lex rambled. “I am so fucking glad you’re awake. Don’t scare us again.”
“I’ll try not to.”
Sebastian left then, Lex following him, and before I could wonder why they left me alone, the room was filled with nurses, staff, and people I assumed were doctors. They shined bright lights in my eyes, took readings, and asked how I felt.
I thought I answered, I couldn’t quite remember or care. All that mattered was the woman who finally walked through the doorway, her wet hair pulled from her face, wearing clothes I knew her mother or another family member had brought for her from home.
She was so pale, her face clear of makeup. She was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen.
“Hey, baby,” I said softly .
“If you ever think about jumping near that bridge again, or being somewhere where you can trip near it, I’m going to do something like burn down your house. Don’t make me an arsonist.”
I chuckled roughly, and then reached up to grip my side, the pain shocking me.
“Okay, now that you’re really listening, let’s go over exactly what happened,” the doctor said. And then Aria was by my side, holding my hand, as a couple other Montgomerys stood in the corner, and I listened to the doctor explain what had gone on.
“You’ve been unconscious for the past two days.”
“Two?”
“Two of the longest days of my life,” Aria muttered.
I pulled her closer, trying to get her into bed with me. However, she wouldn’t budge, and I was pretty sure the nurses weren’t going to allow it. At least for now. I was going to get what I wanted soon.
“Yes, two days. You were underwater for long enough that we were worried about brain damage. However, from what we can tell all looks good. We are going to keep you a few more days to monitor you, and we’re going to want you to come back to do more tests, but you should recover completely. You did break one rib, and bruise three more. You also have eighteen stitches on your arm from where you sliced it as you fell. However, Ms. Montgomery here got you out of the water in time.”
I glared at the woman I loved more than anything. “I can’t believe you jumped in after me. What the hell were you thinking?”
“See, this is exactly how I thought things would go,” Lex whispered.
“Can we have some privacy, please?” Aria asked as she lifted her chin, glaring at me.
“We will be back soon for more tests, but yes, let’s clear the room so Mr. McTavish can rest.”
I didn’t know exactly who said that, and I didn’t care at the moment. Because all I had eyes for was Aria. And I was damn angry.
“You could have died.”
“Excuse me? That’s where you’re going? You fell off the bridge and were bleeding and you didn’t come back up. Of course I was going to go in after you.” Her whole body shuddered, and I sucked in a breath as I leaned over, shivering slightly.
“Get in bed.”
“I’m going to hurt you. You have a broken rib.”
“It’s going to be broken no matter what. You can’t fix that. I’ve done it before, remember?” I met her gaze, and I knew she remembered exactly what happened. When my mother had pushed me down the stairs when I had been a teenager, I had broken ribs then. Then again when I was rock climbing with Lex and had tripped. This wasn’t my first time around a broken rib. “Get in bed with me. I need to feel you by my side.”
With that, she let out a breath and carefully slid onto the hospital bed next to me. It was a tight fit since I wasn’t a small man and it hurt to move, but that just meant I could feel her warmth completely.
“I am still so fucking pissed off you jumped after me.”
“You think you were angry? You fell off a bridge saving my life and trying to make sure Travis didn’t truly hurt himself. After all he did, you still tried to talk him down.”
I pushed her hair from her face, the strand that had fallen from her ponytail, and finally asked what I hadn’t. What I had been avoiding.
“Did Travis make it?”
Her eyes went dark, a solemn expression covering her face. “Yes. The other bystanders were able to get him. I don’t know what’s going to happen to him. What charges still need to be made. But right now he’s on an involuntary hold, and hopefully he’ll get some help. I’m so sorry I didn’t walk away. That I didn’t push him out of my life completely. You could’ve died.”
“Fuck that.”
Her eyes widened. “Crew.”
“Fuck that. If you had iced him out completely and blocked his number, he still would’ve found a way to you. I was wrong. You are the kindest person I know, and you still held your space. You kept people that you loved safe. This is Travis. As much as I hate the fact, I have to say that. Because I know he’s hurting. But I’m fucking angry with him right now so I’m going to remain angry for a little while longer. Yet I also feel sorry for him. Something is wrong with him. Something that we can’t fix. But hopefully he figures it out. I’m just glad that he’s still alive. Because if he would’ve died…” I let my voice trail off, knowing I didn’t have any good way to finish that sentence.
I didn’t know what I would feel in the future toward Travis. But in those last moments, he had looked so scared, and I was never going to get that out of my mind. I would forever picture the absolute terror in his eyes. So yes, he did some horrible things, and he had a long way to go, but I think he had enough to deal with without my anger in his face.
“He’ll be okay. I have to believe that. But I’m honestly just so happy that you’re going to be okay. I never want to even think about that again, although I know that it’s going to be on constant rotation in my dreams. ”
“Same here.” I cupped her face, my thumb sliding over her bottom lip. “I love you. I love you so damn much. And sometimes it’s hard to imagine where we were all those months ago.”
“I can’t believe we tried to hide this. It turns out a few more people than we thought knew what we felt for each other before we did.”
My lips twitched as I continued to study her face. Her face would’ve been the last thing I had seen if I hadn’t made it to the top of the water. And while part of me knew that would’ve been a blessing, not having the years in front of us would’ve been the opposite.
“I wasn’t very good about hiding that it seems.”
