From That Moment

by Carrie Ann Ryan

“She wasn’t going to sit down until someone yelled at her. And I’m a person who yells. Apparently, I’m good at it.”

  The two of them stared at each other before Dakota turned away and went back into the part of the waiting room that had the vending area. Nate and Joshua were there, going over what type of M&Ms they wanted because, apparently, there were peanut butter M&Ms in the machine.

  I knew Dakota was worried because she didn’t want her son here, not after everything that had happened in the past. She had wanted to be here for me and for Prior. I saw that Joshua was pale, scared, and looked like he didn’t want to be away from his mother.

  “How about I take you home?” Dakota said, echoing my thoughts.

  “I want to know about Prior.”

  “They can call us, and they can tell us everything that’s happening. You shouldn’t be here, Joshy.”

  “I’m not a baby. I know people get hurt. Cross and Macon got hurt. They’re okay. And Paris and Hazel got hurt too, and now they’re better. People get hurt, and now they’re all good. But I need to make sure that Prior’s fine, too.”

  He raised his little chin, and tears slid down my cheeks. Hazel and Myra were on either side of me, gripping my hands, lightly because of the bruising, and I knew they were crying, too.

  I looked towards Hazel, noticed the tears. As I turned to Myra, I was wrong. She wasn’t crying. No, she was pale, and there was anger on her features. So much anger.

  I was mad, too. I felt like I had so many emotions running through my body right then that I couldn’t quite focus. Couldn’t quite breathe.

  Nate came back into our part of the room, his hands in his pockets as he sat down opposite us, his gaze on Myra. Myra turned away first. I couldn’t focus. I was going to throw up if I wasn’t careful. I just needed to make sure Prior was okay.

  He couldn’t die tonight. He couldn’t.

  “Our brother is going to be fine,” Cross said from his chair on the other side of Hazel. He stood up, then came in front of me and knelt.

  “How do you know that?” I asked, my fear seeping through my words. I knew I should watch what I said because Joshua was listening, and Dakota wouldn’t forgive me for scaring him. But I couldn’t hold back.

  “I know that because Prior finally found his happiness. He’s not going to leave it now.”

  “Life doesn’t work that way. And we both know that.”

  “Maybe for others. Not for Prior. He sets his sights on what he wants, and he fights like hell for it. He always has. And he’s going to fight for you. Going to fight for what you two have.”

  “It’s a knife wound. It’s not some fated tale of fighting through magic. This is actual analytical and surgical. It’s not imaginary.”

  “You’ve got to believe in him, Paris. Belief in what Prior can do. Belief in the people who are working to save him. It’s what we have right now.”

  “I hope you have enough of that for all of us, because I’m scared.”

  “Then we will all hope to hell and back that Prior remembers exactly what type of fighter he is,” Arden said, her hand held tightly by her husband’s.

  Nearly the entire family was here, our group whole again except for the gaping hole that was Prior. His parents were on their way, a familiar flight because they had already been here once for the shooting. What would it be like for them to be able to visit when it wasn’t under the fear of death and horror?

  I got up again after Cross left and continued pacing. Macon didn’t growl at me this time. I had a feeling it was because Dakota was glaring at him, and he had his hands full distracting Joshua.

  My whole body ached. The more I moved, the better I felt. At least, that’s what I told myself.

  I counted off the tiles—one, two, three. And I kept counting, kept working numbers in my head until finally, the doors opened, and I turned so quickly I almost fell. Nate was there, holding my elbows as the others came around me, holding my hands, holding each other.

  “We’re looking for the Brady family?” a man said from the doorway.

  “That’s us,” Cross said.

  I vaguely remembered someone saying that before when we were here for Cross and Macon.

  How much of my friends’ blood would be spilled before we got through the hell that kept coming at us?

  Blood roared in my ears as the doctors came in, explaining what had happened. I couldn’t focus on what they were saying. I could barely hear at all. When people started crying, relief evident on their faces, my knees buckled. Then I was in Nate’s arms, Prior’s brother holding me as I tried to rationalize what was happening.

  “He’s going to be okay, Paris. He’s going to be just fine. So fine, in fact, if he hears that I held you like this, he’s probably going to hurt me. So, buck up and get strong. Because as soon as Prior’s healthy, he’s going to kick my ass.”

  And then I was laughing and crying at the same time, my arms wrapped around his neck as the others began to speak, the doctor explaining more. I would listen soon. I would ask the others what had happened. But for now, I needed to breathe. And I needed to see the person that I loved.

  Unfortunately, I couldn’t see him until the next day. It had been a long night. He was finally in his own room, safe, and hopefully waking up soon.

  The others had already seen him, but I said I’d wait.

  Was it because I was still afraid? Maybe. Or perhaps I simply wanted every ounce of time I could get with him, and if that meant waiting for the others to get their fill, then I would do it. I was never leaving again.

  He looked so pale, so big in that little bed. Maybe they used special beds in movies or on TV to fit those big actors. Prior looked far too large for that cot of his.

  They had it somewhat inclined, and he didn’t have a tube down his throat.

