Bravura (Portentous Destiny Series Book 3)

by S. E. Rose

  “They are OK though?” I ask him as I try to wrap my head around everything he has just said.

  “Yes, darling. They are OK.”

  I nod and swallow the lump in my throat.

  “They’re coming home tomorrow,” he adds. “Lily is going to be staying with Lance in New York.”

  I smile a bit at that news. “Good,” I manage as I fight back tears. Cody embraces me, and we stay like that for a while.

  The following day, I am released and this time I fly first class back home. My dad offers to come and stay in Philly for a while. I tell him I’m fine and he should get back to work and come visit me soon. This seems to appease him, and he obliges to my request. Rob, my mom, and Cody get me situated at my apartment, and then Rob heads back home. He makes me promise to call him if I need anything. I nod and give him a big hug while thanking him for everything.

  He smiles down at me and kisses my forehead. “Anytime, sis, you know I always got your back,” he says as he turns and heads out of my apartment.

  My mom stays around for the next few days. She cleans, grocery shops, you name it. She even changes Marvin’s water. Cody just stays by my side the entire time. It seems like my mother will never leave. She puts all my appointments in my phone’s calendar and then finally she kisses my forehead and tells me to call her in the morning. By the time she leaves, I am exhausted. My brain hurts and my stitches on my abdomen are driving me crazy.

  Cody carries me to my bed, and I fall asleep in his arms.

  Chapter 14

  Zoe’s Playlist: “Never Give Up” by Sia

  The next few weeks go by fast. Or maybe they go by slow, but my jumbled brain doesn’t process it. Cody stays with me. My mom hovers over me. And I am taken to a million doctor’s appointments, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. By the end of the month, I am finally starting to feel better. I’m not forgetting words all the time, my head isn’t hurting all the time, and I can complete a thought without pausing. My abdomen feels so much better now that the stitches have been removed. My spleen is healing, and I’m told that I don’t need any more checks on it for at least six months. I’ve graduated to a less bulky walking cast, and next week I get to go without any cast. Woohoo! And today, my doctors cleared me to start twelve-hour shifts after next week, which will mark six weeks since the crash.

  I’ve also had weekly therapy sessions that my mother insisted I go to after returning home. I reluctantly agreed after Cody encouraged me to go. I have to say that in retrospect, it probably was a good idea, especially now that the shock of everything is starting to wear off, and I’m having occasional nightmares. Cody is so patient with me. He has had to wake me three times now and then holds me while I cry. But today is a celebratory day, so Cody picks up Chinese food and some wine. I haven’t had a drink in weeks, so this is a treat.

  “So, how does it feel to be on the mend?” he asks as he pours me a half glass of wine.

  I shrug. I watch Cody as he dishes out various items from the food cartons. He’s been busy lately, constantly on the phone and computer. Sometimes, he takes the calls outside. I know something is going on, but he won’t tell me. He’s been the perfect nurse, by my side the entire time I’ve been recovering. He helps me with everything and even held my hand as I spoke to investigators last week. I know he needs to get back to work, too.

  Cody keeps our conversation light as we eat, and then he gets a phone call and walks up to my rooftop deck. I sigh and push my plate back. I’m about to watch TV when my phone buzzes.

  “Hey!” I say with excitement as I see Lily’s face on my phone.

  “Hey to you!” she says. She looks great, relaxed and happy.

  “How are you?” I ask.

  “Amazing, wonderful, great,” she says with a smile.

  “Wow, do tell.”

  “Oh, Zoe, I’m so happy. Remember I texted you that I was going to go to New York with Lance for a bit when we got back?” she asks. I sigh as I don’t completely remember this.

  “Sort of.” I shrug.

  “Still having memory issues, huh?” She doesn’t wait for my response. “So, I’m staying up here. I think permanently. I’ve been doing some photography, and I decided not to take the horticulture position back in D.C. I’m really happy, Zoe.”

  “I’m so glad. You sound happy,” I say.

  “So, how are you? How’s physical therapy? How’s Cody?”

