Chapter 32
THIRTY-TWO
Iwake slowly, not knowing where I am or what’s happening. It’s bright, though, and warm. My head and face ache something fierce, and when I force my eyes open, I’m blinded. I blink away the intense lights and turn my head toward a typing noise. I’m sure I’m hallucinating.
That punch must have knocked me out for sure.
Wait . . . Punch.
Everything floods back as I look around. I’m in the hospital. I was really that badly injured? Shit, that’s embarrassing and not good for my record. I don’t even know what happened, but as I turn to what I believe is a vivid hallucination, I don’t mind.
Zia’s suit jacket is folded at his side, and his usually pressed shirt is wrinkled, which I know drives him insane. His sleeves are rolled back to expose his perfect, veiny forearms as he types on a computer, his hair slicked back as he focuses on the screen.
My arm is slow as I lift it, and I feel a pinch in my side, a hiss escaping my mouth at the sudden pain. Zia’s head jerks up, his eyes widening when they land on me, and within seconds, he’s up and at my side. “You’re awake,” he says softly, placing his hand over mine. “Where does it hurt?”
There’s a yelp, and we both turn to see my father. He must have been asleep at my side, but when Zia spoke, he fell off his chair. My dad pushes to his feet, gaping at me. “My boy!” He lurches forward, gripping my face. “Are you okay? Does it hurt? Let me get the doctor—”
“I’m okay,” I promise as I glance between them. “What happened?”
“You were out cold, so we brought you here,” my dad answers, but my eyes are for Zia. There’s worry in his gaze, and when he lifts my hand and kisses the back of it, I swear I want to cry.
If this is the prize I get for being in here, then I’ll take it.
I’ll let anybody knock me out if it means he’ll be at my side.
“You were sedated due to swelling on your brain,” Zia explains, his voice tight. “You have a dislocated shoulder and some fractures, but you’ll be okay.”
My dad scoffs. “Zia made sure you had the best doctors. Hell, the head of the hospital came by last night. Everybody’s been waiting on you hand and foot.” He nudges my side, and I glance at him. “Good job getting a rich boyfriend.”
I expect Zia to protest, but he simply smiles and starts fluffing my pillows as they both help me sit up. “Are you in pain?” he asks.
“No,” I answer. I can’t feel anything other than happiness right now. “You came.”
He stops, bowing his head for a moment before he blows out a breath and leans back. I tighten my grip on his hand so he doesn’t leave. “You were hurt,” he counters. “I was watching the match—” I wince, but he carries on. “I had to make sure you were okay.”
“Why?” I ask. “You left—”
“Nikko, you knew our deal. Now is not the time.” He sighs.
“Fuck our deal! It is time because if we don’t talk about it now, you’ll leave again.
Why did you come? Why would it matter if I was hurt if I mean nothing to you?
You walked away like I’m nothing and cut me from your life.
” My voice is thick with emotion as tears gather in my eyes.
“That hurt worse than any punch, any defeat.”
“You know why,” he protests, looking unsure.
“Bullshit. You didn’t give me a choice. You decided for me. Don’t say it was to protect me. You made that decision to protect yourself because you were scared of where we were headed,” I snap, and he flinches. “How could you walk away from me?”
He spares my dad a look before pursing his lips. “We agreed to be fuck buddies, Nikko—”
“Don’t give me that shit. You know we were more. A fuck buddy wouldn’t be here right now. You care. Admit it. You fucking care, and you left me. You left me—” I lick my teeth, swallowing the pain. “I missed you so much.”
He stares at me, but the door opens before he can respond. “Sir, sorry.” Yuki bows and looks at me. “Good to see you are awake, Nikko. You need to see this.”
He steps inside and turns on the TV, increasing the volume. My eyes linger on Zia before my attention is dragged to the screen. Joe Fitz is there, his face a bandaged mess, like he’s been brutally beaten. His manager stands at his side, and both look terrified and resigned.
Is this a press conference for his win?
Confusion swirls around my brain, but I hold Zia’s hand tighter so he can’t slip away. I’m not done. I need him to see we are better together. I need him to admit it.
He came for me.
It means we have a chance.
My eyes widen as we watch the interview.
“Are you saying that you cheated, Joe?” an interviewer calls.
He bows his head and leans into the mic as cameras flash.
“I knew I couldn’t win a fair fight with Nikko.
He’s very talented. If I lost the match, I would have lost my shot at the title and my sponsors.
I’m old and slow. I knew it, and I was desperate, so we concocted a plan.
We filled my gloves and paid off anyone in our way.
All of the implicated names have been given to the police.
As of this morning, I have been banned from fighting.
I want to take this moment to apologize to Nikko.
He fought well and deserved that win. He deserves the title he’s aiming for.
