No matter how hard I tried to fight it, I ended up drifting into a deep sleep. Then, the recollection started of Brooke and I on our wedding day. She looked so beautiful walking toward me, with the castle in the background. Like a princess, my princess. I couldn't wait to have her, savor her and love her for the rest of my life.
That day had played over and over in my head during all those months she was missing. I could feel the same panic as if it were happening this very moment. When I'd returned to our special place and she wasn't there, I honestly thought she was just playing a game of hide and seek. But when she didn't answer, I knew in my gut that she was really gone. I had felt helpless, much like I did now, because I wasn't able to protect her.
I suddenly heard whispering and my eyes flew open. Tristan was in the room with the doc and they were discussing something that had to do with my care. I didn't understand all of the Russian shit they were speaking. He could hire an English-speaking nurse, but not a doctor? That pissed me off. If it had to do with me, I should've at least been able to understand what was being said. Hell, for all I knew, they could be conspiring to kill me. And, Brooke? Where the hell was Brooke? You could bet your sweet ass that once this tube was removed from my throat, Tristan and I would be having one hell of a brawl.
And, if Tristan wasn't with her, then who the hell was? I trusted no one. My father had recently taught me that lesson. Tristan shook the doctor's hand and came to over to my bedside.
"Hey, buddy, how you feelin today?" he asked. Since I couldn't verbally respond, I flipped him the bird.
Tristan chuckled. "That good, eh? Well, the good doc just informed me that they'll be taking that tube out later today. He also said that you can expect your throat to hurt like hell and you'll only be able to eat ice chips for a couple of days, but all in all, you're a lucky son of a bitch, Dylan. You could've gotten us all killed pulling that bullshit you did back at Kristof's place."
Once again, I raised my finger in an effort to tell my friend to "go fuck himself". Tristan continued to talk as I lay there, wishing he'd just shut the fuck up and bring Brooke to see me. I was pissed and becoming more angry as each minute passed. I couldn't wait to regain my strength, because once I did, I was going to kick Tristan's ass. I sensed he knew that too, and it made him laugh that much more at me. Fucker.
The one thing about being shot was that it was nothing like what television or the movies portrayed. I now knew from personal from experience, that having your insides blown to pieces, leaves one rendered completely helpless. You aren't up, chasing the bad guy around within a matter of minutes. That is all animated bullshit. As a matter of fact, you are left flat on your back, bleeding, praying for death, because the pain is so intense that every part of your body hurts. Even parts that remained unscathed.
The bells on the machine started ringing again as Lydia, my nurse, came rushing in the room. Tristan hurried to my bedside, but she instructed him to leave. He gave a quick nod, and then he was gone.
"Mr. Prescott, are you ready to get this tube out?" she asked. I gave her the thumbs up, letting her know that nothing would make me happier than to get this shit out, so I could feel human again.
"Very well, I'll just need to grab a few things and then we can get started," she said, exiting the room once more. I liked Nurse Lydia, because she was a woman on a mission and I think she understood that I was a man on a mission. A man that was ready to get the hell out of this shit-hole, find my wife and get the fuck out of this country. I had a strange feeling though, that she would be traveling back to the States with us, but right now, I didn't care.
They say if you get a second chance in life, you should take it. Sometimes that's easier said than done, especially when you're the one that’s caused all the pain.
I woke up two days later, feeling as best as I could, given the circumstances. The tube had been removed, and though my throat felt like someone had been sanding it down with sand paper, I was glad to have the fucking intruder gone. I knew Tristan would be by to visit soon, and I was looking forward to the ass chewing that I was going to give him. The truth was that he was right. We were lucky, that my actions hadn't gotten us all killed. I had to accept the fact that there came a time when we faced our demons, the darkest ones that can destroy and haunt us for the rest of our lives. That realization was coming quickly for me, as I lay there trying to deal with what I'd done to my father. And I hoped like hell Brooke knew who I was, because if she didn't, I would rather be dead. And death was the only thing that was going to keep me from her.
