Chapter 33
Just Another Lie
Clay
“Get out.” I wake to Ethan’s voice hissing in my ear. The weight of Leni’s body partially on top of mine, grounding me. It’s tempting to pretend I didn’t hear him, but I can feel his angry presence behind me, and another set of eyes watching close by. I don’t doubt that it’s Mercer.
“I told her I would’t leave her,” I hiss back, trying not to wake Leni. She tried to hide it, but I could tell the pain she was in before a nurse came in to administer pain meds through her IV.
“Just another lie you told. Now get the fuck up.”
I sigh, there’s no point. Ethan would have dragged me out of this bed by now if he weren’t worried that it would hurt Leni. I slip out from beneath her, surprised to see Ma in the room and not Mercer. She’s not looking at me with animosity, but she’s clearly not here to change Ethan’s mind either.
Smoothing her hair back, I lean down to kiss Leni’s head before I shuffle past them. Mercer is waiting on the other side of the hospital door, a warning in his eyes.
“Shouldn’t you be at work?”
“I put in for time off.” I shrug.
He huffs a mirthless laugh. “Yeah, that got denied. Should’ve checked your app.”
“Then I resign, Merc. Effective immediately.”
He gapes at me, mouth opening and closing as his eyes widen.
“I’m not leaving her. Not when she needs me, not ever.” I stand to my full height, voice shaking a little.
“She doesn’t need you. She needs her family.”
“She’s it, man.” I take a deep breath and lean against the wall, tipping my head back as exhaustion settles deep into my bones. “She’s all I have. She’s my family, and I’m not leaving her.”
“You are,” he growls. “I’ll fucking make you.”
Mercer reaches forward, grabbing my shirt with his fist.
“Are you kidding me?” I glare at him, hands shaking at my sides, itching to grab his shoulders and shake some sense into him.
“She pushed you all away because you decided everything for her. Do you really think...you know what? You should at least ask her what she wants.” I feel a lump rise in my throat. “If she wants me to go, then I’ll go.”
His eyes simmer with disdain, upper lip curling back. He doesn’t hit me or scream anymore. His fists tighten as he ducks into Leni’s room. I stay in the hall, listening as voices get louder. My body itches to go in there, to back her up, to be on her side, when Mercer and Ethan clearly aren’t.
To my surprise, it’s Ma’s voice that raises above the rest.
“Don’t you think you two have done enough?”
The murmured responses are too low for me to make out.
“No, I don’t want to hear anymore. I’ve watched the two of you overstep Leni’s boundaries over and over for the past ten years.
You don’t get to make any more choices for her.
You don’t get to tell her your opinions, and you don’t get to keep the one person that she wants here away from her.
As far as I’m concerned you need to get out of this room and get back to fucking work. ”
Ma sends both the boys sulking down the hallway. She gives me a tight, closed lip smile before closing the door behind her once more. Their voices are too low for me to hear now. When she opens the door again, she nods toward Leni.
“Take care of our girl, Clay. I think it’s time these other yahoos get back home.”
I nod, taking the hug she offers.
“They’ll come around. You’ll see.”
Her eyes are free of tears today, something lighter in the way she’s carrying herself, too. I guess I feel that myself. Having Leni conscious, knowing she still wants me, makes all the difference in the world.