Page 71 of Devoured By You
A clusterfuck of epic proportions.
The sound of the drapes scraping against the rail forced me to open my eyes. Sunlight burst into my hospital room, bathing the clinical space in warmth.
“Rise and shine.” Mara, the nurse my father had hired to take care of me here in the hospital and when I returned to Miami at some point today, hit me with a beaming smile. “It’s release day.”
“You make it sound as if I’m in prison, and I’m getting early parole for good behavior.”
She smiled wider, although how that was possible was anyone’s guess. Mara had a permanent grin on her face. I’d never come across someone so happy in their work. She should bottle that shit and sell it. She’d make millions overnight.
“We both know there’ve been times when your behavior was anything but good.”
I cringed. “All right. No need to rub my nose in it.”
Two fucking weeks I’d been holed up in this hospital. Two fucking weeks where I’d traversed a whole range of emotions, some so dark I’d scared myself. The nightmares were the worst, though. Mara reassured me they’d eventually fade, but the masochist in me wasn’t sure I wanted them to. Hell, I didn’t deserve them to.
News of the funerals of the two people who’d died had reached me a few days ago. That had been one of my worst days. I’d spent hours on my iPad trawling news sites for every shred of information, barking at anyone who’d interrupted me. The security guard had left behind a wife and three daughters. The passenger, a twenty-eight-year-old newlywed on her honeymoon, had left behind a devastated widower. They’d never celebrate their first wedding anniversary, never feel the joy of their first child. Never grow old together.
I felt myself spiraling. I gripped the covers and took a few deep breaths, and after a minute, the iciness coating my skin vanished. Mara set a tray in front of me. Overcooked scrambled eggs, undercooked bacon, limp toast. Coffee that was a crime to caffeine lovers everywhere. I pushed it away.
“Tell the hospital cook his food still sucks. You’d think after the number of times I’ve given him feedback, some of it would stick.”
She chuckled. “I think he made it extra dreadful for you today. A celebration of your last day.”
“Lucky me.” I gazed out the window. Jill would be here soon. She hadn’t missed a single day since I’d arrived here, unconscious and bleeding. My parents had gone back to Seattle, mainly so Dad could clean up my mess, and Kadon and Aspen had pressing work issues to deal with, so they had left once they were certain I wouldn’t try to off myself. Nolen and Marlowe had stuck around for a week, but on our scheduled arrival date in Miami, they’d had to return to Vegas.
Lives moved on.
Apart from the two people who’d died. They didn’t get to move on.
“Hey.” Mara flicked my arm. “I know that face. Quit it.”
“Quit my face?” I screwed up my nose. “How the fuck do I do that?”
She rolled her eyes. “Jesus, I deserve a medal for taking this job.”
“You can pack it in any time you want to.”
She grinned. “The very fact that you’d enjoy that is the one reason I won’t do it.”
I smiled in response, although it felt weird to perform an action meant to show happiness when my insides were rotting day by day. It was impossible to offend Mara. Hell, I’d tried. Not on purpose, but I’d run the entire gamut of emotions during my stay in the hospital, and Mara had been around for most of them. I preferred her to Danesha, who worked here on a permanent basis. She was one scary motherfucker. Even I didn’t dare to cross her.
“Knock, knock.” Jill poked her head inside my hospital room, wearing a bright smile. She’d tried so fucking hard to keep up my spirits, and yet I couldn’t stop the thoughts running through my mind that she deserved better than this. Better than being stuck with a cripple she hardly knew. For selfish reasons, I hadn’t broached the subject with her yet. I needed her even if I hated that I did. I couldn’t bear to face the next few weeks alone.
If she lasted that long, given my foul mood swings.
If I lasted that long without fucking it up.
“Hey.” I forced a smile. They used to come so easily to me. Not now. I felt like a fake every time I lifted my lips. “I’m so glad you’re here.” That wasn’t a lie. She grounded me. “Dad messaged earlier. The jet is fueled and ready to go as soon as this dragon organizes my release papers.” I jerked my head toward Mara.
“Careful. I have a mean right hook.”
“You love me.”
She looked over at Jill. “At least I only have to put up with him until he’s back on his feet. You, sweetcheeks, are stuck with him for life.”
Jill laughed. “I can handle him.” She knitted our fingers together, and I stole her warmth, her goodness, her wholeness, bringing them to my lips to kiss them.
“Let’s get you up and ready, then. No point in you taking up a much-needed bed any longer than necessary.” Mara peeled back the covers. I avoided looking at the space where my leg once was.