Page 36 of Charm Me

“Wyatt, what is it?” Her hand cupped my face, pulling my eyes to hers.

“Sorry, love. I’ve gotta go. Family emergency.” I gave her a light kiss before sitting her back on the bed so I could get dressed. I had no idea how far away Mount Sinai Hospital was or how long it’d take to get there.

“Anything I can help with?” The concern and compassion in her eyes sent my heart into overdrive. This woman was too much.

“Afraid not. I don’t really know what’s wrong yet.” I pulled my shirt over my head and grabbed my boots. This was not at all how I’d imagined spending my last morning with her. I had no idea when we’d be able to get together again and I wanted this last morning to be as special as last night was.

After I was fully dressed, I lifted her off the bed and pulled her into my arms. She stiffened in my arms and I hoped like hell that it wasn’t caused by regret or worry or any other emotion that left her feeling rejected. No matter where our paths took us, I’d never regret a second of my time spent with her. She buried her face in my chest, avoiding my eyes.

“Hey.” I pressed my fingers under her chin, lifting her face to mine. She chewed on her bottom lip with a sadness in her eyes. “I’ll be in touch soon. This isn’t goodbye.”

“Promise?” She gave me a weak smile.

“I promise.” I grasped the back of her neck and pressed my lips to hers. Her kiss was warm and sweet and everything I never knew I wanted. Her tension melted away and relaxed against me. Her lips parted, making way for her tongue to trace the edge of my bottom lip.

I growled, more than ready to take this woman again. But I couldn’t. I tossed my head back, breaking our kiss. “Dammit, woman. I hate this.”

“Go.” She patted me on my chest. “Your family needs you right now.”

Exhaling slowly, I sat her back down on the bed. I ran my fingertips along the edge of her jaw and brushed her hair behind her ear. “Bye, love.”

“Bye,” she whispered.

Walking out her door was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. I came to Manhattan in search of a new financial manager and found a woman I couldn’t resist. I wouldn’t break my promise to her, but I had no idea when I’d be able to fulfill that promise or if it would be enough in the end.

But every ounce of my being told me I’d never be able to tell Zoe goodbye.

***

ABIGAIL WAS ASLEEPby the time I arrived at the hospital. She looked frail, and her skin slightly grayed. She was tall, closer to six feet, and her long form exaggerated her thin appearance. But it was her face that had me the most upset.

Abigail was a beauty, all my sisters were, but the woman before me looked so tired, beaten, and ready to break. Her eyes were sunken in with dark circles surrounding them and her cheek bones protruded from her face. The girl I grew up with was gone. Whatever secrets she was hiding, they were slowly killing her before her time.

But the past wasn’t her current problem. She had pneumonia and was fighting for her life. Her case was severe. The doctor said she was stabilized but not yet out of the clear. She’d been sick, ignoring her body’s cry for help, for too long and now she may not make it.

A million what ifs and should haves ran through my mind. Most of which involved me taking action years ago instead of letting her go. I’d been too afraid of losing her for good to push her to talk to me. By doing nothing, I might lose her anyway.

I knew something was wrong when I visited her on Tuesday and yet I walked away. Granted she kicked me out, but I could’ve been more persistent, refused to leave until she let me help her.

Instead I walked out on her and ran off with Zoe. I liked Zoe. A lot. Hell, what I felt for her was a lot more than like. But Abigail was family, and I should have put her first.

“She needs you. You know that, right?” Elise’s voice called from the doorway. I looked up to find her standing next to me with two cups of coffee. She handed me one and I nodded in thanks. “No matter what she says, she needs her family.”

“I don’t think Abby wants anything to do with any of us.” I took a sip of the coffee and tried to hide my grimace. This may have been the worst coffee I’d ever drank, but I needed it to keep me awake.

“That’s not true. She’s just hurting.” Elise sat in the chair opposite me and sighed. “Do you know what happened to her?”

I shook my head. I wished I did. Maybe if I knew what happened, she wouldn’t be fighting for her life right now. Maybe if I’d been a better brother none of this would have happened to her. “Do you?”

“No, but I always assumed it had to do with some guy. Every time I read one of her books I wonder if it’s the actual story from her past, but I’ve never asked her. I didn’t want to push her away.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“You’ve read her books?” She looked at me with a curious eye.

“Every single one.”

Elise smiled. She was young and very pretty. And despite her cold exterior, it was obvious how much she cared for Abigail and I was grateful she’d been there for her when Abigail wouldn’t let anyone else in.