  “I’m on the mend. They cleared me to start twelve-hour shifts in another week. Cody’s good, I think.”

  “You think? What does that mean?”

  “It means, he’s been on the phone a lot, and I know he’s keeping something from me, but I don’t know what.”

  “Oh, well, I mean with all the stuff that happened with Mohammed, I can understand he must be stressed especially about his Ibague project,” she says.

  “Mohammed? Can you fill me in again? I know you explained stuff before, but I just can’t remember everything,” I sigh exasperatedly again.

  “Uh, sure. Well, you remember that I found out my biological father was kidnapping orphans to sell to human traffickers, right?”

  “Sort of.”

  “OK, well when he found me and abducted me, he kept me in a safe house, and Mohammed, who also happened to be working with Cody on the project down here, showed up. Turns out he was the human trafficker. Also, it turns out he essentially took over the human trafficking market that Alexei’s organization vacated after he was killed last summer,” she explains. My mind feels like it might blow up from this information. Last summer, Lily was abducted by this crazy Russian organized crime guy, Alexei. She was rescued, and my aunt killed Alexei when he came for her later that summer. It’s all a bit Hollywood drama and to find out that it followed Lily to Colombia is, well, mind-blowing even for someone without a brain injury.

  “Wow, Lil, that’s crazy.”

  “Yeah, I know. Anyhow, Mohammed’s plane crashed a few weeks ago, and intel shows he was killed, so I guess that is that, but I have a feeling Cody’s company wants to do damage control.”

  “Well, that makes sense, who wants to be connected to human traffickers?”

  “Yep. So, things are good then?”

  “They’re getting there. Some things are still fuzzy, but maybe it’s better that way. The therapist my mom made me see said that my mind might be protecting itself.”

  “Could be,” Lily says. “Hey, you guys should come visit us soon. It’d be great to see you.”

  “Alright. I’ll talk with Cody,” I say. I hear Cody close the door to the deck.

  “Let’s talk soon, OK, Lil?”

  “Sure thing, cuz. Miss you!” Lily says

  “Miss you too! Talk to you soon.”

  “Later, alligator,” Lily says and hangs up.

  Cody enters the room and gives me a quizzical look.

  “Lily,” I offer.

  “How is she?”

  “She’s good,” I say and look at him.

  He sits down and hugs me. I look up at him as I lean my head on his shoulder.

  “You ever going to tell me what’s really going on?” I ask.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Come on, Cody. I know something is up. You’re on the phone all the time. You know, I’m doing much better. I’m going back to work in a week. I’m not made of glass. You can talk to me. I already feel out of the loop with all of the memory issues I’ve had.”

  Cody sighs and closes his eyes. “I don’t want to burden you with anything else.”

  I groan. “Cody, you’ve been nothing but the perfect nurse for the last month. I’m getting better. Please talk to me.”

  He sighs and nods. “I need to go and deal with some stuff soon. My company’s involved in the investigation regarding Mohammed, the guy I was working with that ended up being a human trafficker.” He pauses to make sure I’m following him. I motion for him to continue. “I need to meet with Interpol, and I do need to go back down to Ibague for a few days
to finish up the project.”

  “So, go. It’s alright. I’m going to be OK.”

  He squeezes me tighter against him and kisses my forehead. “I know. I know.”

  For the first time in six weeks, I feel a flutter in my belly. I smile as I think back to my discussions with doctors this week. I’m cleared for physical activity as long as it’s not running. In fact, they have me doing pool exercises this week. And next week I get to start strength training after I get the cast off.

  I push back and look into Cody’s eyes. I can see he’s worried. I lean toward him, and his eyes widen in surprise. I don’t think, I just bring my lips to his and kiss him. At first, he doesn’t move. Then I decide to employ all the magic kissing elements that have been missing from our kisses this last month. Within five seconds, I feel Cody’s body relax, and he kisses me back. It feels so good that I moan into his mouth and that causes him to deepen the kiss. I get lost in the sensation of our lips and our tongues until he abruptly stops.

