Chapter 30
thirty
. . .
Demi
The fact that I’ve spent three freaking nights in this hospital when I should have been released shortly after the surgery had pissed me off beyond belief.
I was fine.
My tests had all come back normal.
I had a broken arm. Lots of people broke their arms, and they didn’t spend three nights in the hospital. Yes, I hit my head. Also, not my first time hitting my head. My dad was playing games. I now realized who he was. He always got his way because he played dirty.
He didn’t want me at that fight, and he’d proven his point.
But he’d better buckle up because I was about to break myself out of this hospital and get my ass to that fight.
I was going to be there for Romeo whether my father approved of it or not.
Brinkley, Peyton, and Tia had taken shifts staying here with me. They’d finally admitted that Romeo had asked them to make sure someone was with me at all times. They were keeping him updated on how I was doing.
I never doubted that he loved me.
I knew he needed to be focused on the fight, or I’d snatch Tia’s phone and call him right now. But worrying about me was the last thing he should be doing.
I didn’t need my father’s permission to go to Las Vegas.
I didn’t need Romeo’s permission to go to his fight either.
I was a grown-ass woman who could make my own choices.
Unfortunately, I needed Dr. Westman’s permission to get the hell out of here.
“How’d you sleep?” Tia asked from the cot beside me as she stretched her arms over her head.
“Not good. It’s fight day. We’ve got to get out of here, Tia. I mean, we are down to the wire.”
“Demi, I think you need to just watch the fight on TV here. Your dad is not going to be okay with this. And Romeo doesn’t want you at that fight. He doesn’t want you anywhere near Leo.”
“And I respect their opinions, but I disagree. And I’m going, with or without you guys,” I said, just as Brinkley walked into the room with three coffees in her hands.
“What are we talking about?” she asked as she studied me and handed me my drink.
“The fight. I’m going to be there. Where is Dr. Westman? I’ve had enough.”
Brinkley studied me for a long moment and then handed Tia her coffee. “There are two police officers waiting out in the hallway to speak to you. They think they have a lead.”
“What the hell is going on? Is everyone trying to stop me from going to that fight?” I tossed my hands into the air.
“I don’t think they care about the fight. I think they care about catching the guys who put you in here. And if we can prove Leo did it, then I am all for it.”
“Fine. Send them in.” I shrugged as the nurse walked into the room. “Maggie, I’m begging you to get Dr. Westman to come here and release me. Please.”
She nodded. “He said he was coming here in about fifteen minutes. So, hang tight. I’ll go see where he is.”
The two officers came walking in, and I sat on the edge of the bed as they both stood in front of me.
“I know we’ve questioned you a lot about this, but we found some footage that actually came from the cameras that you had installed on your building.
Peyton gave us all the tapes, and we’ve been going through them.
We didn’t think the angles were going to catch anything, but sure enough, we got a pretty good photo of the man who struck you because his mask had come off when Romeo had thrown him to the ground.
We can’t see the other two men’s faces, but if we can catch one, it’ll lead to the others. ”
“You probably don’t know him, but we ran him through the system, and nothing has come up, so he doesn’t have a record. It’s a long shot, but we wanted to see if you recognized him before we go public with the photo,” the female officer said.
“Okay. I’m happy to look at it. Do you have the photo?”
She pulled out a photograph from the file she was holding and handed it to me.
I studied it for just a few seconds before I sucked in a breath. My heart raced, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. “I know this guy. He went to college with me.”
I searched my mind for where we’d met.
And then it all fell into place.
“He’s fraternity brothers with Ronny Waterstone. I met him at a frat party once. Oh my God. This wasn’t Leo’s doing. Ronny was behind this.”
“The senator’s grandson?” she asked.
“Yes. He must have something to do with this.”
“Do you know this guy’s name?”
“Darius McDowel. He graduated with me this last year.”
“All right. This is exactly what we needed.”
“Unbelievable,” Brinkley and Tia said at the same time.
“Let’s keep this quiet for right now until we bring this guy in for questioning and he ties Ronny to this. We don’t want him to have time to cover this up before we can get a confession.”
I nodded.
My father had blamed Romeo.
Romeo had blamed himself.
And this had nothing to do with him. Ronny was going to hurt my boyfriend because he was pissed that he’d been exposed.
I was pacing in little circles, and the officers left and said that they’d be in touch.
“Should we call my brother?” Tia asked.
