The Girl With Hearts (Midtown Brotherhood #1)

by Savannah Blevins

  “What are you thinking about?” he inquired around a mouthful of peanut butter blast.

  Apparently, his tux didn’t come with table manners. She took a small bite off her spoon in response and swallowed. “Nothing in particular. Just everything.”

  “Well, that qualifies for elaboration,” he instructed, scooting closer to her on the bench.

  She sighed and nodded before leaning into him. She was comfortable there with their shoulders connected. Safe, and dared she say, loved. All things she didn’t realize were missing in her life. “I was thinking about Drew,” she admitted, “and how he seems to be moving forward in his life. I guess it’s made me think about myself a little.”

  Nerves twirled in her stomach. It was time she told somebody. She couldn’t go on pretending forever. They all needed to know about the medicine, and the clinical study. Drew would be too emotional, and Austin too protective. Her best option was Henrik.

  “Would this be referring to that conversation you keep avoiding with me? Because Drew’s been asking questions, and pushing me to talk to you about it.”

  She stared at the ice cream. “I know. Trust me, he’s been asking me questions too.”

  Drew practically kept a running tally of her every move. Noting her every absence. Clocking her every nap. It was cruel not to tell him.

  “He’s worried about you, and I think you know why.”

  “Drew is afraid of losing me,” she said, setting her cup of ice cream down next to her. “He’s always had that fear. He was a complete mess the year I graduated. It wasn’t until you told me about your mom that I really understood it.”

  “Should he be concerned about that now?” Henrik sat his ice cream down between them. “Should I be?”

  She reached over and took his hand. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “He’s seen you take medicine. He’s been—”

  “I’m not dying, Henrik.”

  He let out a gush of air. “Then what is it? What happened between Derek cheating on you, and you showing up here?”

  A small smile formed on her lips before she nervously bit her bottom lip. She reached forward and kissed him, soft and gentle. “You,” she whispered, “you happened.”

  His breath staggered out in a half laugh. “I thought you said you didn’t come back for me.”

  A car pulled up behind them and honked. Leila knew it was their driver, but she turned anyway.

  “Come on, let’s go home,” she said, standing.

  He didn’t move. “Answer me first.”

  She looked at him, her body preparing herself for the confession. “I’d rather show you.”

  “How?”

  “You remember that black bag I showed up with at your door?”

  “Yes.”

  She smiled, laughing nervously. “Then come on, let’s go home so I can show you.”

  ***

  Leila stepped out of the car in front of their apartment building, her breath already caught in her throat. It was time. She was finally going to tell Henrik. She wanted it to be different, to be already out on her own, have herself put back together, but she was running out of time.

  “Go on up,” he whispered, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “It’s cold. I’m going to pay Ken, and I’ll be right behind you.”

  She nodded and headed for the door, which Carl held open. She was relieved for the moment of privacy. She needed time to put her thoughts in order. She’d imagined a thousand different scenarios in her head, none of them like this, and it was causing her to panic. At that moment, she had everything, even if physically she had barely anything to her name. The comfort her family provided the last two months had been unbelievable, and for the first time she included Henrik in that assessment.

  She needed Henrik. She never thought she’d say that, but it was true.

  Her thoughts raced as she stepped into the elevator. Her palms turned clammy and her mouth dried out. How could Henrik continue to have such a drastic effect on her after all these years? Eventually, you would think she’d become immune to him, but even the thought of seeing his face again in a few short minutes spiked her heartrate.

  She continued to prepare her speech in her head, each pass through becoming more rambled than the first. She was so caught up in her thoughts that it took a moment for her to register the harsh voices booming through the opening elevator doors.

  Drew’s volatile warning came first. “I wouldn’t tempt me, asshole. It’s taking all the restraint I can muster not to clock you. I might suggest toning down your attitude a notch.”

  “I said I want to see her.”

