by Kimi Flores
“I have to go.” Leah rushed out, ignoring Jenna’s questioning look as she stormed out the door with her hands fisted to her sides.
On her way back to the flower shop, she let it all sink in. Sure it was for the kids, but at what cost to her? Her lips pressed together in a slight grimace the moment she pictured Simon and how happy all of her kids would react to the news.
She definitely needed to think about it before jumping into a decision.
Exhausted, Stefen stepped into his luxurious Chicago apartment. His late night flight had been delayed, leaving him stuck at the airport for hours, and now all he could think about was crawling into bed.
He’d never been away from home for so long and, honestly, it wasn’t as welcoming as he’d hoped. Everything felt cold and sterile, from the sleek modern colorless furniture to the lack of personal memorabilia, photos, and color in general. He did have a view, though. The large wall-length windows in his living room overlooked Lake Michigan.
He told himself, but this is the urban life. This is what everyone wants.
Dropping his suitcases by the door, he tossed his keys onto a sleek modern metal side table. Even the jarring sound of it grated his ears. He headed straight to the kitchen for a drink, but the refrigerator was empty.
Just like the rest of my life.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted bottles of rum and a two-liter soda sitting on top of his bar. With a glass tumbler in hand, he pushed the lever on the stainless steel fridge door. “Please let there be ice,” he mumbled as a few cubes clanked into the glass.
The ice was probably stale, but he didn’t care.
Stefen poured a mixture from both bottles into the glass, then took a large gulp. During the flights, he had a lot of time to think. All thoughts, of course, led directly to Leah. Breaking hearts was something he was used to, but hurting her made him feel like a villain.
That didn’t change the fact that he had a good thing going in Chicago and wasn't interested in letting a girl ruin it. At least this was the argument he kept telling himself, ever since the moment he left her bed. He was dreading the day that Caleb found out. It was bound to be soon. And he’d get a call, Caleb’s irate voice in his ear, as he would have the privilege of listening to what a shit he’d become.
He’d honestly be surprised if Caleb didn’t fly all the way to Chicago to string him up by his very favorite body part.
After swallowing more of the sweet, spicy liquid, he walked back through his living room and grabbed his suitcases. By now, they felt as if they weighed a ton. Lugging them down the long hallway, he approached his bedroom door and heard a noise. Instantly on edge, he tried to squash the paranoia that spiked his pulse. He’d received a few threats before leaving for Santa Barbara. He hadn’t taken them seriously, but now he wasn’t sure.
Cautiously, he turned the corner and peered into his room. Spotting the woman in his bed, he let out a loud sigh of relief, and braced his hands on his knees. “Lisa, you scared the shit out of me. What are you doing here?”
Her long fake eyelashes fluttered over greyish-blue eyes. “You specifically said you wanted me in your bed when you got home. Don't you remember?” Pouting her collagen injected, gloss-covered lips, she flicked her curly, platinum-blonde hair over her shoulder.
The seductive look she gave him would have done him in a month ago. Not so much now.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Slowly, she pushed down the steel grey and white bedding, revealing her naked body. He’d seen her without clothes too many times to count, but for the first time ever, he wondered how she didn't topple over when she stood.
Her silhouette was similar to a stick figure with huge inflated balloons popping out of her chest. Ugh. How could I have ever been attracted to her? Unlike Leah, there wasn't one natural thing on this woman. He was partially to blame after suggesting all of the alterations she’d had done.
They'd been in and out of each other's lives since they were teenagers. She was his first screw. Long ago, though, Lisa was in love with Caleb and thought she was going to make him jealous by screwing Stefen. Little did she know, Caleb was glad when she stopped hanging all over him. She’d been at Stefen's beck and call ever since.
Now, the thought made him sick to his stomach.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, he dipped his chin down and peered up at her. “Uh...yeah. Sorry I did forget. I'm really tired and just want to crash. Do you mind leaving?” he asked sheepishly, knowing her temper. She was about to flip her bitch switch.
Her face reddened as she jumped out of his bed. “What? Are you shitting me, Stefen?” Scrambling around for her clothes, she shot daggers at him with her eyes. “I don't know what the hell happened to you in Santa Barbara, but the Stefen I knew would have been naked and in bed with me by now, no questions asked.”
She angrily stomped around the room, collecting her clothes. She snatched her underwear up from the floor, yanked them on, but struggled with the hooks on her bra.
Glancing around, uneasy, he put all his cards on the table. “I know. I'm sorry. I'm just not into it. We've been playing this game for too many years. Aren’t you tired of it, too? You really need to find another guy who can give you what you want. I'm not that guy. I never will be.”
Apparently, I’m not the guy for anyone.
He braced himself for her wrath.
She stalked up to him and slapped him across the face. “How dare you do this to me! You have no right to just cast me aside, Stefen. I’ve only played this game with you because you strung me along all these years.”
Stunned, he rubbed the side of his face. “I never pretended with you, Lisa. You knew what we were. I can’t offer you anything more.”
Jerking on her skintight jeans, tiny tank top and designer high heels, Lisa barked, “I’ve put up with all the whores you’ve slept with and thought you might actually grow up some day and choose me, but I guess that was my mistake. Don't ever call me again because I won’t come next time.”
She stormed out of the room and down the hall.
Stefen yelled after her, “Leave your key on the front table.”
Running his fingers through his hair, he knew she wasn't going to leave her key. The door slammed so hard, the windows rattled. He’d have to get his locks changed tomorrow. There was no way she would give up that easily, either. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the last time he’d see Lisa Feldner.
Completely worn out, he shed his clothes and headed into the shower, his mind wandering back to Leah. “Shake her off, man,” he scolded himself.
Maybe he should’ve let Lisa stay to help get rid of his shitty mood.
No, that wouldn’t have been a good idea. He wasn't sure he was that guy anymore.
Even though it wasn’t quite dark outside yet, after getting out of the shower and drying off, he slid on a pair of soft cotton pajama pants and crawled under the covers. It was nice being in his own bed again, but it was too quiet. He got up and turned on some mellow music, keeping the volume low. Climbing back into bed, he fell fast asleep.
A strange sound woke him up a several hours later. The music was still playing in the background when he saw a dark shadow at the open bedroom doorway. His eyes weren’t able to focus in the pitch black, but he had a good idea who it was. “Lisa, I told you I’m not interested. Please leave.”
He started to put his head back on the pillow when he heard a loud male voice. “Not Lisa, you son of a bitch.”
Pure adrenalin shot through Stefen as he jumped out of bed. His eyes frantically searched the room while he quickly assessed the situation. How many intruders? Do they have weapons? Can they get weapons? He didn’t have the answer to those questions.
Ready to defend himself, he rushed toward a burly figure who appeared to be unarmed, but something hard hit the back of his head. As he fell to the floor, he saw several shadows now hovering over him, each taking their turn as they punched and kicked him. Pain erupted though his entire body wi
th each blow.
Although he covered his head, a couple of hits made it to his face. He felt himself start to black out. Then, suddenly, it was over. Unsure of how many assailants there were, Stefen saw several unfocussed large frames running out the doorway.
Blood trickled down his lip, pain radiated everywhere. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t move to get his phone, the throbbing was too intense.
The room spun and he felt life draining out of him.
Oh shit, am I gonna die?
Darkness found him as he inevitably passed out.
After tossing and turning all night, there was only one place Leah wanted to go this morning. But it was still difficult for her to even pull into the driveway. Although it was now her best-friend’s home, there were still so many memories tied to Stefen, no matter how brief his stay was.
Before she made it to the front door, Abby came out to greet her. “Everything all right? You sounded upset when you called.” She wiped her hands on her apron as she approached.
“I just need a friend right now. I have to make a decision, and I’m at a loss.”
Abby loped her arm through Leah’s, pulling her inside of the house. Abby had settled well into her new role as wife and mother and was absolutely glowing.
What am I going to say? This was exactly what I didn’t want to do.
She’d wanted to keep Abby out of this whole mess but didn’t have anyone else to turn to. She could call Dani, but this wasn’t the kind of thing she wanted to discuss over the phone. Especially since Dani didn’t know what she’d done with him.
I’m not looking forward to that conversation.
“Have a seat.” Abby took off the apron and tossed it on the kitchen table, joining Leah on the couch that separated the informal dining and living room. “What’s up?”
That familiar aroma hit Leah’s nose once again. She’d left several flower bouquets around the house the beginning of the week, but this smell was unique, different.
Roses. Damn him.
Stefen made it seem as though he was bringing flowers to other women he’d met in Santa Barbara, when in reality, he bought them for Abby and to butter up Celeste.
Jackass!
Reigning in her temper, she gathered her thoughts. Leah bit the inside of her cheek, mulling over what to say. “Well, Stefen is trying to use his money to make up for being a jackass— again.”
Surprised, Abby jerked her head back, “Wait, have you talked to him today? Caleb is worried sick. He kinda harassed Stefen about growing up and that moving closer to us could help out. I guess Stefen flipped out, saying he didn’t want to hear any more. Now Caleb can’t get a hold of him.” Abby fiddled with her fingers, clearly torn between her best friend and her husband’s feelings.
“Maybe he’s just pouting and ignoring Caleb’s calls.” Because he has no regard for anyone else’s feelings.
Patting Leah’s hand, Abby agreed, “Maybe you’re right. Okay, go on. What did he do?” Her friend was listening, but Leah could tell her mind was elsewhere.
Figuring she may as well just get it all out, she relayed everything that had happened at the studio the day before.
Frowning, Abby seemed confused. “But why is he so concerned if things didn’t work out between you? Maybe he actually feels guilty.”
Leah snorted. “I doubt Stefen has ever felt guilty about anything.” Asshole.
Then she remembered Toby. Leah sighed, “There might be another reason. He went to high school with a boy that had Down Syndrome who somehow got to his calloused heart and apparently there’s a small part of him,” she pinched her fingers to show just how small, “that can actually show compassion for others.”
Abby’s eyes were wide, and Leah wondered if maybe she was sounding more hateful than she wanted.
A deep voice rumbled from behind them causing Leah to jump in her seat. “Stefen told you about Toby? He doesn’t tell anyone that story.”
Both ladies looked up. Behind the couch stood a suspicious Caleb. His lips were tight, eyes narrowed, and jaw set.
Oh crap, how much did her hear?
With a slightly shaky voice, Leah answered, “Yeah, he went to one of my classes and told me about Toby on the way home.”
Caleb bent over the back of the sofa to kiss his wife, then rested his elbows on the edge. He looked pointedly at Leah. “Are you going to tell me why Stefen should feel guilty?”
Saved by the ringing of his cell, Leah breathed a sigh of relief. Caleb squinted at the caller ID, then left the room as he answered.
Throwing herself back on the couch, Leah groaned, “What am I supposed to tell him, Abby?” Now Caleb knows. What a mess.
Abby softly rubbed Leah’s arms. “The truth. Now that he knows something, I can’t lie to him. You didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t worry about it.”
Caleb came flying back into the room with absolute terror on his face. “Babe, I’ve gotta go to Chicago. Stefen’s in the hospital, and they don’t know if he’s going to make it.”
Stefen woke up in a haze. He grimaced at the taste of blood in his dry mouth. Why is it so bright in here?
It took a moment to be able to lift his heavy throbbing head. What the hell is that beeping sound? Only able to see out of one eye, he scanned the sterile room. Am I in a…hospital?
That’s right. He’d almost been beaten to death. Shit, what did they do to me? He tried to move, but was only able to grunt in pain
The noise woke Caleb, who’d been sleeping next to Abby by the bed. He rushed to Stefen’s side. “How do you feel?” His question also woke Abby, who rose and stood alongside her husband with glossed over, weary eyes.
His voice was hoarse. “Like a couple of thugs broke into my house and beat the shit out of me.” Stefen tried to laugh, but everything hurt so he stopped mid-chuckle. “How long have I been here?”
Stefen could hear the hesitance in Caleb's voice. “A couple days.” Caleb looked away and said, “Let me go tell the nurse you’re awake.”
He left while Abby stared at Stefen in a daze.
“Damn, every inch of my body hurts. Was it that bad?” He looked down, only able to see the blanket that covered his body. Scooting his numb ass to the side a bit, he felt a tube brush against his leg.
What the fuck?
Discretely, he reached under the covers and gave it a light tug, instantly realizing what it was.
Son of a bitch. A catheter?
Abby gulped down her tears. “It was horrible, Stefen. I was so mad at you…then I was afraid we were going to lose you.” The waterworks finally escaped her eyes.
Mad at me? Does she know about Leah?
Not wanting to explore that idea, he focused on the here and now. “Tell me what the damage is before they come back.” He struggled to get comfortable without moving the covers. He had no intention of flashing Abby his new attachment.
Swiping under her eyes, Abby sniffed. “Well, in a nutshell, you have a concussion. Your left eye socket was fractured. Your left arm, collar bone, a rib, and nose are all broken, and you have a punctured lung. The doctor can give you more details, though.”
Stefen blinked at her, dumbfounded. Oh, is that all? “Damn, they really did a number on me...ouch.” He winced, trying to switch positions, but changed his mind when the entire left side of his body started burning.
Caleb returned with a doctor in tow. “Good to have you with us again, Mr. Hunter. I’m Dr. Fernandez, how are you feeling?”
Stefen looked down at his broken body. How the hell do you think I feel, dumbass? “Not so good.”
The doctor started checking his vitals. “I assume you know the extent of your injuries, but I'll give you a run down on what we've done so far. We repaired your orbital fracture. We normally wait until the swelling goes down to operate, but a muscle was stuck between the broken bones so we had to make an incision on your eyelid. It should heal well and the scarring will be minimal.”
Stefen reached up, tentatively touching the edge
of the patch over his left eye.
“You may have problems with your vision for a while, but we'll have to take that one step at a time. That patch,” he pointed with his pen, “will have to remain on for the next couple of days.”
Stefen dropped his hand back to the sheet, resigned. Sighing, he wondered how much worse it could get. The eye injury was a serious enough problem all on its own.
Speaking in a clinical fashion, Dr. Fernandez lifted his chin and looked down. “You have a minor concussion, and although headaches are common, you should be fine as long as you continue to rest. We reset your nose. That should also heal nicely. As far as the clavicle fracture goes, you’re lucky there was no nerve or blood vessel damage. The bone was displaced. We had to reposition it using screws. You’ll need to use a sling until you’re fully recovered, but that will probably help with your broken forearm that we cast.”
Stefen’s head throbbed, taking in the overload of information. It was a lot.
The Doctor peered down at the chart in his hands. “You’ll also need physical therapy once you’ve fully recovered. The puncture in your lung is very small, and we believe it will heal on its own, but it will have to be monitored to make sure. Unfortunately, we can't do anything about your fractured rib. That just has to heal on its own. We have you on antibiotics and pain medication intravenously. Our only concern at this point is the swelling around your eye. We’ll keep that patch on it for now. I know it’s a lot to take in, but do you have any questions?”
Clearly overwhelmed, Stefen shook his head. What the hell else could be wrong with me? I’m already Frankenstein.
Dr. Fernandez lowered his glasses to the bridge of his nose and raised an eyebrow. “Oh, one last thing. I noticed that you had some bruising on your other shoulder. It appeared to be a small bite mark, a few days older than the other injuries. I assume it has nothing to do with the attack?”
Oh, shit.
“Nope,” Stefen said hastily. Abby and Caleb looked at him funny as he chuckled somewhat nervously. “Different incident.” Laying back, he wondered what that warm feeling was on his face. Then he realized. He’d never blushed a day in his life. Awkward.