Tristan walked into the room, dressed like he was going into battle, wearing a black t-shirt and green, camouflaged pants. In some ways, he was, and he knew it. I pushed myself up, trying to get into a more comfortable position, but it hurt like hell. I took a deep breath and wiggled my way up the bed, until my head rested comfortably on the pillow.
"Well...good morning, sunshine," Tristan said, smirking.
"Where's Brooke?" I asked.
"Not even a hello for your best friend? I'm disappointed in you, Dylan."
"Fuck off, Tristan. Where is she?"
"Dude, you need to chill out! She's fine."
"If she's fine, then why isn't she here? With me?"
"Dylan, do you honestly think I would do anything to hurt her? I got her out of that fucking hellhole for you! And then, I turned around and came back for your ass!"
"I don't trust anyone anymore, Tristan. No one."
"You're a dick, Dylan. I know you're in pain, but you need to stop this self-pity bullshit. Your wife is fine. As a matter of fact, she's in this hospital."
"Well then, go get her. I want to see her," I demanded.
"I can't. She's not well, Dylan and Alexi has been keeping watch over her room while I come visit you."
"What the fuck happened to her?"
"Dylan, she was in the room with us when you went unconscious. She thought you were dead. She freaked the fuck out and had a mental breakdown. I know you're pissed, but I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd worry like hell."
"Well, no shit, I'm worried! Only a fucking idiot would think, otherwise. And what kind of shit are they giving her in this hellhole, anyway? So help me God, Tristan, she better be okay or I am going to hold you personally responsible! I left her in your care and you promised to keep her safe!"
"I am! And you really need to pull your shit together, or you're not going to help anyone. Not her, or yourself. I know you're pissed at me, and that's fine, but don't treat me like shit for things that are beyond my control. After all of this is said and done, if you still want to kick my ass, I'd be happy to oblige."
Tristan stood, walked toward the door and looked back at me. "They've been flushing her system. So far, it's been successful because she remembers bits and pieces, but she hasn't fully recollected everything that's happened. I'll leave you now to sit, sulk and beat yourself up while I go check on her," he said as he walked out the door.
"Fuck!" I yelled, grabbing my stomach, writhing in pain from yelling. I needed to get us all out of here before I went crazy. I pressed the little button that called the nurse's station in hopes that Nurse Lydia knew what room Brooke was in. I needed to see her for myself, to ensure that she was indeed where Tristan said she was. Now, I just needed to convince Lydia that I was up for a little walk.
It didn't take much convincing to get me out of the room. Lydia agreed that it was time to get up and moving, but I wasn't ready to walk. She grabbed a wheelchair and after much discussion, agreed to take me to the hospital wing where Brooke was.
I was a bit a surprised when the door was pushed open to see Tristan, Stephanie and Alexi all sitting around, guarding my Brooke.
Alexi stood, gave a nod and left the room as Lydia pushed me closer to where Brooke was laying. She looked like an angel as her eyelids fluttered while she slept. I was overcome with emotion from just being next to her. Knowing she was really here, that I could reach out and touch her. I didn't move, though. I
just sat there, watching her sleep as her chest moved up and down. She looked so different from the Brooke I remembered, which seemed so long ago.
She looked so frail as she lay there with the IV stuck in her arm. Her coloring had changed from its normal pink to a pale, ghostly white. Her face was horribly sunken in from malnourishment and her hair had thinned since we'd married. It took everything I had to compose myself and be a man. But inside, I was dying.
Stephanie came over and placed her arm on my shoulder as I continued to watch my wife sleep. "She's going to be okay, Dylan."
I choked back tears before responding. "I don't know, Steph. Look at her. Do you honestly think she'll ever be the same?"
"I don't know if she'll be the same, but I have a feeling that she'll come out even stronger than she was before. She's a fighter, Dylan. Brooke has had to fight her entire life."
