The Cowboy's City Girl - An Enemies To Lovers Romance

by Emerson Rose

  “No, I’ve got it, that’s okay, thanks.” I expect him to move away, but he makes no indication that he’s leaving, or moving his hand.

  I pull my phone from my sweatshirt and make the calls.

  Elena is worried, of course, and she’s coming right away, but Enrique is at work. How am I going to explain this? Should I tell the doctor we haven’t exactly been sticking to his instructions?

  I sit down next to Marcus and take his hand. I talk to him about nothing important, just mindless chatter. I feel like I’m not doing enough, but there isn’t anything to do until we know more.

  Elijah steps away to talk to Black. I imagine he’s telling him to keep his hands off of his bosses’ wife while he’s unconscious.

  Doctor Lorenzo’s cowboy boots make a loud clunking sound as he approaches.

  “When did you say he began to get sick, Mrs. Castillo?”

  “Call me, Imani, please. And he was OK around four a.m. when I gave him his meds. But we slept most of the day, until an hour ago when I woke up and found him like this.”

  “Good, we caught it quickly. There is no organ shut down yet. His kidneys aren’t functioning as well as they should be, though, has he been drinking plenty of water?”

  Now that he asks, no, he hasn’t been drinking much at all. God, I’m a horrible nurse.

  “Not really.” I’m ashamed that I haven’t been keeping better track of something so simple.

  “It’s not your fault. He does what he pleases, regardless of the consequences.”

  He must know Marcus better than I thought.

  “Have you known him long?”

  “Yes, I diagnosed his tumor. I couldn’t remove it, though, and I referred him to other doctors who told him the same thing.”

  “Do you think we should move him to the hospital?”

  Marcus moans and I swear he says ‘no.’ Doctor Lorenzo shakes his head and rolls his eyes at my husband’s incredible stubbornness.

  “I think we can handle it here. I’ve called for the proper antibiotics. If he responds to them and his fever goes down he should be fine in a couple of days.”

  Marcus raises his hand to try and remove the oxygen mask from his face, but he’s too weak. His arm flops onto his chest and droops to his side.

  “He’s too obstinate to die. He will probably outlive us all.”

  Harsh but true, I like that he doesn’t sugarcoat things.

  “I agree and I’m damn glad he’s a fighter,” I say.

  He looks at me hard, “He didn’t used to be. He’s different now because of you.”

  A weary smile tugs at the corners of my lips.

  “Are you feeling alright?”

  “Me? Yeah, I’m just tired.”

  “Take care of yourself. God knows, you have your hands full with him.”

  I snort in agreement.

  “I’ve left instructions on the counter for his IV antibiotics, something for pain and repeat labs. I trust you will be the one handling all of that?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “Elijah has gone after the antibiotics, start them right away and keep me updated on his condition. I’m staying close by. If you need me I can be here in a few minutes.”

  “I noticed. Do you have a home on the lake?”

  “No. I’m staying in a hotel a mile away per Mr. Castillo’s request.”

  He hired a neurosurgeon to be at his beck and call? He never ceases to surprise me.

  “Oh, well, okay then.” He looks at me knowingly. He knows Marcus is keeping things from me, very important things. As always, he’s trying to keep me from worrying but it almost backfired on him today.

  “You can stay here in the house if you like. There’s no sense in you living out of a hotel when we have everything you need here.”

  “Ah, well…” He’s surprised.

  “I’d feel better if you stayed,” I say, giving him my best damsel in distress look. It works. Doctors like to feel invaluable and Lorenzo is no different.

  “I appreciate the offer, thank you. I’ll go to the hotel and collect my things. If you need me, call.”

  “Perfect, I’ll have Maria prepare you a room.”

  He clunks to the elevator and presses the button. “Do you remember how to get out?” I ask.

  “Yes, I’ve been here many times. I know my way out.” His words are laced with sorrow or regret. I wonder why he’s been here often. Another mystery to unravel, will it ever end?

  The elevator dings and Doctor Lorenzo is gone.

  “Imani,” Marcus whispers.