  Somehow, the knife hadn’t hit anything too critical. He’d sustained slices to his spleen, though, hence why he had nearly bled out and died. They had removed the organ and explained that he might be more susceptible to infection and disease now, but there were injections and vaccines he could take to supplement that.

  In the end, it could have been his kidney, or his liver, or something even more vital.

  Nothing else had been cut into, not that they could tell, and they’d quickly gotten the bleeding under control once they removed his spleen.

  He would be in pain for a while, and it would take some time before he could walk and move and play football like he used to.

  He had already spoken to the others and smiled, and then he had fallen asleep again, his body exhausted and trying to heal itself.

  After saving me.

  And now I was alone in the room with him, too afraid to touch him.

  He looked so fragile. My big, strong Prior with the strong jaw and thick thighs and broad shoulders. And yet I had almost lost him. Right when I had just found him.

  I reached out, wanting to grip his hand, yet so afraid I’d hurt him.

  “I’m not made of glass, Paris, baby.”

  I startled, blinking, my hand dropping. “Prior.” My voice cracked, and I quickly wiped tears from my face.

  “Don’t cry.”

  “I might just cry. You almost died.”

  “I’d say the phrase ‘so did you’, but then I’ll get angry again, and I don’t think I have the energy to be angry right now. That’ll come later.”

  I sat up and moved forward, still not touching him.

  “You can touch me, Paris. Please, do. I need you to be real. I kept having dreams that you were standing there, right near me, yet I couldn’t touch. So I need you to be real.”

  Tears were freely falling down my face now, and I reached out and slid my hand into his. It was so warm, he felt so alive. And when he squeezed back, I let out a choking sob.

  “I told you not to cry.”

  “And I told you to shut up.”

  I laughed as I said it, a watery one that echoed Prior’s.

  And then I leaned forward and brushe
d my lips against his.

  “You’re very lucky the nurse let me brush my teeth before you got here.”

  “I don’t care. You could stink, and you could have horrible breath, and I wouldn’t care.”

  “That needs to be a Hallmark card.”

  “Why are you so much better at words than me right now? You were unconscious, and yet I’m the one who can’t think of anything to say.”

  “Maybe because I had a lot of time while I was unconscious to think about what I wanted to say to you.”

  “Is that true?”

  “It sounds like a great line, doesn’t it?”

  “I love you,” I said quickly, not wanting to hold back any longer. “I was going to tell you before this and was trying to figure out exactly what to say because I know it’s fast. Yet it doesn’t seem fast at all. I love you so much. And not only because you almost died for me. I just love you. I love the way you make me smile. I love how you look at me when I’m walking towards you. I love the way I know you’re looking at me when I walk away.” He laughed at that, and I grinned.

  “I love how you helped me with my air filter, and that you’re always making sure I’m fed. I love the way you were my best blind date that wasn’t a blind date. I love the fact that you were there when I needed you, and I know you always will be. I love you, Prior. I love you with everything I am.”

  “Jesus, you just took the wind out of my sails.”

  I coughed. “What?”

  I had this beautiful speech planned, and there you went, outdoing me. Such a Paris thing to do.”

  “Am I allowed to flip you off right now while you’re in a hospital bed?”

  “You can do whatever you want, Paris. You want to know why?”

  “Why?”

  “Because I love you. I love you so fucking much. I love the way you smile at me. The way I know you’re checking out my ass when I walk away.”

  “That was my line.”

  “And yet, it works for both of us.”

  “True. You do have a beautiful ass. In jeans and in those gray sweatpants.”

  “I will wear them both for you constantly."

  “Also, in suit pants.”

  “Noted.”

  “And naked.”

  He laughed then, and then winced. “Oh my God, I hurt you. I’m so sorry.”

  “No, but I need to stop moving. I’ll be fine. They’ve got me drugged up.”

  “Too drugged up that you don’t know what you’re saying and you’re going to forget what I’m saying?”

  “No, just drugged up enough. I’m going to remember everything. This moment? I’ll fucking remember it all forever. Now, where was I?”

  “I believe you were at my ass.”

  “Maybe later. For now…” he began, and I laughed.

  “We are not talking about ass play right now.”

  “You say the most romantic things. However, I’ll continue.”

  “Whatever you say.”

  “I love you. I love that you make me crazy. That you make me think. That you make me so protective, and yet I know I don’t need to be because you can take care of yourself. I love the fact that you trust me. And how we fit together so easily it’s like we always should have been where we are now. I love you. I cannot wait to see who we both become. Because I know I’m better with you.”

  “Prior,” I said, not knowing what else to say.

  “See? I think you’re better with words. I got a little nonsensical there. I’m going to blame the drugs.”

  And then I leaned forward and took his lips.

  “You’re never allowed to leave me.”

  “Where did that come from?” he asked, searching my face.

  “Because you almost died."

  “Cross said it was your mom?”

  “I don’t want to talk about her.”

  “You don’t need to. Just tell me a little bit. I don’t know everything. And I want to know what happened in the end.”

  “My mom waited until my dad got out of jail to blame me for everything that she did. She blamed me for sending her to jail, so she hooked up with a man who didn’t care about hurting people. He liked it. I don’t know what’s going to happen to her. I know she’s going back to jail. Same as her boyfriend. She orchestrated the whole thing. The attack before, the stalking of my house, the getting into my home. All of it. And, somehow, if we hadn’t fought together without even knowing it, we would be dead right now because that’s what she wanted. She wanted to end my life for ruining her life and sending her away.”

  “Well, fuck her. You’re way stronger than anything she could have brought.”

  “Not me. We. We did this. And don’t you ever leave me,” I repeated. “Ever. Because I don’t think I can do this without you.”

  “This?”

  “Navigating your family, our group, and life in general. You’re stuck with me, Prior. I’m sorry. That’s just going to have to be how it is.”

  He grinned then, and as the nurses came into the room to check on him, I held his hand and knew I wasn’t going to let go until I was forced to.

  I had fallen in love with Prior Brady.

  The one man I hadn’t expected, and the one man I hoped would be my last first date. Ever.

  Epilogue

  Prior

  My knee ached, but I’d get over it. Because right then, I had something better to do. I gripped Paris’s thighs, my fingers digging in as I licked and sucked. I loved the way she writhed on my face.

  “I’m close,” Paris panted.

  “Get closer,” I growled against her pussy.

  “Prior!”

  I licked some more, and used two fingers to spear her, curling my digits just right while lapping up her juices. She came on my face, and before she could even quit shaking, I undid my belt, slid my pants down partway, and slammed into her, both of us still nearly fully clothed. We each froze at the sensation of her cunt clamping around my dick.

  “Oh God,” she whispered.

  “That.”

  And then I moved. I thrust in and out of her, pistoning until both of us gripped at each other’s shoulders, our mouths latched on to one another’s, needing each other. And when I came, she came right with me, both of us shaking to the point where I was afraid we were going to fall. After all, we were leaning against the couch, and she was wearing very high heels and a dress that looked sexy as fuck.

  One that she needed to keep wearing because we had to be out the door…about ten minutes ago.

  I was still deep inside of her, looking around for something to clean us with.

  “I thought you said you were just going to tie your shoe,” Paris said, laughing, still keeping me inside.

  “I’m not even wearing shoelaces,” I said with a laugh and kissed her hard again. I pulled out of her, and both of us cleaned up, laughing and kissing as we did.

  Paris had to get a new set of panties since I was pretty sure I had heard them rip when I pulled them to the side to eat her out. That wasn’t the first time that had happened.

  “Prior Brady. I’m running out of nice underwear.”

  “Maybe you shouldn’t wear any.”

  “I am wearing a dress with a side slit. No one’s going to be able to see my underwear, but I am not going commando around your brothers.”

  I frowned. “Good idea. Let’s not do that.”

  “Yes. Let’s not. Because you know they’re going to know that we had sex before we got there.”

  “Most likely. That’s sort of why we’re going to be late. They’re all going to know, especially with that very satisfied look on your face.”

  “I’m pretty sure that’s your satisfied look.”

  “You’re telling me you weren’t satisfied?”

  “Twice. You know that. And stop saying satisfied.”

  “How about fucked.”

  “Fine, but don’t say that around Joshua. Dakota is getting cranky because we keep cursing around her kid.”

  �
��You’re the one who cursed around him the last time, and then blamed it on me,” I said with a laugh as we got into the car.

  “Well, you made me mad.”

  “No, I didn’t. You just didn’t want to make Dakota mad. You want her to get angry at me.”

  “Maybe. You can handle it better than I can.”

  “We both know that’s a lie,” I said, shaking my head.

  We were heading to Cross and Hazel’s house, the Brady family dinner, this time with all of us in attendance.

  Dakota and Myra were coming, as well, although I had a feeling the girls weren’t too excited about it.

  Not that they weren’t always welcome. But with two of the friends as part of the pact now paired off with the Bradys, I had a feeling that Dakota and Myra didn’t like the odds with my other two brothers.

  Not that I was touching any of that with a ten-foot pole, thank you very much.

  “So, who do we think is going to get in a fight first? Myra and Nate? Or Dakota and Macon?” Paris asked, echoing my thoughts.

  “You know what? I was just telling myself I wasn’t going to touch on that subject.”

  “That’s very smart.”

  “And, of course, we can always have a play fight and yell at each other so we’re the ones at the center of attention rather than the awkward…whatever fucking tension the other four have.”

  “You know, you’re right. And I hear make-up sex is pretty amazing.”

  I grinned. “Make-up sex?” I asked.

  “It can get rough. A little angry. And I know that you always wanted to try that ass stuff you talked about doing when you were in the hospital.”

  A car screeched behind me, and a horn reminded me that I probably should get back on the road.

  Even though Paris was holding onto the Oh Shit bar, she was still laughing her head off, and I shook my head.

  “Number one, I cannot believe you brought up ass play while we’re on our way to a family dinner. Number two, we may have to start a fight anyway, not only for the other four but because I want to try this whole make-up sex thing.”

  Paris was crying, she was laughing so hard, and I just shook my head and reached out to grip her hand.

  “Love you, buttercup,” I said.