“You do growl.”
“I’m going to continue to do so. Just making sure you understand that.”
She smiled then, and it finally reached her eyes. “I would love that as a promise.” And then she leaned forward, brushing her lips against mine. “Now, you have a hundred Montgomerys and adjacent waiting for you. Would you like the sign in sheet now?”
I grinned, leaning back on my pillow as Aria snuggled into my un-bruised side. “I take it my mother is not one of them.”
She stiffened, but I squeezed her shoulders.
“I’m not upset about. She would have made a scene. I have my family here. It just took me a little too long to realize that.”
“That’s good. Because we’re never letting you go.”
“Deal.”
One month later
“Should you really be lifting that?”
I resisted the urge to glare at the woman that I loved as I shifted the airtight container toward Lexington. My best friend took it from my hands and pressed his lips together so he wouldn’t laugh.
“I see that laughter, Lexington Montgomery,” Aria snapped.
“I’m sorry for trying to hide it. But seriously, the container is empty. He’s fine.” Lex shook his head, his shoulders shaking with laughter, before leaving me alone with Aria.
“Baby, I’m okay. It’s been a month. And I’m not lifting anything really.”
“You just tossed Nora on your back as you ran around the backyard and pretended you were her pony.”
“And it didn’t hurt me.” Much. “She’ s your niece. And she has had me wrapped around her little finger since she was an infant.”
“That is true,” Aria said with a smile. “Honestly, she’s had all of us wrapped around her finger. I mean, the rest of the cousins as well, but Nora? It’s like she realizes because her dad is my twin, our shared DNA means that I will drop everything for her.”
“I think you would do that even if you weren’t Sebastian’s twin. And that little girl doesn’t take advantage of it. She’s just too damn nice.”
“Seriously. My brother is so lucky.”
She smiled wide and leaned forward, brushing my lips with hers. “You know, kids really scare me. I have never said that out loud before.”
Aria’s eyes widened, before she threw her head back and laughed. “Same. I love being an aunt. And with how many cousins are starting to go in that direction, it’s going to be an endless number of babies for us to be aunts and uncles too. But I’m terrified of children of my own. I hope that’s okay. I mean, we haven’t had this talk though maybe we should at some point.”
She was speaking so rapidly, I couldn’t help but stop her ramble with my mouth. I deepened the kiss as she moaned into me, ignoring the way that her brothers flipped me off .
“Let’s just have time for ourselves, okay? It took us long enough to get here. I’m not in any rush.”
“Good. Because we have the world to travel. I mean, some duke wants your painting. You’re kind of a big deal.”
“I am. But that’s also what you told my dick last night,” I whispered.
“Oh my God, I heard that. Please stop,” Jamie, another one of the Montgomerys said as she rushed past.
I just laughed and wrapped my arm around Aria as I looked throughout the large yard where we were having a Montgomery barbecue. Because of course we were. It was a day that ended in y, so there needed to be food, drinks, and extra cheese when the Montgomerys created a crowd.
This time it was for Colin’s birthday, so I leaned back against the pillar, Aria in my arms, as we watched everybody set up food, drinks, and all of the materials that went with that over a few tables. There was even a table just for cheese. Yes, it was a small table, and yes, the family leaned into it, but I was pretty sure this particular one was to test to see if the person Colin was currently dating could handle the Montgomerys en masse. They were a rowdy bunch. Loyal to a fault. And I counted myself lucky for being adopted into them so many years ago. And for the moments I needed to steal one for my own.
Not that I would put it like that to Aria’s father.
I did value my future after all.
“So, what do you say? I know we have to go to Berlin for your show, but I’ve always wanted to go to Florence. I know they’re not side by side, or in the same country, but pretty sure it’s easier to drive between the two than it is for us to drive down and meet the other cousins in Texas.”
“I think the math holds up on that. And it sounds amazing. I’ve never been.”
Her eyes widened. “What? I thought you had.”
“I’ve never been outside the US. I travel all over the country, but it never really appealed to me to leave.”
“How did I not know that?” she asked, her eyes wide.
I shrugged. “Lex and I were planning, and then that opening at his internship started early, so plans fell through. And I don’t want to go alone.”
“Well, you’re stuck with me then. Because I want to see the world. And I just happen to be dating a Sugar Daddy.”
“I can’t wait to see the world through your eyes. And your lens. And I can’t wait for your payment for this trip of ours.” My thumb brushed the underside of her breast, and she rolled her eyes before kissing me hard on the mouth.
“Well then, I’ll start working on our savings tonight. Promise. Now, let’s go party with the Montgomerys. Because I’m pretty sure you are fully assimilated now.”
“I’m just glad that I accidentally bumped into Lexington that one day.”
“If that was an accident, does that mean you accidentally fell in love with me?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes.
“Of course. Who would want to fall in love with a woman connected to such an insanely large family on purpose? I mean, you are a lot of work.”
She rolled her eyes at me, before taking me toward the cheese station, the others all laughing and playing games and living their lives.
Because, indeed, I hadn’t meant to fall for Aria Montgomery. I had always known it would be a mistake. That I would end up heartbroken or left behind.
And I was so glad to be wrong. I hadn’t expected forever, but it turned out when you asked for what you wanted, and took it from fate, sometimes fate let you keep the girl you promised never to fall for.
And I was keeping Aria Montgomery.