  “Oh, hey there, baby. I’m right here don’t worry. We’re getting you all fixed up. You’re going to be fine.”

  I take his hand and sit on the edge of the bed next to him. He’s not really with it. He must have heard my voice and said my name. I caress his cheek and hold my hand there until he is still again. He feels a little cooler, the fluids must be helping.

  How do we keep ending up here? One of us is always nursing the other back to health. I’m beginning to think it’s a curse, it seems like one of us always has to be in crisis.

  The elevator doors open again, and Maria and Elijah step out with their arms full. Maria has a large tray of food and Elijah has several more bags of IV fluids and Marcus’s antibiotics.

  “Hey,” I greet them.

  “Hey, any change?” Elijah asks, tossing me the antibiotics.

  “He’s cooler but he’s still out of it.” I spike the bag and watch the medicine drip into the chamber and flow through the tubing into his arm.

  “I brought you something to eat,” Maria says, placing the tray next to me on a table.

  “Thank you, Maria. I haven’t even thought about eating today.”

  I take one look at the tray and my stomach rolls with nausea. God, I hate throwing up, and now is a really bad time to be sick. Maybe that’s why Doctor Lorenzo asked me how I was feeling.

  I thought I was just looking harsh with my messy hair and no makeup but maybe I have a bug. I wrinkle my nose at the food, and the nausea worsens.

  “Mrs. Imani, are you OK?” Maria asks when I clasp my hand over my mouth.

  I push her aside and rush to the sink. Bile burns my throat and nose when I dry heave. I haven’t eaten in a long time and there’s nothing in my stomach to vomit.

  God, now I really think we are cursed, but this time both ships are sinking at the same time.

  “Imani, shit. Are you alright?” Elijah says, pulling my hair back while I pant and grip the counter. A trickle of sweat runs between my shoulder blades and down my back.

  I swallow and fight the last waves until I’m pretty sure it’s over. “I’m sorry.”

  “What are you apologizing for?” Elijah asks, rubbing small circles on my back. I know he’s trying to help but the sensation intensifies the nausea.

  “I didn’t know you were sick.”

  “I didn’t either. I’m fine, it’s probably just a bug.” I turn around and prop my backside against the counter, scrubbing my face with my hands. Elijah reaches around me to turn on the faucet and rinse out the sink.

  “Do you feel better now?” Elijah asks. Maria covers the food with a towel and moves the tray as far away from me as she can.

  “No, not really.

  Elijah presses the back of his hand against my forehead. “You’re not hot, but we should get you into bed.”

  Maria nods, agreeing with him.

  “I can’t leave, he will freak out if he wakes up without me again.”

  “Imani, listen to me.” He holds me by the shoulders and squats down to look me directly in the eyes. I cover my mouth to protect him from my puke breath.

  “I can give him his meds. You can’t be here. Do you want him to catch what you have on top of being septic?”

  I moan. He’s right; I have to go.

  “Can you turn on the security cameras in our room so I can see him?” I ask from behind my hand.

  He smiles. “Of course, come on, I’ll put
you to bed.”

  “Is there something else I can get for you, Imani?” Maria asks.

  “No, please, nothing.” I grit my teeth at the thought of food.

  “I can help you to bed,” Maria says.

  “No, Maria, I’ve got her.”

  “I’m OK, I can make it myself. Oh, Maria, I almost forgot. Doctor Lorenzo is coming to stay with us. Would you mind showing him to a bedroom when he gets here?”

  That will give her something to do so I don’t have to come right out and say I don’t want to leave you alone with Marcus.

  “Are you sure you can make it, Imani? You look a little green.”

  “I’ll be OK. Can you just stay with him until Doctor Lorenzo comes back?”

  I can see him scrambling mentally for another reason to help me.

  “You’ll need me to turn on the security camera.” And there it is.

  “No, I’ll just stay over here away from the food until he comes back.” I slide down to the floor and put my head between my knees. I’m feeling a little faint.

  I hear Maria pick up the tray and carry it to the elevator.

  “What about Mr. Black? He can come and stay with Marcus. I really think you should be in bed.”

