“If any of them even think that, they’ll have to deal with me,” I promise her.
She turns to me. “I know it’s in your nature, but I don’t need saving.”
“Not negotiable, babe,” I tell her. “I know you can handle yourself and you have done so for the past eight years but now your mine and I intend to treat you that way whether you like it or not.” She presses her lips together and gives me one of those stubborn looks. “Don’t tell me you’re going to fight me on this.”
She thinks about it for a little while. “I have a feeling I won’t win this one,” she says.
“Not a chance.”
We return from lunch an hour later and she instantly orders me to drop my pants and climb onboard her massage table but somehow it doesn’t come across creepy like it did with Dave. I’m too busy smirking at her so she comes and does it for me and I must say, watching her unbuckle my belt and pop the button on my jeans has me turned the fuck on.
I jump on the table and as expected, the second she has a patient to work on, her professional demeanor comes over her. She turns and oils up her hands before placing them down on my thigh.
I can’t help but cringe as she presses down into the muscle. “Babe,” I groan in the most whingy tone, certainly not one expected from a grown-ass man.
“It’s not my fault you decided to be a dumb-ass during training,” she smirks.
Back and forth we go with the banter. It’s the most frustrating but satisfying moment yet. She constantly keeps me on my toes and I absolutely love it.
My muscle starts to loosen up and I want nothing more than to pull her on top of me but she demands that I do some exercises instead, promising that I can take her on a date and fool around afterward, which honestly, I’m really looking forward to.
We’re wrapping things up when her phone starts vibrating on the desk. She disappears to check it and a crease instantly comes between her eyebrows as she reads the caller ID.
She answers it instantly. “Hello,” she says in the most fearful voice. “Yes, this is Elle.”
I watch as her face continues to turn from fearful into complete horror. Her eyes meet mine across the room and I see the very moment her world comes crashing down around her. Her eyes widen and her beautiful face falls. She instantly begins grabbing her things off the desk and throws her handbag over her shoulder. “I’ll be there in ten minutes,” she rushes out before hanging up the call.
“What’s wrong?” I ask as I rush out the door behind her.
“It’s Brendan,” she says with a break in her voice. “He’s had a fall.”
“Shit,” I grunt as I catch up to her. I take one good look at her and see the tears falling down her face and realise she’s completely caught up in her thoughts, thinking the worst.
I take her hand in mine. “Come on,” I tell her. “I’ll drive.”
“No, no,” she says, wiping her eyes. “I’ll be ok. You have training to do.”
“Babe, you know that whole ‘you’re not a damsel who needs saving’ bullshit. This is me swooping in and saving you. I don’t care who you are, you’re not driving like this, now get your ass out the door and in my truck so we can check on your brother.”
She zips her lips and wipes her eyes again. “Yeah… ok,” she says before allowing me to lead her to my truck.
I help her in and she gives me directions of where to go. I put a rush on it and before we know it, we’re on the road. I watch her out the corner of my eye as I rush towards the rehab facility and notice her constantly fidgeting.
I reach out and take her hand I mine, putting a stop to the fidgety hands. “He’s going to be ok,” I soothe. She doesn’t respond, just nods her head and looks out the window. “Babe,” I say, pulling her attention back to me. “From everything you have told me about him, the one thing I’ve realised is that he’s strong, just like you. He has survived every hurdle life has thrown at him and come out the other end. He’s going to be ok.”
“How d you know that?” she questions.
“Because he has you and if for some God forsaken reason you’re not coping, you have me.”
She squeezes my hand. “Thanks,” she whispers as we pull up at the facility.
We get out of my truck and I meet her at the front. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and hold her to me. “You ready?”
“Yeah,” she responds. I take a step forward but she pulls me back. “Wait,” she says. I turn back with a questioning look and wait for her to continue. “Brendan’s very protective, so he’s most likely going to be a dickhead, especially if he’s done any damage in the fall.”
“Don’t worry about me. I can handle it,” I tell her.
She nods as we make our way inside. “I didn’t want you to meet him like this.”
“Really?” I question. “I was under the impression you hadn’t thought about me meeting him at all.”
At that, she finally cracks a smile. It’s small but it’s enough to give her that little bit of extra strength that I know she needs.
She rolls her eyes as she leads me down the hallway. “Brendan was actually a great hockey player before the accident. He stopped watching it after that but in the past two years, he’s picked it up again. I think it’s has helped him with his motivation and I fear his end game is getting back on the ice but don’t be fooled, he knows exactly who you are and no matter how much he may look up to you as a player, he doesn’t approve as a boyfriend, in fact, he doesn’t approve of anyone as a boyfriend,” she warns.
“He wouldn’t be your brother if he did, so, I’m just going to have to prove to him that I’m not going to break your heart,” I tell her.
“Challenge accepted,” she agrees before taking a deep breath and stopping at a door.
She knocks gently before pushing her head into the room. “Brendan?” she says softly.