  “I don’t think this is a good idea,” he says breathlessly against my cheek.

  I take his head in my hands and look into his eyes. “It’s a good idea.”

  He shakes his head. “Princess, you still have a cast on.”

  I look down at my leg and then unfasten the walking cast. “And now I don’t.”

  “Zoe,” he says sharply.

  “Cody, relax. Really, this thing comes off for good in six more days. I don’t have to wear it to sleep or shower. My head is, well, mostly back to normal and my abdomen is good. I’m good, really. I just want to be back to normal!” I feel the tears threatening to emerge from my eyes.

  “Oh, darling, I know,” he says as he caresses my cheek. “I just want you healed.”

  “I am,” I say emphatically.

  He sighs. “Let’s just wait a few more days.”

  I move so that I’m straddling his lap. “Please,” I beg him as I kiss his chin, his cheek, his jaw. “Don’t make me beg. I need this.” I kiss him again, and I feel his resolve crumble.

  “God, I’ve missed you, princess,” he murmurs against my lips.

  “Take me to bed and make me forget everything, please!” I plead as I continue to kiss him. He lifts me and carries me to my bed. Laying me down, he hovers over me and looks into my eyes.

  “I’m in charge tonight,” he says as he looks down at my body. I nod. I know that this is the only way he’ll give me what I want.

  He carefully and painfully slowly removes my clothes and then his own. He traces the scar on my stomach and then my leg. I feel nervous all of a sudden.

  “Hey,” he says looking back into my eyes. “You are as beautiful as ever. You’re a survivor. Don’t ever be ashamed of these,” he whispers as he runs a finger over my abdominal scar again. Then his lips crash against mine and I’m transported far away from my reality. I only feel Cody’s hands as they caress my breasts and then slowly, he moves down my stomach, over my scar, until he’s teasing me with the faintest of touches right above where I so desperately want to feel his fingers. I push my hips up, and he pushes them back down. He gives me a warning glance, and I giggle.

  “Sorry,” I whisper.

  “Don’t be sorry. Just relax and let me worship you,” he says with a smile. It’s the first time I’ve seen him really smile in weeks, and it brings a tear to my eye.

  “Hey,” he whispers. “It’s OK, princess. Everything will be OK.” And then he’s kissing me, and his fingers finally move down to touch me. I can feel how wet I am as his fingers glide back and forth over my sex. He moves over me and slowly, lovingly spreads my legs, and then he hovers over me as though afraid to move. Our eyes are locked on each other and for the longest second, neither one of us moves. Then little by little he eases into me. It’s excruciatingly slow. I lie still and let him control our movement. He stops once he’s fully inside me and looks down at my injured leg.

  “It’s OK,” I murmur, wanting to feel the friction between us, but he remains still. He reaches for a pillow and props my leg on it. I roll my eyes, and he gives me a look that says “stop rolling your eyes.” I grin sheepishly, and he grins back before starting a slow and steady torturing movement. Just as I am about to go over the edge, he finally picks up the pace, and I’m lost in my senses. I know I’m crying out, but what words I use or what sounds I’m making, I don’t know. And then I feel him coming inside me, as he swells and fills me with a delicious heat. He doesn’t collapse on me, but instead pulls out and rolls to my side, pulling me into an embrace.

  “I’ve missed this,” I say as I look at him and trace the lines of his face.

  “Me too,” he admits as he tightens his grasp.

  I yawn, and he turns off the light and drags me back against him. I sleep well without pain meds for the first time since the crash.

  Chapter 15

  Zoe’s Playlist: “Never Let Me Go” by Florence + The Machine

  By Monday, I’m very nervous for my first shift. I call in and get assigned for the following Monday day shift. It’s only twelve hours, nothing compared to my normal forty-eight hours, but I’m still nervous. I hang up and look over at Cody who is busy typing away. He has two laptops, a tablet, and three USB drives spread out across my dining room table.