"I know and I'd hoped that our life would be different. I wanted to give her everything, the peace that she finally deserved. But now, look at her. Look what I've done to her."
"Dylan," she said, giving me a soft hug. "You didn't do this to her. Our fathers did. There was no possible way that any of us could have known what they were capable of. No one wants to believe the worst about those we love. Brooke will find her way back to you. It may take time, but she has never loved anyone as much as she loves you."
"I need her so fucking much."
"You're hurting, Dylan. The future seems uncertain to you. You've lost your father to unfathomable circumstances and everything seems hopeless. You'll get it all sorted out, because Dylan, you too, are a survivor."
I hugged my sister-in-law back, despite how much it hurt to move. I needed the comfort of those closest to me, right now. I had treated Tristan like shit when all he had been doing was exactly as I'd asked. I would soon be begging for my friend's forgiveness.
Brooke began to stir and a beautiful smile formed on her lips. "Hey, Cowboy," she said, in a weak voice.
"Hey, Princess, how are you feeling?"
"Better, now that you're here with me. Are you going to be okay?"
"Yes, baby, I'm fine. It was just a little bullet, but the doctor got it out. I was lucky as the bullet didn't cause any permanent damage."
"Oh good, I was so worried about you. After all that you did to get me out of that mess, the last thing I wanted was for you to be hurt."
"As you can see, Princess, I'm good as new."
"Dylan," she said, as tears began falling down her face. "I remembered something and we need to talk about it."
"Shh...not now, baby. We'll have plenty of time to talk when we're both feeling a little better."
"But, Dylan, I don't want to forget."
"Listen to me, Brooke. We've both been through hell and back. You're not going to forget. If anything, you'll remember even more. Just relax and get the care you need. We have the rest of our lives together, whatever it is, we'll deal with it...together."
"Excuse me. Mr. Prescott, we need to get you back to your room so you can rest," Lydia interrupted.
"Just a few more minutes, please?" I asked.
"You have five minutes. Doctor's orders."
"Fuck the doctor," I fired back at Lydia.
"Mr. Prescott, we can go back now if you'd like," she said, with a raised brow.
Tristan covered his mouth and laughed. "Back to being an asshole, I see," he smirked.
"Yeah, and I see you haven't changed one bit either." I flipped him my middle finger.
"Princess, I have to go. You heard Nurse Ratchet over there, barking her orders," I said, holding my stomach as I leaned in and kissed her hand. "I love you. Don't ever forget that, Brooke."
"Nothing but diamonds. Right, Cowboy?" she asked as I was being wheeled away.
"That's right, Princess. Nothing but diamonds."
She remembered. I couldn't believe it, but she remembered. It was what I'd said to her after she had made her promise to me. It would forever be etched in my heart: her words, her confession of her love to me.
"You’re perfect,” she said, placing her lips on mine. “I love you more than anything in this world. I will give you whatever you want, whatever you need. That is my promise to you, Dylan.”
She had looked so damn beautiful sprawled out before me, completely naked. I couldn't help myself when it came to her. That night, I surprised her by introducing toys into our sex play, and then told her, I wanted to fuck her while she was wearing diamonds and nothing else. Of all the things to remember...she remembered me making love to her.
CHAPTER 3
Brooke
I'd been whisked away so quickly by Tristan and Alexi, that I hadn't had time to process what was going on. I presumed that they were on a rescue mission, and I was the target. I was afraid. After being kidnapped the first time, I had learned not to ask questions, but to go with the flow. This was different, though. These men were kind and explained what was happening, once we made it to the car.
I still didn't understand as confusion over took me. I had to trust them, because they were my only way out. Tristan explained that Dylan was my husband, that I'd been missing for a long time and that I'd been kidnapped right after my wedding day. I felt a sadness immediately come over me, as if I knew. In some way, I think I always knew. The drugs I'd been given had clouded my judgement and rendered me helpless, to the point of not even knowing my name. It was a terrible, lonely time for me.