  Leila instantly clutched her hand around the railing inside the elevator as she lost her breath. It was Derek. Just the sound of his voice sent a wave of cold chills down her spine, causing the hair to prickle along her arms.

  “And I told you no,” Drew answered, matching his snarling tone perfectly.

  “Don’t make me—” Derek started, but the elevator ding distracted him from his thought.

  Without thinking twice, she stepped out, her hand already clenched into a fist. Calling her and leaving voicemails was one thing, but showing up at her door unannounced and threatening her best friend was something she absolutely would not allow. She stood in the hallway, her features hard and cold as she confronted her ex for the first time since she found out.

  His brown hair had grown out the way it usually did during the winter stretch of the season, and he wore the faded jeans she’d bought him. This time last year she might have returned his smile, pleasantly surprised by his sudden, unexpected appearance at her door. That was last year, though.

  She had no more smiles for him.

  “Leila.” And just like that, he flipped a switch. Gone was the menace in his voice he possessed only moments ago, replaced by that same gentle breathlessness he always used for her. She actually thought the no-count, trash-talking goon was his hockey alter ego. She’d convinced herself the Derek she knew was the real him.

  She was naïve.

  It had all been a show for her benefit. He never meant a single word he spoke. The promises were only lies, and the flowers just another prop in the theatrical production that was their relationship. He’d used her. He needed someone to substantiate the façade he portrayed every day, to help make him appear to be that nice guy everyone wanted to know.

  He was not a nice guy.

  No. Derek Deroty was nothing more than a cheater, a liar, and a fraud. She pointed a shaky finger at the elevator, setting her shoulders straight. “Leave. Now.”

  He rolled his eyes, his smile turning annoyed. “You don’t mean that.”

  She clenched her teeth, and she thought her heart might explode from the raw emotion coursing through it. “I’m sorry,” she drawled, her voice ragged. “Did the unanswered phone calls and ignored texts send you the wrong message? I said get the hell out.”

  “You’re being dramatic again.” He strolled casually in her direction, his hands in his pockets as if she hadn’t just screamed at him. “So, I made a mistake. I get it. I’ve given you your space so you can cool off. But it’s time for you to get over it and come back home.”

  Her mouth fell open in awe, or maybe it was disgust. She was too angry to figure out which. “Do you actually believe that’s what I’ve been doing here all this time? Cooling off?”

  “It’s what you always do. We get in a fight, and you run to him pouting about it, and then you get over it.” He pointed at Drew with a disgusted look on his face, to which Drew shot him a smile.

  She ran her hands down her face, which felt hot and flushed. “I left you, Derek. It’s over. Permanently.” She took a breath, and without debating, she continued. “I’ve already moved on.”

  “What?”

  Drew’s dark chuckle filled the hallway as he stepped up beside him. “You were wrong this time. She didn’t run to me.” Drew leaned over, whispering to Derek as a smirk spread across his face. “You think she went out all by
herself tonight dressed like that?”

  Derek looked between them, his mild irritation transforming to rage as Drew’s words started to sink in. “You’re seeing someone?”

  “Oh, not just anyone,” Drew chimed, thoroughly enjoying himself now.

  On perfect cue, the elevator dinged again. Another chill ran down her spine. A different kind. A better kind that she never wanted to go away.

  The elevator opened, revealing Henrik, his tux jacket swung over his arm. His smile was instant. “You didn’t have to wait on me.”

  A cool breeze washed over her, dashing all her former anger and resentment. Drew was right. She hadn’t run to him this time around. It was Henrik who saved her heart from breaking, mending every stitch until she couldn’t imagine anyone but him owning it ever again.

  As much as that thought scared her, she knew it was true. She was in love with Henrik, and perhaps she always had been. Either way, she knew there would be no going back for her now. His mother’s words rang in her mind, and she agreed with them. Henrik’s affection was a tidal wave, sudden and all consuming. All she had to do was find the courage to step in his path.

