MoreOfYou_LPavlov-eBooks

by Pavlov, Laura

  “What is this? What happened?” My voice was unrecognizable as I shook my girlfriend.

  “I need an ambulance now,” Adam shouted into his phone, giving them the hotel information. “Yes, she’s breathing. But she’s unconscious.”

  Tears dripped from my eyes, landing on her beautiful face as I pulled her into my arms.

  “Try to wake her, Cruz,” Adam said as he continued to listen to the 911 operator.

  “Baby, wake up. Jade. Please.” A sob escaped as I held her close.

  “Her eyes are fluttering open and closed,” Adam said into the phone.

  “Jade, can you hear me?” I shouted, even though my mouth was next to her ear.

  “Okay, okay.” Adam hung up the phone and dropped down beside me on the floor. “They’re on their way up.”

  “Dude, what the fuck happened?” I cried, hugging her tighter as she mumbled something.

  “I have no fucking clue. I woke up and found her on the floor.” Adam’s voice trembled as he looked at her. “Jade, can you hear me?”

  “Yes,” she said, but the word was barely audible.

  There was a banging on the door and Adam pushed up to his knees to open it, as we were sprawled on the floor in the entryway.

  Why was she on the floor next to the door? How did she get here? When did she get here?

  The paramedics stepped in, pushing me back as they moved her to a stretcher.

  “Do we know what happened? A time? Are narcotics involved?” The taller man asked, as the other man hooked something up to Jade, and listened to her heart.

  “What? No. She doesn’t use narcotics. This is my girlfriend. I don’t know what happened. We found her on the floor. I don’t know when she even got here.” I reached for the trash can and vomited into it. Adam moved beside me and put a hand on my back.

  “We woke up and found her unconscious.” Adam insisted.

  “Alright. She’s coming in and out. Probably has a bad concussion. We need to take her in, and they’ll run some tests.”

  “A concussion? How?” I asked, and another round of sobs wrenched from my body.

  “From a blow to the head. From the bruising on her cheek, it looks like she was struck in the face by something. Something happened here last night.” He looked between both of us, and we shook our heads in disbelief.

  Luke came charging down the hall as we followed the paramedics out of the room, toward the elevators.

  “What’s happened? Is that Jade? What the hell happened?” Luke shouted, keeping stride beside us as we entered the employee elevator. Our security team came out of nowhere and I saw two guys take the steps and one stepped on the elevator with us. And the paramedics.

  “I want to go home,” Jade mumbled, and I reached for her hand.

  “Baby, I’m right here. Do you know what happened?” I wiped at my cheeks as I could barely see through the tears that were flowing from me.

  She started to sob, and the paramedic told her she didn’t need to speak.

  Adam filled Luke in behind me.

  “You never saw her last night?” Luke asked as we stepped off the elevator and hurried out the front door. Our security along with hotel security kept people back, but it was early in the morning, so the lobby was not crowded.

  “No. Did you?”

  “Yes. She got in around two in the morning. Wanted to surprise you for your birthday. I gave her a key to the suite,” Luke said.

  I insisted on riding with her in the ambulance and Luke and Adam caught an Uber and followed us over.

  I tried to process what he’d just told me. She’d gotten in a few hours after me. What the hell could have happened? Did someone follow her into the room? Dex was there with a girl.

  Dex.

  The blood drained from my body, or at least it felt like it did. There’s no fucking way he’d touch her. Right? I wanted to call him. Find out what the fuck happened. But I didn’t even have a phone. I was in the clothes I’d slept in.

  “I want to go home,” Jade said again. Her voice was sad and broken.

  “I’m here, baby. I’ll take you home.”

  “I want my dad. Can someone call my dad,” she sobbed, her eyes opening and closing as the tears flowed.

  I didn’t have my fucking phone. “I will, baby. I’ll fly him here right away.”

  We pulled up to the ER and they rushed Jade inside, leaving me standing in the lobby. Adam and Luke came running inside.

