“Mom, Bryce is no longer on your case,” I blurted out.
At the mention of his name, Sam squeezed my hand tighter.
Her curious glare darted back and forth between us, finally landing on me. “I take it he’s not as happy about the two of you getting together as we all are?”
“Yeah, you can kind of say that,” Sam spoke for me.
Mom shifted in the bed, pulling herself up higher and straighter. “Why do I get the feeling there’s a lot more to this story than you’re telling me.”
I blinked and released a breathy sigh. Sam would grant me any wish I asked of him. He would lie to my mother to keep her safe, and he would tell her the truth to take the burden of doing so off of me. But that wasn’t fair. I’d relied on him as a crutch for far too long. I didn’t want to start a relationship off that way. He could rely on me, too. We could protect each other.
Inching closer to Mom’s side, I admitted, “There is, but now’s not the time. Do you trust me?”
“Do you trust us?” Sam included, coming up behind me.
Mom chuckled under her breath before turning more serious. “Of course I do, but . . . should I be worried?”
“No, Mom. We’ve got this covered. We’re going to find Doctor Bronson and see what the next step is. And I’ve also decided . . .” I peered over my shoulder to connect with Sam. I hoped my eyes expressed how grateful I was to him for everything he’d done in the past and was about to do in the future. “We should go ahead with using Sam’s kidney. I don’t want to wait for Memphis anymore.”
A glimmer of uncertainty flashed across Mom’s face, but it was fleeting. It must’ve been painful to accept Memphis’s shortcomings, but she understood this was an easy choice to make. Funny how Sam had become everyone’s first choice. I would have to start calling him the chosen one. His ego would grow ten times bigger than it already was, but he deserved it. I had a lot to make up for.
After a few more minutes with my mother, Sam and I tracked down Doctor Bronson. We asked her to join us in the cafeteria once we were sure Bryce was nowhere to be found.
I was surprised he hadn’t turned up already in an effort to get to my mother first, but then I remembered the breakdown, the fight with Sam. He was in no shape to come to work after that scene but I didn’t see him as the type to run away and lick his wounds, either.
I had no choice but to trust that his absence over the last few hours was a good sign. Maybe he would back away graciously and accept defeat like a man. Maybe he would show up here at any minute and turn into a savage like he had this morning. Who the hell knew? For now, I would do what I had to and worry about the repercussions later.
Once we sat down with Doctor Bronson and explained our concerns, she was more than happy to point us in the right direction and guide us through an easy transition. My goal was not to ruin Bryce’s reputation or his career, but I trusted Doctor Bronson—woman to woman—to empathize. And she did. Turned out, her relationship with Bryce wasn’t as seamless as it appeared to be.
In a very professional, non-slanderous way, she mentioned her issues and we danced around mine without getting into too much personal detail. It didn’t surprise her that Bryce was not the man he portrayed himself as, or that we’d made the decision to go ahead with using Sam’s kidney. We were lucky to find she was on board and would do everything she could to help.
“I’ll inform the head of the department, Human Resources, and all the necessary players, but they’ll want to talk to you, too. In the meantime, I’ll reach out to Doctor Owen to scope out his next move. He’s due in surgery this afternoon and has rounds in a few hours. It’s not like him to flake on his patients, but based on what you’ve told me, I imagine there’ll be some modification to his schedule today. We should all head over to the transplant center immediately. We’ll let them know about your decision and see what’s left to do before Sam’s evaluation is complete. It’s not an overnight process, Ms. Monroe. I know you’re both eager to help Ella, but I urge you to be patient and trust that everything will fall into place.”
We left the meeting with Doctor Bronson confident that we were on the right track, but the moment all of us sat down with the transplant coordinator, we came face to face with the power of Bryce’s revenge.
“What do you mean I’m not listed as a match?”
SAM WAS IRATE. I couldn’t blame him, but taking it out on the poor woman across from us was not right either.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Goodwin. I’m afraid you were misinformed.”
“Well, your apology is unacceptable! How can you get a person’s hopes up like that? You’re toying with people’s lives here. Check the computer again. Something’s not right.”
Of course something wasn’t right, and that something was Bryce. Sam was too worked up to realize what I already had.
“Calm down,” I urged, placing a hand on his arm and stroking the tense muscles with my fingers. “You know it’s not true. He did this. We’ll get you retested and everything will be fine.”
Sam’s eyes blazed, a fire so bright and intense I couldn’t bring myself to look away.
His expression teemed with emotion. Unspoken words that conveyed decades worth of love and trust captured me, holding me to that spot, to that moment.
“Let’s do it now.” He turned to Doctor Bronson. “Have me retested, immediately. But we have to keep this under wraps. I want you to handle everything. He can’t have anything to do with this, are we clear?”
“Crystal.”
After that, it only took a matter of moments before Sam was taken into an exam room to fulfill our requests. In another thirty minutes, all of this would be behind us and the wheels would be set in motion.