  Her emotions were on full display, tears brimming her lashes. She could barely breathe as she smiled back at her savior.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She didn’t answer. She couldn’t. Instead, she held out her hand, and he practically leaped out of the elevator to take it, pulling her tight into his side.

  She buried her face in his shirt, twining her fingers in it. She wasn’t sure what the future held for them, but in that moment, she knew where she needed to be. Slowly, she turned Henrik’s body toward the hallway, and his eyes quickly followed.

  His body went rigid as his eyes made contact with his adversary. His arm tightened around her back.

  “Him?” Derek bellowed, his nice guy routine going up in flames. She could see it in his eyes, the loss of control slipping with each heated word he spoke. “You get pissed that I went out a couple times, and decide a better option is him?”

  “My decisions aren’t of any concern to you anymore,” she spat at him. Her breathing was shallow. She needed to calm down.

  Henrik took a step forward, his entire body shaking in anger. She tried her best to hold him in place. “No, Henrik. He’s not worth it. We’re moving on, remember? Let the past go.”

  His eyes caught hers, and she knew her words fell on deaf ears. “Henrik, you’re not on the ice. If you beat the shit out of him now, it’s called assault.”

  Something flashed in his eyes, and he smiled. “Not if he hits me first.”

  He grabbed her, his hands knotting in the hair at the nape of her neck, and he kissed her. It was different than before, more raw and possessive, but with enough kick to make her knees weak. As if reading her mind, Henrik wrapped his other arm around her torso, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss.

  In that brief moment, she belonged to him, and she could feel the thrill of it from her head to the tips of her toes. She couldn’t remember the fear and doubts, or the reservations. Even if she regretted it tomorrow, she would allow herself to get lost in Henrik tonight.

  Chapter 24

  HENRIK’S LOSS

  Henrik had never felt his adrenaline at such a high. Leila kissed him back. Sure, they kissed earlier that evening, but it wasn’t the same. This time it was in front of Drew, and more importantly, Derek. He knew the simple gesture would set Derek off, and he’d meant it to do just that. A simple kiss to elicit a response out of him, except it hadn’t been simple at all. He’d never felt anything like it before in his life. Then it dawned on him.

  Love.

  He was in love with Leila.

  Before he could even decipher his own thoughts, his lips were ripped away from her. “Get your hands off her!”

  The pain was instant, but minor in comparison to every other sensation bursting out of him. His hand touched his nose, and he found blood on his fingertips. Broken. Again.

  He took a deep breath, looking up at a panicked Leila. He wasn’t sure if it was the violence or the shock of what happened between them that had her so alarmed, but if he ever wanted to figure it out, he needed to dispose of the thorn in his side that had been plaguing him far too long.

  He carefully moved Leila into the safety of Drew’s arms before turning back to Derek. He watched as fear slowly ravaged Derek’s face. It was that fear, compiled with his loss of control that sent Derek lunging forward again. Henrik knew he shouldn’t enjoy what would happen next, but he did anyway.

  He grabbed Derek around his collar, making him gasping for breath before standing him up straight. He flailed, trying to unravel the grip Henrik had on him, but it was futile. Derek attempted to land another blow to the side of his shoulder, leaving his face open. A right hook to the cheek, and an uppercut to the chin, and Derek was down. Nothing more than an unconscious piece of their past.

  “Holy shit,” Drew breathed, rushing up next to him. “I’ve never seen you do that.”

  His knuckles groaned. The skin was split, but it was more than worth it. He’d wanted to do that for years. “The Devils are playing the Islanders tomorrow tonight,” he stated calmly. “Teams usually stay at the Hyatt on East and Fifth. Go tell Carl to give them a call, and let them know they have some trash to pick up in Manhattan.”

  Drew nodded, still in awe. He glanced over his shoulder to find Leila, but she was gone. “Where is she?”

  “She went inside. I think the fighting freaked her out.”

  He nodded, agreeing it was for the best. “Tell Carl to send security up too. He’ll come to in a minute. He can wait for his ride on the curb.”