We'd traveled for several minutes after we left Kristof's palace. The scenery looked vaguely familiar, as if I'd been there prior to this visit. But everything was still a blur and I was confused about my whereabouts. Everyone had such strong accents, unlike my own or Dylan's. We turned down a narrow, one-way street, where Alexi pulled in front of a small hotel inside the city. He quickly walked me into a room, and Tristan jumped in the driver's seat and left.
We sat, waiting as Tristan went back to the palace to look for his friend, Dylan. From the looks of things, we were in Dylan's hotel room. I looked around, but there was nothing impressive about the space. It was small, with a double-sized bed in the middle of the room and a small bathroom in the corner. I felt anxious, and a bit curious about my new captors. A photo on the nightstand caught my eye of what I assumed was Dylan and I on our wedding day. We looked so happy and I looked so, very different. My hair wasn't short and black. I could only assume that was Kristof's doing, in trying to hide my identity.
The pieces were slowly coming together, but they all still didn't fit. We seemed happy, and I longed for the days when I would feel as happy as I looked in that picture.
Dylan was the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen, even while lying in a hospital bed, fighting for his life. I reached out and placed my hand in his, in hopes that I could somehow ease his pain. Nothing helped. He let go of my hand, gripping his stomach as he cried out in pain. It broke my heart to see him like that, and knowing that I was the cause of it, made it worse. I wanted to comfort him and tell him that I loved him, but everything was a blur, and I knew better than to make promises I couldn't keep. In that moment, all that mattered was being there for him, and I would do whatever it took to help the man that saved me.
I watched as Dylan slowly slipped away from the world... from me. I hadn't told anyone, but the longer I was away from Kristof, the more I remembered about my past. I hadn't remembered Dylan entirely, but I knew there was something special about him and that I had a special connection to him in some way.
The machines bells started going off as Dylan slipped further and further away from reality. His body jerked out of control for several minutes, and then he lay there lifeless as doctors and nurses rushed in to try and save him. I felt like I was losing control as anxiety washed over my body, leaving me in a mental state of shock. Looking down at my hands, I tried to keep them from shaking, but the more I tried stop them, the more they shook. I was crying, screaming for Dylan to come back to me when I felt someone behind me. Tristan. He held me as we watched them try and stabilize Dylan.
I was sobbing, and no amount of consoling from Tristan helped. I was out of control, unable to rein in my emotions or communicate what I was feeling. It was a shit-storm of a mess, having feelings for a man that I couldn't remember.
I don't recollect what happened next, but when I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed with an IV stuck in my arm. Alexi sat in a chair located in the corner of my room. He looked exhausted, which told me he must have been keeping watch over me for quite some time. Alexi didn't speak much English, so communicating with him was a challenge. I had realized that much from when Tristan had left me in the hotel room with him while he went back and got Dylan. Therefore, I would have to save my questions for later when Tristan came to visit. If he came to visit.
I wondered what had become of Dylan and if he'd made it, or if he was laying on a cold slab down in the morgue. The more I thought about him, the sadder I became. I missed him, and I knew why. My memory was coming back in full force. Whatever they were giving me through my IV drip, was helping me to remember the good times and...the not so good times.
Tears streamed down my face as I remembered the first time I met him. He was so young, beautiful and full of life, not like the man I had seen suffering in pain, just days ago. My heart burned to see him, my fingers ached to touch him, just like when we shared our first kiss. A kiss that I would never forget for as long as I lived. It was forbidden, both of us promised to another, but the attraction was so strong, neither one of us could fight it. I could still feel it, no matter how far apart we were. He was my soulmate.
I wiped my tear-stained face and stared out of the window. Alexi told me in broken English that he was stepping out to grab a cup of coffee. I knew he wouldn't be gone long as I suspected he was in charge of babysitting me. And I knew how crazy my husband was about my safety - something else I had remembered - so I knew I wouldn't be alone for more than a couple of minutes.
Redemption (Book 3) The Fixer Series Page 2