  I sit down at the table and look at his makeshift office and watch him work. He’s so focused on whatever it is that he’s doing, he doesn’t even acknowledge my presence. I take this unusual moment to really look at him, the line of his jaw as it flexes, the movement of the muscles in his forearms as he types, the little noises he makes to himself as he’s thinking. He really is very good-looking, perhaps a little too rugged to be a model. He’s a true specimen of male perfection. I know I’ve watched him before, but it’s been so long that this feels like the very first time. After a few minutes, he stops typing and his eyes penetrate mine. I can see the faintest bit of humor in them as he considers my interest in him. He remains silent, just looking back at me.

  “This is a lot of technology,” I finally say quietly as I glance at each item.

  He cocks his head to one side in consideration of my comment before speaking. “Well, yes. I guess so. The drives are all things from the Ibague project. I normally use my tablet and laptop, but I have a second one that was left at the job site along with one of those USB drives. I need to go through them at some point,” he explains.

  “How do you keep all these straight? They all look the same to me,” I ask with true curiosity.

  He shrugs. “Don’t know,” he says and then he moves his chair closer to me and places a hand on my thigh. He runs a finger over my lips, and I can see him carefully considering what he is going to say next. “I need to go down to Ibague next week. Just for the week and then the project should be good to go,” he says rather slowly as if gauging what my reaction to this information might be.

  I knew we’d have to have this conversation eventually, so I mask my disappointment and smile at him. “OK,” I say quietly looking down at his hand as he rubs my thigh. He lifts my head up and scrutinizes me.

  “I won’t go if you don’t want me to,” he declares as he searches my eyes.

  I shake my head. “No, you need to go. I need to get back to work too. I’m ready.”

  “Zoe, you’ve been through a lot. It’s going to take time to get back to normal,” he says as he pulls me onto his lap. Without thought, my arms go around his neck, and I cling to him as though the rest of the world might drop away from me at any moment. “Hey, it’s OK, princess,” he says soothingly as he rubs my back. It takes a minute before I realize I’m trembling. “Why don’t I push my trip off for one more week, OK?”

  The old Zoe, the pre-crash Zoe, would not have hesitated in saying “hell no, get back to work,” but the post-crash Zoe contemplates it for a moment. I want to kick myself for even considering his offer. Finally, I shake my head and take a deep breath. I feel my body calm just a fraction.

  “Nope. I need to rip off the Band-Aid and get b
ack to reality. I know things are slightly different now, but I’m still me, and I’m almost healed. I can’t hide away in my apartment forever,” I admit to him and to myself for the first time since the crash.

  Cody caresses my cheek. “That’s my brave princess,” he says with a smile and then kisses me. “God, I’m going to miss you next week.”

  “I think you should show me just how much,” I breathe against his neck as I kiss it. He lifts me and carries me into my bedroom, where he does just that.

  Sunday comes entirely too quickly. I’m finally cast-free which feels sort of weird, but better. Tomorrow, I officially start back to work. It’s only a short shift compared to my normal working hours, but I’m feeling determined and ready to go back to normal life. I drive Cody to the airport, my first time driving in over six weeks. As I stand by the curb and watch him get his bag out of the trunk of my car, I suddenly feel panicky. I haven’t been without Cody in over six weeks. I shake off the feeling and put on my brave face.

  He turns to me and takes me into a tender embrace. “I could have called a limo you know,” he whispers in my ear.

  “I know, but I really wanted to drive you,” I say, beaming because it’s the truth. I have to admit, I do feel a little giddy about having my freedom to drive myself back.

  He laughs. “I know. It’s the only reason that I let you,” he says as he kisses me. Then I forget that he’s leaving, that we are standing at the departure curb of the airport that the rest of the world exists at all. His mouth claims mine in a way I never knew possible and I want to melt into his soul and never leave. The thought scares me, terrifies me, and makes me feel like I can soar all at the same time. He pulls back and gives me one last peck on the cheek before grabbing his bag and heading to the door.

  “I’ll call when I land. Have a good day tomorrow, OK?” he says, a look of concern on his face.