“No,” I said. “We’re going to that fight, and I’ll tell him in person. He needs to be focused right now. Not worried about me or anyone else.”
They both nodded.
“So, how do we spring you out of here?” Brinkley asked.
I pulled some clothes out of the bag that my mother had brought me.
Tia helped me as I slipped the jeans on beneath my gown and then we hurried into the restroom so she could help me change into the T-shirt before tossing the gown onto my bed.
I pulled my tennis shoes on, which Brinkley helped me lace, and I was ready to go just as Dr. Westman stepped into the room.
He raised a brow. “Someone is ready to get out of here.”
“I need to leave right now. I’m going to that fight, and no one is going to stop me. So please, do the decent thing and release me.”
He looked between me and Brinkley and Tia and tapped his pen against my chart a few times.
Tia took that moment to speak up. “Wings or wheels, Doc? We can fly, because my bougie sister-in-law has access to a plane. But if it isn’t safe for the patient to fly, my brother will hunt you down and murder you himself, so if driving is better, just say the word.”
“Wow. Threatening my life, are we?” he smirked. “I was coming to release you, Demi. Your father has done all the delaying he can, but you’re cleared to leave.” He held up his hand as I picked up my duffle bag, ready to get out of here. “No flying. I’m choosing wheels for this one.”
Brinkley glanced down at her phone. “We’ve got time. Looks like we’re going on a road trip.”
“Give Maggie five minutes to get your paperwork ready. She’s as eager as you are, so she’ll be quick.”
“Thank you,” I said, as I gathered all my things and waited for Maggie.
She came flying around the corner, paperwork ready, and I signed on the dotted line. I gave her a big hug, and she promised to come into the coffee shop next week to see me.
All three of us made our way out of the hospital, and Brinkley informed us that we would make it there in plenty of time, pending there was no traffic. But Las Vegas on a Friday night was always crowded, so I was eager to get on the road.
We all agreed not to tell Romeo or Lincoln or anyone that we were driving there. Brinkley just told Lincoln that I’d been released, and she was going to help me get settled at home, and she would be there before the fight.
We didn’t want Romeo worrying about me coming there, so this was the best option.
As we were rushing out of the hospital, my father was walking toward me, his face red and angry.
“What’s this? You’ve been released? I asked for another MRI.”
I glanced over at Brinkley and Tia and asked them to give me one minute.
“I’ve been cleared, Dad. Two MRIs and a CT scan were more than enough. I’m heading to my place to get unpacked, and then I’m going to go watch the fight with friends. I’m fine.” I didn’t even feel guilty lying to him now. He’s lied so many times that I doubted he even remembered what the truth was.
And at the end of the day, I no longer trusted him. I didn’t trust that he wouldn’t tip off Ronny or his family. I didn’t trust that he would do something to stop me from going to Las Vegas.
I don’t trust my father to have my back.
But Romeo always had, since the moment we’d gotten together.
And I was going to return the favor.
I was going to be there for him the way he’d always been there for me.
My father’s gaze searched mine. “You know I love you, right? I just want to keep you safe.”
His words didn’t hold any weight anymore, but this wasn’t the time to take him on.
That day would come.
Today was about Romeo, not my father.
“I do. I love you, too. I’ll call you later, okay?”
“All right, sweetheart. I guess I’ll head back to the city. Your mom isn’t ready for me to come home, and I’ve been staying at that hotel in town while you’ve been here.”
“Go back to the condo and get some rest.” I kissed him on the cheek and hurried to the car, where Brinkley and Tia were waiting for me.
“Brinks was going to pepper-spray him if he tried to pull you into his car,” Tia said.
“He’s not quite at the level of kidnapping me just yet, but thanks for having my back. Now, let’s get on the road,” I said, climbing into the passenger seat of Brinkley’s rental. Tia had insisted I sit up front so they could keep an eye on me and make sure I didn’t pass out, which made me laugh.
“You do realize I passed out because I hit my head on the pavement. I’m not a fainter.”
“Yeah. But Dr. McHottypants whispered for us to keep an eye on you, and I’ve googled all the concussion symptoms.” She held up her phone and turned on her flashlight, nearly blinding me. “Pupils look good.”
Brinkley pulled out of the parking lot over a fit of laughter. “Dr. McHottypants is twice your age. Your brothers would lose their shit over you crushing on him.”
“He’s a silver fox,” Tia said. “Hey, I’m excited about this last-minute girls’ trip, but I have no clothes with me.”