I’m sorry if I impacted his chances at that in any way.
I saw my younger self in him and it scared me. We won’t be taking any more questions.”
Inquiries ring out, but Yuki mutes the TV, and the room is silent.
He cheated?
I lost because he cheated. It makes sense, but he wouldn’t admit that voluntarily. It will cost him everything he has worked for over his twenty-three-year career.
There is only one person with the power and influence to do something like that. I look at Zia. His chin is tilted up as he meets my gaze defiantly. “You did that? You hurt him and got him to confess?”
“I knew you wouldn’t lose a fair fight. You are mine to protect.” His expression darkens into something I should probably be terrified of, but if anything, it only makes me love him more. “Nobody fucks with what’s mine.”
God, I love every depraved, dark inch of this man. To everyone else, Zia is a sinner, a devil in designer clothes, but to me, he’s my avenging angel. He’s . . .
Everything.
“My son-in-law!” My dad cheers as he picks Zia up and swings him around, kissing his cheek. “This means he still stands a chance!”
“Not if he doesn’t rest,” comes a sharp command, and we turn as a doctor glares at us. He walks my way. “I’m going to check your vitals. We will keep you here for a few days, then you will be released with strict orders.”
For the next hour, they run tests on me, and then I’m finally left alone.
Zia is on his laptop again, studiously ignoring my gaze.
My dad fusses around me and leans in to whisper, “He hasn’t left once.
Whatever is going on between you two, he cares.
” He cups my cheek. “I was so scared, son. I was so fucking scared I’d lost you too. ”
“I’m sorry, Dad. I’m okay,” I assure him, and he nods, turning away to hide the tears in his eyes.
“Rest, okay?” he tells me, his voice rough with emotion.
I nod and glance at Zia, catching his eyes for a moment before he drops them to his laptop. I try to force myself to stay awake, knowing we need to talk, but the drugs are taking effect, and before I know it, I’m swept into the abyss.
I wake with a pounding heart and a bad feeling.
The room is empty.
My dad is gone, but so is Zia.
His laptop is gone and so is his jacket.
He’s left me again.
The room is cold and empty. There are no signs he was ever here, just like before. He’s going to leave me, erase me out of his life like I never existed. I can’t let him. I won’t let him go again.
I’m not thinking clearly, but I don’t care as I scramble from the bed. Ripping off the monitoring leads attached to me, I climb to my feet and almost fall. The machines beep, and the door opens as nurses rush inside. They try to stop me as I force my way through them.
“Sir!” They chase after me. “You need to be in bed! Sir! Call security!”
A doctor steps into my path, blocking the way with his arms held out. “Sir, you need to be in bed—”
I push him away more forcefully than I mean to and hurry to the elevator. I hit the button to descend, and it shuts on the nurses and doctor who are swarming after me.
He left me again.
No.
Not this time.
The door opens on the ground floor, and I ignore everyone calling after me. The hospital gown catches on the breeze, and a shiver goes through me as I rush outside. My bare ass is on display, but I don’t care. I don’t care about anything except getting to Zia before he disappears again.
I must have gotten lucky because I see his car pulling out of the parking lot. He’s sitting in the back, looking out of the window, and my heart races so hard it hurts. I have to stop him.
My eyes frantically search around before I find what I’m looking for.
I race down the path, running parallel to the road he’s taking. I dodge around doctors and visitors, ignoring their shouts as I run as fast as I can and dive across the bushes before falling into the road right in front of his car.
The tires squeal as they skid to a stop, and there’s a bang as I groan and climb unsteadily to my feet. “Nikko!” Zia is before me, holding my arm as he glares at me. “What the hell are you doing?” he shouts.
“You were leaving again,” I rasp, feeling dizzy. “Had to stop you.”
Understanding floods his expression as he groans. “I was going to get you some supplies and clothes since you will be out for a few days.”
“Oh.” I huff. “You were gone. You are going to leave.” It’s all I can say as my body shakes from shock and adrenaline.
“Sir, I’ll call the doctors,” Yuki offers, and Zia nods, but his attention is on me as I sway, shivering in the cold.
“Nikko, look at me.” He grips my cheeks as my chest heaves. “I swear I was coming back, okay? I promise I’m not going anywhere. You were right. I can’t fight this. I can’t live without you, so I’m not going to try. I was coming back.”
Relief floods me, and all the adrenaline fades, leaving me weak. I blink as he starts to sway sideways and my body gives out.
I start to fall, and he yells, catching me so I don’t hit the pavement. His worried eyes swim in my vision.
His voice is the last thing I hear.
“Nikko! I have you. It’s okay. I have you. I’m right here.”
A smile tilts my lips before I fade into the waiting darkness again.