  “I need to call Jade’s father. Need to fly him here right away. I don’t have my fucking phone.” I paced, running my hands through my hair.

  Adam handed me a phone. “I grabbed it for you when I got your shoes. I’m trying to reach Dex to see if he knows what the fuck happened. Lennon is on his way.”

  “Jesus,” I said, dropping to my knees in the lobby as I tried to dial Jack Moore.

  Adam and Luke lifted me and set me in a chair. Luke took my phone and said he’d call Jack. He said it would be better to hear from him, because my hysteria would scare the shit out of him. He called Ponch and arranged for Jack to leave Chicago immediately. I sat with my face buried in my hands waiting to hear something.

  How did Jade get here? What the hell was happening? My brother arrived, and no one had been able to reach Dex, which had alarm bells going off in my head. I’d fucking kill him if he touched her. I’d fucking kill whoever did this. I paced because I could no longer sit.

  Minutes turned into hours. The waiting was torture. I asked the front desk to check on her multiple times and they kept insisting they’d taken her back for tests.

  “What the hell is going on?” Jack Moore came running into the waiting area, with Ponch beside him.

  “I don’t know. We found her on the floor in the suite this morning. The entry table was knocked over and a vase was broken beside her. She was unconscious. She’d been struck by something across her cheek. I didn’t know she was coming, Jack. I don’t know what the fuck happened.” I’d never been a hysterical person. Not even with all the shit I’d seen in my life. But I’d lost it now, and I was well past hysteria.

  Jack pulled me into a hug. “I know, son. Do we know what time she fell? Who was there? No one heard a scuffle? Shouting? Nothing?”

  I pulled away and froze. I fucking froze as I stared at Jade’s father. Because he was right. The table was knocked over. There was broken glass. There’d been a fucking struggle. And I’d been near unconscious due to Ambien. I hadn’t heard it. I’d fucking let this happen.

  Fuck me.

  This was my fault.

  “Cruz and I had gone to bed. I had my earplugs in because that douchebag, Dex, was partying in the living room. I never heard a thing. I woke up to get a water this morning and found her,” Adam said as we all dropped down to sit.

  “And she got in at what time?”

  “Around two in the morning,” Luke said.

  “And you found her at seven? Jesus. She may have been unconscious for hours. Has anyone spoken to Dex?”

  “We’re trying to reach him,” Lennon said.

  I pushed to my feet, making my way to the restroom, but I only made it across the lobby before I leaned over a garbage can and vomited. Again. The weight of what happened was settling in, and the realization that I’d been just a few feet away while someone attacked Jade—it was a lot to swallow.

  It’s ironic how last night I thought my world was crashing in around me with my asshole father and fucking Farrah Clearwater and their bullshit rumors. Now none of it mattered. Because all that matters is Jade.

  “Are you the family of Jade Moore? I’m Dr. Warble,” a woman said when she stepped out clad in scrubs.

  I moved next to Jack and prayed to God Jade would be okay.

  “So, the good news is, she is going to be fine. Just fine. Her CT scan is normal. She’s lucky. She took a
blow to the back of her head, which knocked her unconscious, but everything looks good. We’re going to keep her overnight just as a precaution, but she’s cleared to fly home in the morning. I know she’s anxious to get back to school because she has finals on Monday,” Dr. Warble said, pausing as everyone nodded in agreement. Of course, Jade was worried about finals. “I would supervise her for another twenty-four hours after she’s home, just to be safe.”

  “Of course, I will. Can I see her?” Jack asked.

  “Yes. Just two at a time, please. We want her to rest and take it easy today. I’ll take you back.”

  Jack and I followed Dr. Warble down the hall to Jade’s room. When we walked in, she was lying there, tears streaming down her face. Her bruised cheek was more swollen and a darker purple now. I hurried to the side of her bed, while Jack moved to the other side. She didn’t look at me. Not once.

  “Hey, Jady bug,” Jack said, taking her hand in his.

