Chapter 30
Thirty
Olivia
It’s been four days. Four painfully slow, endless days, and Hayden hasn’t left my side once.
He’s been sitting beside me in the hospital, every morning, and every night. He brings me coffee, food I barely touch, and mumbles dry sarcastic jokes under his breath just to see me smile. He thinks I don’t notice him watching me, but I do. Every single time.
We go back to my dorm to have dinner and have the best sex of my life. I mean I don’t have anything to compare it to, but God it’s amazing.
I’m pretty sure if I had the energy to go all night, Hayden would, and it makes me feel even more special knowing he feels that way about me.
I’ve read about sex in my books so much, but I never thought it would be as good as that. But I was wrong. So wrong. The way he makes my body feel, the way he touches me, it’s fucking magical and I never want it to stop.
I look over the book I’m reading. I see the wires and machines humming around my dad. The monitors beep steadily. It's the only sound in the room, other than his faint breathing that keeps me hoping.
The doctors said the swelling is going down, and things are looking more positive. My mum is stable, but still not awake. My dad’s vitals are improving. Slowly. They said we’re “headed in the right direction.”
But when is he waking up?
I look at him. He’s pale. Still. He’s my father, the strongest man I know, but he’s completely motionless.
“So, Dad... Hayden’s been here. Every day.
Like... he hasn’t even questioned it. Just showed up.
Stayed. He held me when I broke down in the hallway.
He held me.” I bite down on my lower lip to stop it from trembling.
“We’re together now. I mean, he looks at me like I’m the only person in the world, and for someone like Hayden Crawford, that means everything. ”
I blink hard. A tear lands on the back of my dad’s hand.
“His family’s been here, too. Well, they come to the waiting room.
Mason brought me food yesterday. Miles checks in more than I can reply to, and his mom, she held me while I cried until I couldn’t breathe.
They didn’t have to... but they did. It’s like they’ve been holding me up when I couldn’t do it myself.
” My throat closes. “They’ve been more of a family to me than I deserve.
” I squeeze my dad’s hand gently. “I need you to get better, okay? You and Mum. Because I want to show you who I’m becoming, who Hayden’s helping me become.
I want you to see that I’m not broken anymore. ”
A few more minutes pass in silence. Then I press a kiss to his forehead and whisper, “I’ll be back soon. I promise.”
I can’t stay at the hospital all day, like Hayden tells me to. I have to study, work, eat, and spend time with him. I know he's joking about the last thing, but being around him helps me forget what's happening, even for a little bit.
The parking lot is mostly empty when I pull into campus. I kill the engine and reach over to grab my bag off the passenger seat, when another car pulls in fast, beside me.
I don’t even have to look to know who it is.
The red Camaro. Leo. Asshole.
My heart rate spikes instantly.
I open the door slowly, trying not to panic. I don’t want a scene. Not here. Not now.
He gets out, adjusting his jacket and running a hand through his messy hair like he’s about to go on a date.
“Hey, gorgeous,” he says, leaning casually on the side of his car like he hasn’t made my life hell.
“Fuck off, Leo,” I mutter, walking around the back of my car.
“You really think he’s better than me?” he calls out. “The great Hayden Crawford? Come on. Look at you. You’re all... soft again. I liked you better when you had a little fire.”
I don’t respond. I keep walking toward the dorm entrance.
Then I feel it, his hand wrapping around my arm.
“I said look at me—”
CRACK.
Leo’s head slams into the side of his own car, and I scream.
“Miles!” I gasp.
Miles has him by the collar, slamming his head into the metal one more time for good measure. Mason steps beside him, laughing with that wicked glint in his eyes.
“Give us one reason,” Mason says, voice low and amused. “Just one.”
Leo’s face is pale, blood trickling from the corner of his lip as he stares at the two of them. “These are the creeps you want to be with, Olivia? These psychos?”
He spits on the ground and walks off without another word.
I don’t breathe until he’s gone.
“You okay?” Mason asks, stepping closer, less teasing now.
I nod, though my hands are shaking. “Yeah. I’m good.”
“You sure?” Miles watches me closely.
“Yeah... yeah. Thank you.” I look around for Hayden, but don’t see him anywhere.
“He said he’ll be at the club when your shift starts, he has something to do,” Miles tells me, as I start walking to my dorm.
They both follow me, and I look toward them, frowning at them.
“Just in case Leo wants to try his luck again.” Miles opens the door to my dorm building. I smile at them both shaking my head.
