Complicate Me (Hawthorn Hills Duet Book 1)
Page 23
“Here, let me get you chair,” a voice from behind says, and I hear the sound of wood scraping on the linoleum and then the chair bumps the back of my legs.
I sit down, swiping at my eyes, but still unable to clear the film that seems to cloud them. I ache, everything in me aches, but I know Caleb is feeling more than I ever could be.
“Your brother is going to okay. He’s taken a pretty serious beating, a couple of broken ribs, a broken wrist. He needed a blood transfusion and we’re monitoring his breathing.”
Once I hear the doctor say Caleb will be okay, I hear nothing more until I hear the dreaded words and whatever relief I was feeling is lost.
“Registration will be in to get all his insurance information…”
I look around at the machines, all the wires and the lights and the beeping, and with each thought, I dive deeper into a depression I don’t think I’ll ever recover from.
“He doesn’t have insurance. We can’t pay you. We have no money,” I sob, hysteria taking over, the nature of it all far too overwhelming to deal with.
“That’s okay. We don’t need to worry about that now,” the doctor says comfortingly, but he doesn’t get it. We can push it to the side, we can act like it isn’t happening, but eventually we’ll owe the hospital more money than we’ll probably ever see in our lifetime, compounding the already mounting debt from the bar and my education.
The doctor slips out without saying anything more and I’m left clutching Caleb’s hand as I sit vigil by his bedside. I squeeze his hand so hard, hard enough that I swear he’ll wake up and tell me to stop, but he doesn’t. The monitors continue to beep and I continue to beg anyone to end this nightmare.
I have no idea how long it’s been, but I wake up to Caleb’s body shifting, my head moving with him as I lay across his chest.
“Sie?” he rasps out, his voice hoarse and dry. I reach for the water pitcher pouring him a cup and putting the straw to his mouth.
The tears are falling silently, streaming down my cheeks as I watch him take long, slow drinks from the straw.
“Oh my god, Caleb,” I cry, wanting to throw my arms around him and cling to him until he’s fully healed. “What happened?”
He shakes his head, his eyes falling closed. His response almost like he’s saying he doesn’t remember so I don’t push it. I’m grateful he’s awake, grateful for every second he’s still moving and speaking.
“Where’s Reid?” he asks, his voice still a whisper.
His words hit hard, and I realize I haven’t even thought about Reid since the nurse brought me back to Caleb’s room. I dig through my purse, searching for my phone and see half a dozen missed calls from Reid and several text messages. They’re scattered and almost incoherent and the last one says he needs to take care of something.
I call him and he picks up on the first ring.
“Sienna, where are you?” he snaps, desperation and fear slipping through.
“Where are you?” I ask back, trying not to let my tears garble my words.
“I’m in the emergency room waiting area. I’ve been asking about Caleb for hours, but no one will tell me anything.”
I quickly rattle off the floor and room number, telling him to hurry, but I’m not sure why. It’s not like I can throw myself in his arms and seek the comfort I find in having him close. Telling Caleb about our relationship now seems like entirely the wrong time.
The focus needs to be on him and helping him with his recovery. He doesn’t need to be wondering about what happened on mine and Reid’s road trip or that things turned beyond friendship as he was being beaten nearly to death.
Fuck, we’re horrible people.
All the fun we had while Caleb was obviously here dealing with some major shit. We took all that extra time getting back and had we just fucking driven straight here, none of this would even be happening.
My thoughts are irrational and jumbled and I can’t stop the uncontrollable sobs that continue to rack my body.
“Sienna,” Caleb says, his words as firm as possible given his condition. “You gotta stop crying. I’m gonna be okay.”
The door to the room flies open, Reid bounding through and going straight to Caleb’s side, his face awash with worry and confusion, but he quickly quells it.
“Fuck man, what the hell happened?” Reid asks, and Caleb gives him the same response as me, shaking his head, but never giving an explanation. “I’ve taken care of all of the hospital bills…” Reid starts, but now it’s both Caleb and me shaking our heads.
“No. No, you don’t need to do that,” Caleb asserts, balking at Reid’s statement.
“Who the fuck is gonna pay for all this?” Reid swings a hand around, motioning to all the equipment. “It’s the least I can do.”
Caleb’s face changes, his eyes grow a little wider and he swallows hard, cringing as he does. The room fills suddenly with a heaviness that wasn’t here before, a tension that bounces between all of us. I wait for him to ask the question, I wait for him to realize what’s happened between Reid and me, but the question doesn’t come.