  “I’m so sorry, Dad. I’m sorry you had to miss work and come here,” Jade said, but it was more of a croak.

  Jack studied her. “There’s nowhere else I’d want to be. Cruz had Ponch fly me out, so I made it here quickly. Can you tell us what happened?”

  She used the back of her hand to swipe at her tears. “I wanted to surprise Cruz for his birthday.” She glanced at me for maybe five seconds before turning away. “My flight was delayed, and I got in late. Luke gave me the key to the room, and when I got there, Dex was there with a girl. She ended up leaving, and he—” She closed her eyes and let her head fall back on the pillow.

  My hands fisted at my sides. “He what?”

  She turned to face me for the first time, jade green eyes nailing my gaze. So angry. Full of despair.

  “He was crazed, and said he wanted to know why I never liked him. He was high and acting erratic. He pinned me to the couch, and I fought him off. I tried to run, but he wasn’t having it. He yanked me by the hair and punched me in the face. I must have fallen back and hit my head.”

  “Jesus,” Jack said, running a hand through his hair.

  Shame enveloped me. I paced around the room. “I’m going to kill him.”

  “That’s not going to help anything, Cruz. He assaulted her, and he will suffer the consequences.” Jade’s father said.

  “The police are going to be here in a little bit to talk to me. It’s protocol. Will you stay with me, Dad? And we can fly home tomorrow morning. I need to get back for my finals. I never should have come here,” she said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

  “Of course, I will. You just tell them the truth, and I’ll be here with you, okay?” Jack said.

  “Okay. Do you mind giving me and Cruz a minute alone?” she asked. My stomach wrenched and heart pounded.

  “Yep. I’ll go fill in your friends out in the waiting room and call Sara and catch her up to speed. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Once her father left the room, she pushed to sit up and face me.

  I’d never seen Jade’s gaze as ice cold as it was right now. Anger. Rage. Disappointment. I saw it all.

  “Baby, I’m so sorry,” I said, reaching for her hand.

  “Don’t touch me. Not ever again, Cruz,” she said through her sobs. She yanked her hand away like I’d burned her.

  “Jade, I didn’t know you were coming. I would never let anyone hurt you. You know that.”

  “Do I? I ran to your room. I shook you. I dug my nails into your arm. I begged you to wake up. I screamed for you to help me. And you left me alone with him. I was lying unconscious a few feet from you for hours. Hours.” Her words sliced through me in a way I’d never known possible. Like someone had cut me open and ripped out my heart.

  Tears streamed down my face and I fell apart. “I’m so sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

  She wiped away the tears and pulled herself together. Stoic and strong. “Give me your hand.”

  I paused, a moment of hope. I stretched my arm her way, and she turned my hand over, dropping the ring I’d given her in the palm of my hand. “I don’t want to be your family. I don’t want to be your future. I don’t want to be your anything, Cruz. Not anymore. You aren’t good for me.”

  Jesus.

  This was really happening.

  I had lost the best thing in my life.

  I swiped at the tears streaming down my face. “Baby, don’t say that.”

  “Don’t call me that. Don’t call me anything.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I said as I stared down at the ring.

  “I’m not. Please leave.”

  “Jade,” I pleaded. Desperation clinging to me like a second skin.

  She hit the button on the side of her bed. “I will have the nurse call security if you don’t leave.”

  I stared at her with disbelief as the nurse entered the room. “Do you need something, sweetie?”

  “Yes. I was hoping you could escort him out and ask my father to come back.”

  The nurse stared at Jade for a moment. “Absolutely.”

  When I met Jack in the waiting room, I broke down. He pulled me in and hugged me. He didn’t know how much his daughter hated me. “It’ll be okay, son.”

  But it wouldn’t.

  “She wants me to leave. Asked the nurse to escort me out. She doesn’t ever want to see me again. She’s done.” I pulled back and let out a long breath.

  “Give her time. She’s been through a traumatic experience and she’s upset. Look at me,” Jack said, waiting for me to meet his gaze. “This is not your fault. It’s not your fault.”