  “Got it.”

  He turned to go inside, but Drew stopped him, smiling. “I hope you don’t expect me to believe that was some kind of newfound gesture of everlasting friendship I just witnessed out here.”

  He smirked.

  “Yeah,” Drew laughed. “I thought so.”

  “We’ll talk about it later,” he rushed, before hurrying in the door.

  He made a beeline for the kitchen, then the hallway. “Leila! Where are you?”

  When she didn’t answer, he started searching bedrooms, and then, finally, he pushed the door to the bathroom open. She lay flat against the cold floor, her eyes closed.

  No.

  Not Leila. Not now.

  He screamed. His vocal cords ripped as he fell to the floor, pulling Leila’s head in his lap. Her face was stark white, yet her cheeks beamed scarlet. He screamed again, or maybe he never stopped. His fingers greedily searched for a pulse, and he finally breathed again when he found it, the steady but slow rhythmic beat under his shaky touch.

  Drew appeared in the doorway, his face falling as he took in the scene. “Oh my God, what happened?”

  “I don’t know. I found her like this,” he said in a rush. “Call an ambulance. Now!”

  Drew disappeared as Henrik’s instincts started to take over. He grabbed the medication bottle off the floor and started reading frantically. “Take once daily—” his eyes scanned the information “—for blood pressure.”

  Why was she taking blood pressure medicine?

  He laid her head on the floor and hurried to the sink, finding a washcloth and soaking it in cold water. He brought it back and placed it on her head before lifting her up into his arms. He had to get to the hospital.

  Drew met him in the hallway. “They’re on their way.”

  “Good. I’m taking her to meet them outside.”

  “Is she going to be okay?” he questioned, his voice tight. “Please, Henrik, tell me she is going to be all right.”

  “I don’t know, Drew. I think her blood pressure is too high, but I don’t know why.”

  He rushed out the front door, stepping over Derek, who was now conscious enough to groan. The elevator sounded down the hallway, and he ran for it. Carl stepped off as he ran past him. “Make sure that idiot is out of here by the time I get back,” he yelled, “or
I seriously might kill him for this.”

  Carl nodded. It took the paramedics fifteen minutes to get there, and as the doors closed, tears started to stream down his face. “I’m going to the hospital with her,” he told Drew. “Go find Austin, and make sure he gets there.”

  “I want to go too,” Drew pleaded.

  “I know, but one of us needs to find Austin. He deserves to know.”

  Drew took one long look at him, and then nodded. “I’ll call him. We can meet somewhere along the way.”

  Henrik started to move, but Drew grabbed him again. “If you get to talk to her, tell her I’m on my way, okay?”

  “I will.”

  “I have to be there for her.”

  Drew was breaking down. He held on to him. “I know, Drew. You will be. We all will. I promise.”

  He nodded, stepping back. “Go. Hurry.”

  ***

  The drive to the hospital was a blur. When Henrik shut off the engine, he couldn’t even remember how he’d gotten there. Two ambulances were out front, one unloading a frail old man, while the other closed its doors and started to pull away with its lights on. He rushed through the sliding doors in front of the paramedics, headed straight for the information desk. “Leila Blakely,” he half yelled, his urgency thick in his voice. “Young, red hair. She was unconscious.”

  The lady eyed him for a moment, which only grated his nerves.

  What the hell was she waiting on?

  “Are you her brother?” she inquired, scrutinizing his appearance. “The paramedics mentioned a brother would be following them.”

  “That’s me, I’m Austin Blakely,” he lied, praying she wasn’t a hockey fan. “Where is she?”

  “Third floor. East wing.”

  “Why would they take her upstairs? Isn’t this the E.R?”

  Again the lady eyed him suspiciously. “Special circumstances,” she retorted, but he wasn’t listening. He was halfway down the hallway, attempting to decipher the signs to figure out the quickest way to the east wing.