“Come in,” I hear her brother say from within the room. She pushes the door open and we both walk in. His eyes instantly land on me before he even takes a second to greet his sister. “What the fuck, Elle?” he scolds. “You said nothing was going on between you two.” From the tone of his voice, it’s pretty damn clear the kid is angry but I don’t know if that’s my doing or if he has the shits about his day and the predicament he’s gotten himself into.
Elle lets out a sigh as she goes and sits on the edge of his bed. She places a soothing hand on his leg but from her explanation of his injuries, he probably can’t feel it, so I’m sure it’s more of a soothing gesture for herself. “Logan, this is my brother, Brendan,” she introduces.
“How’s it going, man?” I say with a nod rather than offering him my hand, just in case he decides to break it. I mean, I was raised with much better manners than that but if I return to the Thunder’s arena with a broken bone, I’d never hear the end of it from management, especially so close after my groin injury.
Brendan presses his lips together and narrows his eyes, reminding me of his big sister. He doesn’t answer but the look tells me that we’re going to have words the moment Elle is gone.
Elle doesn’t put up with his shit as she gets stuck straight into him. “What the hell happened?” she questions, unable to wait any longer for the answers she desperately needs.
Apparently, Brendan’s bad attitude isn’t just reserved for me as he turns it on for Elle. “Nothing,” he snaps. “They shouldn’t have called you.”
“Hey,” I snap back. “I know she’s your sister but she’s here because she loves you. Don’t speak to her like that.”
He watches me through narrowed eyes and it’s clear the kid has a lot on his mind right now. Maybe he hates me because I’m dating his sister or maybe it’s because I’m currently living the life he would have loved for himself, I don’t know but either way, he hates me but that does not permit him to talk to my woman like that.
He lets out a breath and reaches for Elle’s hand. “Sorry,” he murmurs before looking down at his lap. The anger in his eyes turns to sadness and
I listen as he explains it all to Elle. “I got movement in both feet,” he says.
“Shit,” Elle says, cutting him off. “That’s amazing.”
“Just… listen,” he says, stopping her before she gets too excited. “I… I could see my feet moving but I couldn’t feel it so when the nurse left… I tried to stand.”
“What?” Elle shrieks as he throws herself to her feet and looks at her brother in outrage. “Do you have any idea how fucking stupid that is? You could have ruined everything,” she yells. “Is that what you want?”
Brendan sits silently, listening to his sister as she loses her mind. “Answer me, Brendan,” Elle demands. “I’m not sending myself broke for you to fuck around like this. I love you and I want nothing more than to see you walk again but if you’re not going to take this seriously then why the fuck have I busted my ass for you for the past eight years?”
I walk up behind Elle, place my hands on her shoulders and give them a gentle squeeze. She instantly calms down and takes a deep breath. “Sorry,” she says to her brother who looks as though he’s about to break.
“No, I’m sorry,” he says. “I shouldn’t have been so stupid. It’s just so frustrating not being able to just do it. I should be stronger than this. I know I can do it,” he insists.
“No, Brendan. You can’t,” she says, giving him the tough-love he desperately needs. “What part of spinal cord injury do you not understand? You can’t just get up and walk. If it’s ever going to happen, it’s going to be from a shit load of hard work, not from stupidity.”
A doctor makes his presence known at the door. “Is now a bad time?” he asks.
“No, come on in,” Elle says as she lets out a calming breath. “Logan, this is Brendan’s doctor, Dr. Ellis.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say, offering my hand. He gives it a firm shake and I excuse myself to let them talk.
“What’s the damage?” I hear Elle ask as I close the door behind me.
I head over to the reception desk and do the one thing I can do to help.
Chapter 16
Elle
It’s been a week since Brendan’s fall and I’ve spent every spare minute with him. He has been stuck in this little ball of depression but I don’t blame him after the ass-whooping I gave him after the fall. To say he feels like shit is a major understatement but I don’t regret it. He needed a little reality check an I’m pretty sure it worked.
The fall set him back a few weeks and he has had to have more therapy sessions added into his rehabilitation which not to mention is going to cost me a bomb and I’ve not been blind to realise that the nurses are spending a lot more time with him, probably to make sure he doesn’t try a stunt like standing again, but I don’t believe he will, he completely understands what’s at risk and I don’t blame him. It must be incredibly frustrating being so close to something but not being able to grasp it.
But… I’ve been lucky enough to attend a few of his sessions this past week and it’s been amazing watching his progress before my very eyes. He was lucky enough not to cause any extra damage after the fall and I think having me in the room during his therapy motivates him just that bit more, either that or he’s terrified of letting me down again in case I lose my shit.
The cost of all this added therapy has been weighing on my mind a lot this week. I know things have been easier with this new job so I’ve been able to slowly start catching up but I’m just so far behind that the thought of getting further into debt makes me sick. I mean, I’m only twenty-five, I’m not supposed to be in so much debt. I’m pretty damn lucky I’ve been able to feed myself the past few years.
I wait until Doctor Ellis has left the room before also excusing myself. I head down to the reception desk and press the little bell letting the nurses know I’m here. I wait a few moments and give nurse Kelly a bright smile as she appears from down the hallway.
“Hi, Elle. How can I help you?” she asks as she makes her way behind the desk.