  “Maybe not directly, but I wasn’t there to help her when she needed me. Because I’m a fucking piece of shit.” I admitted.

  “Then figure it out, Cruz. Figure out how to be there for her.” He patted me on the shoulder and moved down the hallway toward his daughter.

  I walked over to where Luke, Ponch, Lennon, and Adam stood. “Ponch, do you mind sticking around and flying Jack and Jade home in the morning? I will forward you her father’s number and you can speak directly to him. She doesn’t want me here, and I want to respect that.”

  “You got it, Cruz. I will make sure they get home safely.”

  I called an Uber and my brother, Adam, and Luke walked beside me toward the waiting car. “We’re leaving?”

  “Yes.”

  “Maybe she’s just pissed right now. It might blow over.” Lennon sounded like he was convincing himself as much as me.

  “She ran to my room for help, and I was knocked out on Ambien. She shook me and screamed for me to wake up while Dex dragged her by the hair and punched her in the face, leaving her unconscious on the floor for hours. While I slept a few feet away. This is not blowing over.”

  I glanced down and studied the nail mark bruises on my forearm where she’d tried everything she could to wake me.

  Everyone walked in silence.

  “Where are we going?” Luke finally asked when we got in the Uber.

  “I’m going to find Dex before the police get to him. I’m going to beat the living shit out of him, like I should have done a long time ago. And then—then he can go face his consequences.” I tried to calm my racing heart. But it wasn’t possible. Dex had cost me everything I cared about.

  And he was going to pay for it.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Jade

  “Are you sure you have everything?” Dad asked as he and Sara walked me all the way to security.

  “Oh, my gosh. Yes. I’m fine. You did not need to come in with me,” I said with a laugh. It had been an emotional two weeks, but guess what—I’d survived them.

  “This will be the longest we’ve ever been apart without visiting one another,” Dad said, his eyes welled with emotion.

  “I’ll be back in three months. It’s not like Honduras is that far away,” I teased, and he f
orced a smile. “I need to do this, Dad.”

  My friend, Jessica, stood off to the side waiting for me to say goodbye. She probably thought my family was crazy walking me all the way to security. But I wouldn’t change a thing.

  I hugged Sara first. “Take care of him for me.”

  “I will,” she promised, and she wiped at her eyes when I pulled away.

  “Love you, Jady bug. Be safe,” Dad said, hugging me so tight it was difficult to breathe.

  “Love you, too. Sam’s going to be checking on you guys all summer, okay? And we’ll talk once a week,” I said.

  “And text every other day to let me know you’re alive, right?”

  “Yep. I will.”

  I waved at them as I made my way to meet Jessica and get in line.

  “Your dad is sweet. He looks so sad about you leaving,” she said.

  “Yeah, it kind of came up unexpectedly, so I don’t think he’s had time to prepare for it.” I laughed.

  I left out the part about the fact that I’d been attacked in New York just two weeks earlier and broken up with the love of my life.

  Yeah… good times.

  Dex had hired a fancy attorney and he was getting house arrest for what he did to me and he’d move on with his life like nothing happened. Once a rock star, always a rock star, I guess. What he’d done to me had not been leaked to the press and I was grateful for that. Dex had been hospitalized after being beat up pretty bad the very same day I’d been recovering in a hospital bed in New York, and there’d been rumors that Cruz had put him there. Their feud had gone viral on social media and was even being speculated about on news stations and in magazines. Everyone thought it was because Cruz was leaving the band and Dex was angry. Of course, I knew the real story. It had been Cruz who’d put him there. Cruz had texted me to let me know. I hadn’t responded to him in two weeks, but he texted me every single day.

  Yeah, I could block him. I’d already blocked him from my heart the best I could. But I wasn’t ready to block him completely from my life. So, he sent me texts daily. They were short. Respectful. He wasn’t begging me to forgive him. He wasn’t defending what had happened or making excuses. He said things like: