by Autumn Grey
“Please stop by President Bowman’s office on Friday. You’re dismissed.”
Rising up on unsteady legs, I wipe my clammy palms on my jeans, grab my bag from the floor where I dropped it and leave the room.
Students part in the hallway, whispers following me as I head for the exit.
When I reach outside, I march toward my car, but Elise comes out of nowhere and intercepts me, grabbing me into a hug.
“I’m so sorry. Amber called me, and I got here as fast as I could. I just saw Nate—”
“Where is he?” I question, pulling back while scanning the parking lot.
“He’s waiting for you in his car.” She points to her right.
I’m about to take off when I hear a familiar voice yelling. I break into a run when I see Rick standing in front of Nate’s car, shouting. He raises his arm and slams his fist on Nate’s jaw. Nate stumbles back but rebounds quick and livid, swings back his left arm and lands a blow on Rick’s gut by the time I skid to a stop in front of him. Rick stumbles back several feet, clutching his stomach, his face screwed in pain. He straightens when he sees me, the look on his face morphing into the definition of evil: wild, crazy eyes and a sneer.
“Stop!” I put myself between Rick and Nate, twisting my upper body to face my boyfriend. My hands immediately brush up and down his body, checking for injuries. “Are you okay?”
His chest rises and falls with quick breaths as he nods. His angry gaze shifts from mine, widening in horror as they focus on something over my shoulder.
“No. No. Fucking no. I won’t let this happen again,” he mutters under his breath, his face pale.
I whirl around and stumble back when I see Rick holding a gun pointed directly at Nate and me.
I gasp, heart beating wildly in my chest. “Don’t do this, Rick,” I plead with him in a broken whisper, holding my hand up, palm facing him, hoping to placate him. “You’re better than this.”
He glowers at me, moving his wild eyes on Nate. “I came back for you, baby doll. You are mine. Always mine. Don’t you remember how much fun we had together?”
I shudder as one of the many images of what he calls fun flashes inside my head: his fingers closing around my throat consumed by jealousy, teaching me a lesson because some guy happened to look at me in passing. Or his verbal abuse, the feel of my skin on my lower back splitting open—
Breathe.
“Yes, I remember,” I say, my chin quivering with anger, fear, tears. “Just put the gun away, then we’ll talk.” A crowd has already gathered around us, and voices rise and fall in fear. A sob tears through the air, but my eyes stay on Rick.
He waves the gun, motioning for Nate to move away, then lowers his arm. Behind me, I feel my boyfriend’s hard body tense, his breathing coming out fast. He grasps my elbow tight, as he grits out, “Not going to happen.”
Rick cocks his head to the side and grins evilly. “I’m holding the gun here. Move, fucker.”
Nate’s lips brush my ear. He whispers, “Do you trust me?”
My pulse thuds louder in my ears. “Nate, no—”
“Do you trust me, Elon?” he demands desperately, his grip on my elbow tightening.
“With my life,” I tell him.
Rick’s eyes narrow in suspicion. Then without warning, he points the gun at us. Terror spreads through me, terrified for Nate, for me. Gunshots ring the air at the exact moment the side of my head hits the unforgiving ground and a heavy body covers mine. My vision blurs. Chaos erupts around me. I try to move, but the weight above me holds me down. I pull in a breath, but I can’t seem to breathe fast enough. I try to open my mouth, but nothing comes out.
Darkness swirls on the edge of my vision.
“Breathe, sweetheart,” a rich baritone that I once compared to evening bonfires, honey and Nutella commands softly and steadily into my ear. “Breathe for me.”
Then my world turns black.
A few seconds before . . .
FUCKING HELL!
This can’t be happening again. I won’t lose another woman I love at the hands of a madman holding a gun at us.
With my gaze locked on Rick for any sudden movements, I brush my lips to the shell of Elon’s ear. “Do you trust me, Elon?” I demand again desperately, my grip on her elbow tightening.
“With my life,” she says.
Rick’s eyes narrow.
His hand tightens around the grip of the gun.
The finger on the trigger moves, and I know Rick has already made his decision.
Even before the loud bang cuts through the air, my left arm circles around Elon’s waist, spinning us around while shielding her with my body. I twist my torso as our bodies descend to the pavement, attempting to cushion her head with my right shoulder as we hit the ground. Pain bursts through my shoulder and arm. Dots explode behind my eyes. I blink several times to keep my vision clear, then carefully pull my arm from her waist and sit up and do a quick scan.
Blood trickles from the cut on her temple where her head hit the tarmac.
Why the fuck is she so still? So pale? Was I too late saving her?
Images of Camille dying in my arms flash inside my head.
God, no, no. NO!
My gaze darts around, taking in the chaos before me. I watch in horror as Rick’s finger twitches on the trigger, the look in his eyes determined. Unhinged. Before he has a chance to fire another shot, a heavyset man barrels toward an unsuspecting Rick and slams his shoulder into Rick’s chest, knocking him flat on his stomach to the floor and sending the gun flying several feet away. Then, he grabs Rick’s flailing arms and twists them behind his back, subduing him.
Screams fill the air. Feet pound on asphalt. Several voices yell, “Call nine-one-one!”
I roll over to my left side, my entire focus on Elon now that Rick is no longer a threat.
“Elon?” I whisper. “Elon! Open your eyes. Look at me.” I shout.
Please God, let her be okay. Don’t take her away from me. I can’t go through this again.
“Oh shit! Oh God!” Elise cries as she drops to her knees next to me. “Is she okay?”
My head jerks up, meeting Elise’s tear-filled eyes, her trembling hand covering her mouth.
Sirens fill the air just as Elon groans softly, and her eyes flutter open. She blinks several times, then squints against the sunlight.
“Nate?” she croaks, her eyes moving to my left. “Elise?”
I suck in a relieved breath, and my eyes burn with tears. “Hey, sweetheart,” I murmur, smiling down at her. Elise lets out a sob before scrambling closer and taking Elon’s hand in hers but doesn’t say anything.
“What’s going on? ” Elon lifts her hand and brushes her fingers across my cheek. “Why are you two crying?”
“Nothing. . . just happy you’re okay.” The wail of sirens sound close now.
A male voice asks if everything is okay, if we need help, but I can’t afford to look away from Elon. She tries to speak again, but I squeeze her hand, pleading with her to save her energy. She moans in pain, her eyes rolling back as she loses consciousness.
Then everything happens fast. Two paramedics rush in our direction and drop at my side. One of them begins to check on Elon while the other shoots questions at me as he checks me over, wanting to know what happened. He’s talking about a dislocated shoulder, but my attention is focused on the other paramedic as he finishes up taking Elon’s vitals.
“Is she okay?” I ask, shifting closer while clutching my right arm.
He nods. “Everything looks fine, probably suffering from a mild concussion. We need to take her to the hospital just to get her checked.” He nods at my shoulder. “You too.”
“I’m fine,” I grunt, clenching my jaw to ward off the pain. “Take care of her first.”
After loading her into the ambulance, I jump in and Elise says she will follow us with her car to the hospital. The last thing I see before the ambulance leaves the parking lot is a policeman escorting Rick in
to a patrol car, his wrists cuffed behind him.
THE FIRST THING I NOTICE when I open my eyes is a white ceiling above me, then the dark sky through the parted curtains at the window.
I wiggle my nose as the distinctive smell of hospital tickles it.
What in the hell am I doing here?
I shut my eyes, trying to remember what happened. They flip back open, and I bolt upright on the bed. I inhale sharply, dropping my head in my hands as pain stabs the right side of my temple, which is covered with a sterile bandage.
Oh my God. I think I’m going to throw up.
How long have I been out? From what I can remember, Nate shielded me with his body when the gun went off.
Nate.
Is he okay? I need to look for him. I need to know he’s okay.
I drop my hands and scan the room. My heart skips several beats, then thuds fast as I take in the scene before me.
Cole and Nate locked in a glaring standoff.
Eyes boring holes into each other.
Lips drawn back in a snarl.
Chests rising and falling in exertion.
Oh SHIT.
Nor steps between them and puts her hand on Cole’s chest, pushing him back. Then she cups his jaw in her hands and urges him to look at her. When his eyes are focused on her, she says, “Not now, Cole.” His nostrils flare, his jaw clenched tight. “We can’t do this here, okay?”
Cole shakes his head stubbornly, lifts his hands and signs, “He ruined her life.”
Nor throws a glare in Nate’s direction, then focuses on her fuming boyfriend, and signs, “Elon is an adult. She knew the consequences. But right now, we have to look at the bigger picture: no one got hurt.”
Cole scowls, rubbing the nape of his neck. Then he signs, “But—”
She shakes her head, jutting her chin forward, and signs, “Arguing isn’t going to help Elon right now. She has a lot of explaining to do when she wakes up.”
Ah, crap. I wipe my clammy hands on the sheets and breathe deeply, gathering courage for the conversation to come, then focus on Nate, taking in his handsome features: jaw clenched tightly, face pale and a sheen of sweat on his forehead. His entire body shakes like a junky going through withdrawals, and he seems to favor his right side as he straightens to his full height, still glaring at Cole.
“Nate?” I call out, and his head snaps in my direction, his legs already carrying him to me before my next inhale. Nor lets out a sob as she and Cole rush toward the bed.
He drops into the chair next to my bed and covers my hand with his left hand. Relief floods his face as he leans forward to kiss my forehead.
“Fuck, Little Wolf. You had me worried. How are you feeling?”
“Better. How long was I unconscious?”
“You woke up on and off for almost ten hours.” Nate tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear with his fingers.
I frown, studying him. His usually clear eyes look glassy, and the fingers on his right hand spasm more than normal. “Haven’t you taken your meds?”
He shakes his head. “I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. Where are they?”
He sighs. “In my bag inside the car still parked at Rushmore.”
My eyes widen in horror. “You’ve gone almost ten hours without them? Couldn’t the doctors give you something for the pain?”
He shakes his head, wincing as he stretches his legs. “Let’s worry about you, okay? I’ll be fine.”
“Elon?” Nor calls out my name as she rounds the bed. “God, we were so worried. How are you?”
My eyes move from Nate and meet my sister’s green ones filled with tears and concern. A sob bursts through my lips as the events of the last few days hit me hard. Nor quickly hops on the bed and grabs me in a tight hug. I bury my face into the crook of her neck, tears falling down my face.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” she soothes, her hand running up and down my back.
I pull back and wipe my cheeks while sliding my gaze to Nate, then meet Cole’s worried eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell us what was going on?” Nor asks, and my attention snaps back to her. “Rick could have hurt you. I don’t know what I’d have done if something happened to you—”
“I’m okay. I’m so sorry for not telling you what was going on.” I sniff, my hands wrapped around the white bed sheets. “He saved me.” I turn to face Nate. “If it weren’t for Nate, I can’t even. . . ”
Nate’s fingers wrap around my leg and give me a comforting squeeze. “You’re okay. That’s all that matters.”
Cole digs his fingers through his hair, pulling it back while scowling in Nate’s direction.
“Can I talk to my sister alone?” I look at Cole, then Nate.
They both nod.
Cole’s eyes flick to mine.
“Be nice, please,” I sign. “I love him.”
His eyes widen in what I think is surprise at my confession. He eyes Nate before glancing back at me, flexing his clenched fists. “You are asking too much from me, Elon.” His words send my heart racing all over again, but when I see his lips twitch, I know things will be okay.
Nate stands up, and I grasp his hand before he turns. “Thank you for saving my life.”
Removing his hand from mine, he runs it against my cheek, presses a soft kiss on my lips. He straightens, smiling a tired smile that still manages to weaken my knees. He doesn’t need to say anything. His eyes tell me how he’s feeling. Then he follows Cole out the door. I pray under my breath those two men don’t kill each other in the hallway.
I clear my throat and scoot up on the bed, then tug Nor’s hand, silently asking her to sit with me.
I swallow hard, then say, “I didn’t come clean about what Rick did to me because I was afraid of what you and Elise would think of me, especially after the way Stephen treated Mom and us. I was weak, and the thought of it made me ashamed because I had turned out to be the woman who let a man treat her like trash.”
She opens her mouth to speak, but I put my hand up to stop her. “Please, let me say this while I still have the courage.” I inhale a deep breath, then continue. “You have always been a constant for me, Nor. Every time I thought about giving up, I’d just close my eyes and think of you. You never gave up. Always so brave.”
I rub my hands along her arms, feeling the small bumps from the scars under my touch.
“The scar on your back. . . did Rick do that to you?” she whispers, lacing her fingers with mine and clutching them tight.
My eyes widen. “You saw that?” She nods, her lips pressed in a tight line. “Yeah. It was stupid of me to believe that he could change.”
She drops her head and wipes her cheek with her hand. “What about Nate?” She looks at me, anger and disappointment warring in her face. “He told us what happened. How could you do something so reckless? You’ve worked hard to get where you are, then you meet a guy and throw it all away. You’re the most—wait.” She cuts herself off. “He’s the professor you talked about months ago? The arrogant ass you couldn’t stand?”
I nod, nibbling on my thumbnail.
She studies me with narrowed eyes. “You. . . love him, don’t you?”
I straighten my shoulders and meet her gaze head-on. “Yes. I know you’re disappointed—”
“Wow.” She shakes her head. “Wow.”
She hops down from the bed and starts pacing. “I don’t even know what to think right now. There’s just so much happening at once. I need time to take it all in.”
“Nor, please,” I plead quietly. She stops and faces me again, scratching the scars on her forearms quickly with her fingernails. She does this whenever she is too nervous or angry. She told me once that the scars start itching.
“I need to think,” she mumbles as she storms to the door, swings it open and walks out.
I drop my face into my hands, and I sob. I’m terrified, sad, relieved. I’m just overwhelmed by everything that happened the past twenty-four hours.
About ten minutes later, the sound of soled feet padding on the floor has me lifting my head. I catch a glimpse of sky blue Keds before Nor crawls back on the bed and hugs me tightly.
“I didn’t think you’d come back so soon,” I mumble into her neck.
“Cole made me come back. Plus, you’re my baby sis. How can I leave you when you need me the most?”
I sniff and pull back while wiping my cheeks. “I’m so sorry for disappointing you, Nor. I love him so much. He’s everything to me. Please don’t hate me. I don’t know what I’ll do if you do.”
She sighs. “Who am I to tell you who you should love? Stephen did everything he could to keep Cole and me apart. I don’t want that for you, and I don’t want to be like him. Besides, we are the Blake girls.” She cups my face in her hands and smiles gently at me. “We are fierce. We fight hard, and we love even harder when we find something worth staying around for, because that’s what life taught us. That’s who we are. I’d never hate you. Disappointed, but never hate.”
She rubs her forehead, studying me for a few seconds. “I know how it feels to find someone who takes your breath away with just a look, how it feels to be wanted and loved. Someone who knows your flaws and imperfections but wants you and loves you despite those things, so I get it. You deserve someone who loves you and spoils you.”
She bites the corner of her bottom lip and inhales deeply before she continues. “Oh God. I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but here it goes. I saw the way he was looking at you. We arrived and found Nate in this room, waiting for you to wake up. He hasn’t left your side, even though he seems to be in a lot of pain from his injuries.” She chuckles without warning and adds, “Nate didn’t even bat an eyelash when Cole threatened to punch him in the face. In fact, he stood his ground. He said he’d only leave when you finally woke up. He refused to take medication for the pain because he was afraid something would happen to you if he did as much as shut his eyes for a second.”
Nor crawls back on the bed and pulls me to her. “Our little Elon who never breaks the rules,” she teases, fighting a smile. “Tell me about him.”