  “Does he have medical training?” I ask from between my legs.

  “He was a medic in the Marines. Is that good enough?”

  “Okay, yeah.” He calls Black and props his phone between his cheek and his shoulder and gathers me up in his arms.

  “I can walk, Elijah,” I say, but I don’t put up much of a fight when the room starts to spin. He doesn’t hear me, he’s talking to Black or he’s ignoring me, who knows?

  “Hello, sir, we need you in the chamber. Imani is sick and she needs help getting to her room.”

  My stomach starts to spasm again. “Elijah, I think I’m going to be sick,” I try to warn him but it’s too late. That’s what he gets for picking up a nauseated woman.

  I have to give it to him, though, he’s a trooper. He doesn’t even flinch when his phone falls between us into the foul smelling bile.

  “Shit, I’m sorry, Elijah. That came out of nowhere, your phone…”

  “Don’t worry about it, phones can be replaced. Mr. Black will meet us at the elevator entrance upstairs. Marcus will only be alone for a few seconds.”

  I don’t like it but the longer I stay here the longer he’s exposed. I look at him one last time. He’s sleeping, breathing easily and he looks peaceful.

  I nod, and he pushes the button to open the elevator doors. As promised Black is waiting when the doors slide open upstairs. He looks pissed. He holds out his arms to take me but Elijah sidesteps him.

  “We’re covered in vomit. I’ll take her.” Black steps out of the way and allows us to pass. He’s sort of a pussy for a medic in the Marines.

  “You sure he was a medic?” I ask, and Elijah chuckles.

  “Yeah, it’s been a while, and I know for a fact he hates puke.” I feel a little better by the time we make it to the bedroom.

  “I think I’m better now, you can put me down.” He opens the door and sets me on my feet and his phone clatters to the floor. We both reach for it and bump heads.

  “Shit!”

  “Oh God, Imani. I’m sorry,” he says holding his head and reaching out to touch mine at the same time.

  “Wow, it really isn’t my day, is it?” I hold out the gross phone, “Sorry again about your phone.”

  “Like I said… no biggie.”

  “Um, well, do you want to wash your hands before you go back?” I ask when the silence becomes uncomfortable.

  “Oh, yeah, sure. I guess I probably should, huh?”

  He heads into the bathroom, and I open one of the wardrobes to look for something comfy to wear. I hear the water turn on and then off a few minutes later.

  I need a shower so bad. I pull a tank top and some yoga pants from the drawer and turn around. Elijah opens the bathroom door with his wadded up shirt in his hands.

  Good God, what is it with these men? Another perfectly ripped set of abs. I always assumed he was in good shape, but wow. He’s not Marcus but he could give him a run for his money in the gym I’ll bet.

  I avert my eyes to the window and clear my throat, “Ahem, um, Elijah…”

  “Sorry, I had to take it off. It smells pretty bad.”

  He's being genuine. I don’t think he means to make me uncomfortable, but I am just the same.

  “Imani?”

  I dart my eyes between the floor and his chest, it’s impossible to ignore his physique.

  He crosses his lean muscular arms across his chest. “I’m sorry, I needed to get you alone…”

  “Oh no, no, no.” I shake my head back and forth and step back. “Mr. Black told me about your feelings for me. Elijah, you’re going to ruin this, you’re my best friend.”

  “God, no, Imani. That’s not why… I mean, yeah, I love you, shit, who doesn’t? It’s just, I saw the handcuffs this morning and… fuck.” He drops his arms and starts to pace.

  “And what?” I don’t feel so good again. I sit on the floor before I fall on it.

  “I don’t know how much he remembers from his old life, and I don’t know how much he’s told you. But, Imani, he’s the most dangerous man I’ve ever known. And I’ve known some pretty fucking nasty people. I thought he had changed. I thought he was going to be alright when he met you. But if he’s hurting you, Imani, I swear I’ll fucking kill him.”

  I press my hand on my forehead. This is too much; this situation, Marcus, Elijah, my life; it’s all become too fucking much.

  He crouches down in front of me. “Imani, Doctor Carlson had the wrong intentions but he wasn’t lying. Marcus was a murderer. He tortured people in this very house. He abused women and moved drugs for the Norgnhentá. Do you really know who they are? No, of course you don’t because he couldn’t remember. That’s the problem, Imani. If he remembers the old Marcus, who is to say he won’t become that man again?”

  I feel like a nuclear bomb is exploding in my head. I don’t want to hear anymore, I don’t want to know anymore.

  I hold my head in my hands and scream squeezing my eyes closed so tight I see sparks. The sound ripples through the quiet house reverberating off the walls.

  Elijah drops to his knees and wraps his arms around me in a tight embrace that feels all wrong. I kick and fight my way free of him and pull myself across the floor until I smash my back against the end of the bed and cry out again in pain.

  My life has always been full of so much fucking pain. I can’t escape it. It keeps coming and coming faster and more furious every time. Over and over I’ve been teased with happiness only to have it snatched out from under me again by pain.

  Marcus was supposed to be my happiness and now he is my pain.

  Ninety-Two

  “Don’t touch me. Go. Leave me alone. I can’t believe you would betray him like this. You love him, he’s your friend!” I yell.

  He isn’t listening to me. He’s still walking toward me with his hand outstretched. I scramble to my feet and feel the throbbing in my back when I crawl across the mattress to the other side of the bed.

  I jump down like a wild animal and yank the night table drawer and snatch the handcuffs. I whip around and shake them at Elijah.

  “He didn’t hurt me.”

  He lowers his head and thrusts his hand through his hair.

  “He fucked me while I was cuffed to the headboard, Elijah. Is that what you need to hear?” I spit the venomous words and they hit the target with perfect accuracy. He stumbles back a step as if my words were physically moving him.

  “He was gentle and kind and tender and loving! The same way he’s always been with me.” I throw the cuffs at his chest and watch them bounce off and clank to the floor.

  I am so fucking angry. Fury pulses in my veins and I want nothing more than to hurt Elijah like he just hurt me.

  “I loved it. He had his hands all over my naked body. I
rode him nice and slow. He took control and he made me scream when I came,” I say, cutting and wounding him with every detail.

  I can’t think past this moment. Hurting Elijah is my only goal and from the looks of him, I’m succeeding.

  The door flies open and Maria bursts in gasping for air. She scans me from head to toe looking for an injury. “Are you OK? I heard you screaming.”

  “She’s fine, Maria. She’s just tired and sick. She needs to rest.”

  “No, I don’t! Your good little boy, Elijah here, just stabbed his best friend in the back. He’s trying to get me to turn against my husband!”

  “What?” Maria looks back and forth between a half-dressed Elijah and myself, trying to piece together what’s going on.

  “It’s the fever talking, Maria,” he says, turning his back to her. He narrows his eyes and glares at me, “She. Just. Needs. To. Rest,” he says slowly, pausing between each word.

  He is making it very clear what he expects me to do. I grit my teeth so hard I’ll probably need a dentist tomorrow. Silence hangs in the air as we look at each other waiting for someone to end the stalemate. When the tunnel vision hits, I know it’s going to be me.

  I’m going to pass out. Maria sees it in my eyes and yells at Elijah to catch me. I see his arms reach out for me and then… nothing.

  I open my eyes to a worried Maria and hear a shower running nearby.

  “I’ll help you get cleaned up, okay? Let’s get these smelly clothes off of you.”

  I look down and cringe at my vomit covered sweatshirt and jeans. I smell horrible and I feel worse. My stomach churns, my head throbs, my throat is sore from screaming, and my heart is pounding.

  Maria and I are upstairs in Marcus’s shower. There is only a tub in our bathroom downstairs. Elijah must have carried me up. Thank God, it’s Maria in the shower with me and not him. At least he knows enough not to cross that line.

  I’ve been propped up against the wall on the stone seat in the shower. I close my eyes and swallow hard while Maria removes my clothes. She helps me stand and walks with me under the spray of warm water, paying no mind to the fact that the shower is soaking her gray uniform.