“I just wanted to pay off some of Brendan’s therapy and check how much the extra sessions are costing,” I tell her.
“Ok, no problem,” she says as she takes a seat at the computer and goes about bringing up Brendan’s file. A crease appears between her eyebrows and she leans closer to the screen. “Hmm, that couldn’t be right,” she murmurs to herself as she continues clicking.
“What’s wrong?” I ask as I rest my elbows on the desk.
“It’s showing that there’s nothing owing on your account,” she tells me as she turns the screen to face me. “You’re actually in credit.”
“Huh,” I grunt, leaning in and getting a closer look. “Yeah… nah. That’s definitely not right,” I mumble before looking up. “Don’t get me wrong, I like the way that looks but this isn’t right.”
This is the last thing I want to be dealing with right now.
Kelly turns the computer back to investigate a little further. Her eyebrows remain creased as the sound of her keypad and mouse become extremely loud. “Let me look into it,” she says.
I do everything in my power not to tap my fingernails on the desk as I wait.
“So,” she finally says. “It looks as though the account was paid in full last Monday.”
“I didn’t make any payments on Monday,” I inform her.
Hold on… that’s the day I was here with… “The payment was made by an L. Waters” she informs me, breaking into my thoughts.
“Oh, no,” I sigh.
That freaking big bastard. I could scream right now.
Why the hell did he go and do that? Anger instantly takes over me. I mean, does he think I’m some damsel in distress? Some kind of dim wit who can’t possibly look after herself and her brother. I’ve been doing just fine for the past eight years. I don’t need his charity.
“Is there any way you can undo it?” I ask. “That payment was made by mistake.”
“Sorry,” Kelly cringes, clearly picking up on something. “Once an account has been settled we can’t really return it.”
“Of course, sorry,” I say shaking my head in exasperation. That was a stupid question to ask. Of course, they aren’t going to refund an overdue account. How stupid was that? God, this man has me making an absolute fool out of myself. “I’ll, um… see you next week,” I tell her before heading back to Brendan’s room.
I say a quick goodbye but my head isn’t in it. I get myself out the door before Brendan has a chance to pick up on the fact that I’m about to absolutely lose my shit… again.
I get in my beat up little shit box and before I know it, I’m driving up the god damn longest driveway known to man.
I pull up outside the over-the-top mansion and slam the door of my car before storming up the stairs. My fist slams into the hard-wooden door over and over again. “Open the door, you big bastard,” I scream as tears spring to my eyes.
I scream and bang my fist until my hands are aching. The door finally opens and a wary Logan stands before me. “What’s wrong?” he asks in alarm as he takes in the tears streaming down my face.
I storm into him and slam my aching hands into his chest. “You had no right,” I yell. “I’m not some charity case who needs to be saved.”
“Shit,” he curses. “You know, then?”
“Of course, I fucking know,” I scoff. “Did you really expect me not to find out?”
“I was hoping,” he murmurs under his breath.
“Are you kidding me?” I question as I slam my hands into his chest again. “Is this some kind of game to you?”
“No,” he demands as he grabs my hands and slams me against the back of the door, caging me in. His dark eyes are fuming but they hold me hostage making it impossible to look away. “It’s not a game to me. I don’t see you as a charity and I know for damn sure you don’t need saving, you’re doing pretty fucking good on your own, so for once in your life just suck it up and accept it. You deserve the fucking world and I’m not about to let the woman I’m falling in love w
ith go through that shit when I can do something about it.”
My breath comes hard as the tears continue to fall but the fight slowly starts to leave. “I’m so mad at you,” I tell him.
“I know,” he says as he fights to control his own breath. “I can live with that.”
Logan’s forehead drops to mine as his thumbs come up to wipe away my tears. “You need to undo what you did,” I tell him.
“I’m not going to do that,” he replies softly.
“But…,”
“No,” he says a little more firmly. “You’re an amazing woman, Elle, and I am so damn lucky to be able to call you mine but you need to learn to accept help when it’s staring you in the face. I know you would have managed on your own and you would have done an incredible job of it but I’m not going to sit back and watch you suffer when I can easily take all your troubles away.”
He presses his lips to mine and I instantly melt into him. My hands come up and I gently pull myself away. I look up into those intense eyes. “I don’t know how but I’ll pay you back,” I promise him.
“I don’t want you to,” he tells me in that smooth, dream-inducing voice. “I just want you to get your brother on his feet.”
I realise there’s no way he’s going to cave on this and no matter how much I don’t like it, I’m going to have to find a way to accept it. I wrap my arms around him and pull him closer before pressing my face into his chest. His hand wraps around me and holds me to him.
“Thank you,” I whisper as I slowly come to terms with it.
“When will you realise that I’d do anything for you?” he questions.
“I’m starting to see that,” I tell him. I stand for a moment in his arms and the weight of the world begins to fade away, taking my troubles, doubts, and fears along with it.
I look up at Logan and I finally get it. He truly is the man he keeps trying to convince me of and I realise I was wrong to doubt him. This right here is real.
Logan_Denver Royalty [Book 1] Page 13