“What?” Mason asks.
“So, one of two things is happening right now. One you’re telling the truth, or two you’ve seen a girl in this building who you haven’t slept with yet.
” My answer makes them both laugh, and I stop by my door.
“Thank you for walking me to my door.” They both nod, and go to walk away, but I call their names and they both turn at the same time to face me. “Thank you for not hating me.”
They both stare at me and smile. “He loves you, nothing else matters.” Miles winks and they both walk away. I open the door and look at the floor when I step on the piece of paper. I take a deep breath in as I pick it up and read it.
I just want to talk. You owe me that.
I don’t even flinch this time. I fold it, slide it into my bag, ready to give to Hayden when I see him.
No more lies or hiding anything from him.
The club is already buzzing when I walk in, and it’s only been open an hour. I make my way to the office, nervous, not sure what he’ll say to me, but here it goes. I knock on the door and wait for him to say something.
Cain’s voice comes from inside. “Yes.”
I push the door open and step in.
“Olivia, how can I help you today?” He puts the pen down and gives me his full attention.
“Mr. C— I stop when he puts his hand up.
He smirks. “I think you can call me Cain now.”
I pause, staring at him for a second too long, remembering everything Hayden told me about him.
What he grew up with. What he became to survive.
What he’s built from ashes. I can feel it in the air, this man knows what hell feels like.
He has the power to kill anyone if he wanted to, and I don’t even think he would care.
Something inside me aches for him, and he sees it, that look on my face and I see his jaw tighten.
“Don’t do that,” he says, cool but sharp. “Don’t look at me like you’re sorry for me. You know the truth. Don’t dwell. Move on. Over time I promise you won’t be so scared of me.” I'm not sure if he’s joking or not, as I don’t think anyone walks close to him and not be scared.
I nod quickly. “Sorry. I just... I was wondering if I could take a few extra shifts, for the hospital bills. My mum and dad—”
He holds up a hand again. What the hell did I say wrong this time?
“Are you Hayden’s girl now?”
I blink. “Yes.”
“Are you part of the Crawford family?”
I smile softly. “I hope so.”
“Then I’m going to do you a favor,” he says, standing.
“I’m not going to mention this conversation to Hayden.
But I’m going to push you to talk to him.
” He stops as if on cue the door opens and Hayden walks in, he has a dark hoodie on, damp hair, and his eyes are scanning the room instantly landing on me, then Cain, then back to me.
“What’s going on?” Hayden asks, stepping in.
Cain straightens his posture, a hint of amusement twitching in his jaw. Well, I think it’s amusement, if it’s anyone else, I would say it is, but with him who knows? “Just a little family business.”
Hayden raises an eyebrow. “That right?”
Cain claps his hand on Hayden’s shoulder as he walks out. “You two talk. I’ve got shit to do.”
And just like that, we’re alone.
I glance down at the floor. Hayden takes a slow step toward me.
“Everything okay? Are your parents okay? Mason called and told me about Leo, but he’s a problem for another day.” He asks more questions than I can answer.
I nod. “I’m fine, my parents are still the same, and Leo is being an asshole.”
He gently pulls me closer, brushing his knuckles against my cheek. “Then what’s happening?”
“I wasn’t going to keep it from you. I was going to tell you.
So first I got another note, I’ll show you in a second, and then I wanted to talk to Mr. Cra-, sorry Cain, to see if I could pick up a few more shifts.
I need to pay for the medical bills, and he said to talk to you.
” I walk over to my bag to get the note out, and I hand it to Hayden.
“Leo I will sort out when the time is right, I just can’t do anything yet. The money for the medical bills, don’t worry about it.” I stand there, staring at him. What? Don’t worry about it? Is he crazy? That’s a lot of fucking money that I don’t have.
“Hayden, I need money to pay for it.”
“I know, and I’m here to help you so don’t worry about it.
” He puts the note in his pocket and walks closer to me.
“You’re part of the family now, and the only thing I ever want from you is to have faith in me.
Nothing else. Now you have a family, and the crazy fucker who owns this building.
” He leans in and gives me a kiss, and I smile against his lips.
“Now I’m with you, are you going to tell me what's on the sixth floor?” I lean back, and Hayden starts laughing, and I hear the door open behind me. I try to pull away from Hayden’s grip, but he won’t let me move.
“She wants to go to the sixth floor,” Hayden tells Cain.
“No, I asked what’s on the sixth floor, not to go there.” I quickly tell Cain, and I push Hayden away.