But first I needed to do something I probably shouldn’t. Sam would be furious once he found out, but he wouldn’t stay that way for long. Especially not now. We were just getting started and there was no end in sight. He’d spent so many years getting us to this point, I was certain nothing could get in our way now. Eventually he would understand and we would bury all of this so it was dead and gone for good.
Bryce wasn’t in his office when I got there, but I remembered what Doctor Bronson said about him having patients this afternoon. I checked the time once more, and then prodded the receptionist to see what I could learn about his ETA.
According to her, he was on his way. I thought it was odd that he had plans to continue with his day as if this morning hadn’t happened, but until this morning, there were a lot of strange things I didn’t know about Bryce.
Impatient to get this over with and worried that Sam would be done at the transplant center before I returned, I headed out to the parking garage in hopes of catching Bryce on his way up here. To my surprise, his BMW was parked in his assigned spot but the car wasn’t running and he wasn’t in the driver’s seat.
I looked around the garage, expecting to see him somewhere. No such luck. Retracing my steps back to the building, I paused and my breath hitched when I spotted him in the quiet courtyard.
Even from this distance, I saw the bruises on his hands and face. He’d cleaned up, but evidence of a fight was still visible, especially in the deflated nature of his posture. With his head down, he sat on a bench beside a manmade pond. It was a serene spot where patients and visitors came to find a reprieve from whatever kept them inside.
I shouldn’t have felt remorse, and maybe I didn’t, but I did feel bad. As ridiculous as it might have seemed, I held myself partly responsible for his unhinging. He broke rules and crossed boundaries, but I truly believed his pain fueled his actions. He needed help and I needed closure.
“Hi,” I whispered as I approached.
Bryce’s head snapped up at my voice and his eyes went wide when they landed on me. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“I can say the same for you.” I inched closer, but kept a safe distance between us. If he tried anything crazy, I could easily get away and scream for help. We were out in the open, yet secluded enoug
h to hold this type of conversation.
“It’s a wonder I haven’t been fired yet, or is that why you’re here? You and your boyfriend planning to ruin me?”
Of course he would see it that way, but he wasn’t already being escorted off the property in cuffs and that had to account for something. “Bryce, as much as I probably should, I would never intentionally hurt you. What happens next is up to you. We know you tampered with Sam’s test results.”
He opened his mouth to retort but then clamped it shut again. Shaking his head and looking up to the sky he said, “It doesn’t fucking matter. None of it matters.”
But it did. None of this should be taken lightly and Bryce couldn’t get away with it only to do it again to someone else one day.
“It does matter. This is my mother’s life we’re talking about. She’s the priority, Bryce. I won’t lose sight of that. I might’ve for a while, and I know you certainly did, but no more. This ends now.”
“What if I don’t want it to end?” Hurt and fear registered in the caramel eyes that once breathed new life into me. Seeing him this way wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. When all was said and done, things turned out the way they were supposed to for me, but for Bryce—his reality was a painful one. Maybe I could get through to him. Maybe he wasn’t a total lost cause.
“Bryce, you need help. You’re better than this. There is a good man underneath it all—I saw him. I know he exists.”
“Then why did you choose him?” His tone became harsher and I worried he would get violent the way he had earlier. Something in him must’ve sensed my unease and he remained seated, unclenching his fists.
“There was no choice. I didn’t know that when I met you and I’m sorry I hurt you, but I didn’t mean to.”
His jaw tensed as he stood from the bench. “So, you used me until you didn’t need me. You chose him even though I love you more. I can give you more. We can be happy together.”
He wasn’t getting it. He was still deluded.
I backed away, making myself visible to any passersby. If Bryce did anything stupid, it wouldn’t go unnoticed. I didn’t want to provoke him, but I had to end this. I had to say my piece and then get the hell out of here.
Standing tall, I did not back down. I puffed up my chest and fought through the tears that wanted to break free. “No, Bryce. You’re wrong. While I will always be grateful for everything you did for me and my mother, you crossed the line and there’s no turning back. Get help or I’ll be forced to go above your head and report you. You can’t operate like this. You can’t be in charge of anyone else’s well-being until you take care of your own.”
At that, I knew I’d said everything I could. I’d left it in his hands to make things right for himself, but as soon as I walked away from here, I would inform the hospital board that Bryce was unstable. I couldn’t live with myself if he hurt anyone else. Or if he hurt himself.
“Good-bye, Bryce,” I whispered over my shoulder.
Before he could respond, I walked away. I half expected him to chase me, but was so relieved when he didn’t. He stayed where he was supposed to be from this moment forward—behind me.
I returned to the transplant center with time to spare. Sam met me at reception ten minutes after I sat down to wait for him.
“There you are.” He beamed, rushing toward me.
I stood and opened my arms to accept him.
Hugging me, he rested his chin into the soft spot between my neck and shoulder and didn’t let go.
“You’ve been away from me all of forty minutes. You’re squeezing me like you’ll never see me again. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Mmm,” he moaned into my ear, pulling away and smashing our lips together in a quick kiss. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to hear that?”
I giggled. His enthusiasm was all-encompassing, contagious. I was responsible for the happiness he exuded. I loved that. And I loved knowing I had a lifetime to keep doing it.
“No more waiting.” I smiled up at him.
“Oh, definitely no more waiting.” He laughed as he reached down to clutch my hand and guide me outside.
Like little kids, we swung our arms back and forth as we exited the transplant center and headed in the direction of the hospital.
The sun shone down on us as if it were smiling—a blessing, a premonition. Mom still had a way to go before she was in the clear and now I also worried about Sam having the surgery. The road ahead was not free of dangers and uncertainties, but I didn’t care what was thrown my way—I was ready. Ready to end Mom’s battle and to start my forever with my best friend.
Euphoria drowned out every other emotion, as well as my fears. With our fingers laced together in a perfect fit, I asked, “We have one more stop to make to put this all behind us, but after that . . . what do you want to do?”
Facing me, he arched a brow and flashed a devious grin. “You know, anything can happen during that surgery . . . complications with the anesthesia, bleeding out, I could—
“What’s your point, huh?”
“There’re so many things I want to do with you now that you’re mine. Some things we’ve already done as best friends; some I’ve only dreamed of doing with you. Every experience will be different now because we’re together and I can’t wait for that. But there is one thing on the tippy top of that list that I’ve been dying to do.”
“Hmm, whatever can you mean, Goodwin?” I bit my bottom lip and tapped my chin.
“I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember. I’ve waited for you to be mine, certain it would never happen.” Sweeping me up into his arms, Sam twirled me around as if I were as light as a feather. In that moment I was. Floating and weightless, I took flight in his declaration of love. “But now you are—you’re mine, London Monroe—and our story starts here.”
Three months later
I STARED DOWN at Sam on the hospital gurney. His hair was covered by a funny looking cap and his eyes were already glazed over from the anesthesia drip. I should’ve laughed at the goofy sight of him, but there was not even a hint of humor in the way my heart drummed with fear.
“I finally got you. You better not leave me.” Tears sprang from my eyes the way they had earlier when they rolled Mom off into her operating room. The nurse had to pry our hands apart. This nurse would have to tackle me in order to get me away from Sam.
“Babe, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be fine. I promise.”
“You don’t know that.” The words caught in my throat as I realized how negative they sounded.
My best friend—the love of my life—was giving my mother a kidney, and instead of wishing him well, thanking him, and promising him that everything would be okay, here I was thinking the worst. And I was a blubbering mess.
Compose yourself, you fool. Give him a reason to get through this surgery and come back to you. Sniffling away an impending sob, I leaned down and kissed Sam on the mouth.
“I love you, you know that, right?” I said.
“I know it now.” He smiled.
The last three months together were better than I could’ve ever expected. There was no awkward beginning stage to our relationship because we knew each other inside out and upside down. Falling for Sam proved easy because I already loved him. I’d always loved him. I guess my stubborn heart just didn’t know how much, but it was all caught up now.
Shortly after the altercation with Bryce, Doctor Bronson got Mom back to a point where she was healthy enough to await the transplant at home. Having her back gave Sam and me the chance to spend some much-needed time with her and his mom, Jean, who returned from Florida earlier than expected. One could say the way she found out about Sam and me was rather . . . eye-opening, but I liked to call it plain old mortifying.
That didn’t stop us, though. Sam had kept his hands to himself for a very long time. Now there was no reason. And, boy, was he making up for lost time. We both were. I couldn’t get enough and I always wanted more. I had some
experience in my past relationships with Hunter and Bryce, but I was certain there was no love as intense as Sam’s.
“Last night was incredible, by the way.” Sam snuck a hand behind me to pinch my butt.
I gasped and then giggled as I remembered the stark difference between making love to Sam and being fucked by him. “It was, wasn’t it?”
“Mmm hmm,” he hummed.
I looked around the room to make sure no one was listening or watching and then bent to get closer. “Think of that and remember there’s so much more to come . . . and it’ll have to hold you over until you’ve recovered.”
“Ugh,” he groaned. “Don’t remind me. That’ll be the worst part.”
“What if I promise to take care of you . . . naked?”
“London, you’re supposed to be helping. I’m pretty sure the anesthesia is stopping me from getting hard, but . . . I don’t know, maybe it isn’t.” He looked down at his lap to test his theory at the exact same time the nursing team approached to tell us they were ready for him.
I started to cry again as I held on to his hand, salty tears running down my face and leaking onto his. You better be okay. We’ve only just begun and we still have so much to do . . . together. God, please keep him safe and bring him back to me.
I kept my prayers and fears to myself and whispered the words that mattered most, “I love you, Sam.”
“I love you more, London.”
I was able to leave him with one more kiss, one more smile, one more affirmation of my love before they rolled him into surgery and left me to wait, scared out of my mind.
Jean joined me in a vestibule set aside for people like us—worried and waiting. We filled the agonizing minutes with positive encouragement and hopeful chatter about my future with Sam. After an hour or so, we both turned quiet and I managed to nod off in an uncomfortable upright position.
Every Breath You Take (The Every Breath Duet Book 1) Page 27