“Sie, can you see if you can find me something to eat?” Caleb asks, shifting a little so he’s sitting up and Reid rushes to adjust the bed. “I’m starving.”
I don’t wait for him to say anything more, needing to feel like I’m helping, I rush out the door.
It takes me less than five minutes to get a turkey sandwich and an apple from the nurses’ station, but I stop outside the door when I hear the sound of raised voices.
“There’s no way you could’ve known,” Caleb’s harsh voice snaps out, ringing in my ears. My heart drops into my stomach, crashing with so much uncertainty at what he’s just said. The fear that had subsided rips through me and it only takes me a second to realize what has happened, what has happened to Caleb.
“Known what?” I snap, walking into the room, desperate for the answer even if Caleb isn’t.
Reid’s eyes are wide, his face is painted with fear as he stands there silent and his lack of response is all I need.
“Your father did this!” I scream, not waiting to find out if my words hold validity. I already know they do.
Reid shakes his head, vehemently, but still his mouth stays silent. I want to scream at him to speak, but his lack of words is enough to make both of us know.
“It’s the least I can do.”
It’s those words that shout at me from inside my head. Only the guilty say things like that and while I know he doesn’t control his father, I get to control who I let into my life, into mine and Caleb’s and it’s no longer Reid Bowen.
“Get out!” I scream, my hands tugging at my hair. “Get the fuck out of here!”
“Sienna, I didn’t—,” Reid starts, his hands up, his eyes filling with tears, but I’m not waiting for an explanation from someone whose father could do this to his son’s best friend. And then it hits me. It wasn’t just Caleb.
“My dad!” I yell out as it all compounds together, the pieces falling into place. You don’t make friends with the son of a ruthless loan shark. Even if we didn’t know this until we got older. “Get out!” My words are louder this time and I feel like my legs might not hold me up, my hands pulling painfully at my hair, hating myself for trusting him, for letting him in.
“Sienna, please,” Reid begs, his words aching with guilt and fear, but I can’t let him stay. I can’t have him here. I can’t even look at him.
A nurse steps inside the room, her words clipped and harsh, shaming each of us and with that Reid walks out the door, but he doesn’t leave without the last word, calling out, “This isn’t over, Sienna,” as he leaves a trail of tears in his wake.
I collapse against Caleb, both of us shaking and crying as we try to process what has just happened. Fifteen years of friendship, of trust and of family all gone in seconds, and the person I thought I loved has now become someone I despise.
Where do we even go from here?
What’s Next
Continue Reid and Sienna’s story in Complete Me! Find it here!
Complete Me: Reid and Sienna Book Two
Life at its most complete is still unexpected.
Reid Bowen ruined her life and he is the one person she trusted. She had no business getting involved with him.
Sienna Parker is the only girl he’s ever wanted and now he’s lost her. But he will stop at nothing to win her back.
Forced together by circumstance, Sienna’s heart will be tested, but it’s Reid who must risk it all to protect them both.
With their future at stake, it’s the unexpected that changes their lives.
Hey Readers!
Did you love Reid and Sienna’s story? We really hope so! If you did, please consider recommending it to your family or friends. We also really appreciate reviews, so please consider leaving one on Amazon, iBooks, Kobo or Barnes and Noble. You can also show your support by leaving a star rating on Goodreads or BookBub. Thank you so much for downloading and reading our book!
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About the Author
Not only is Claire Raye a really sweet pen name, it’s actually a pen name for two sarcastic best friends who met through their mutual love of reading. After bonding over books (and wine and cheese), they decided to take the plunge and see if they could write a book together and ta dah... The Rockport Beach Series was born! In addition to their shared love of food and dropping an occasional (read, a lot of) f bombs, the writing duo that is Claire Raye like to write about strong, sassy females who aren’t afraid to say what’s on their mind and the overprotective men who fall in love with them.
Both halves of Claire Raye are married and both of their husbands have a cheeky side that gets plenty of airtime in their books. From their smart mouths to their witty one-liners, there’s plenty of material to use for all those alpha males they love to write about.
Plans are already underway for the next series, which is sure to feature plenty of sass, steam and humor, and of course, a happily ever after!
Connect with Us
http://www.claireraye.com
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Books by Claire Raye
The Rockport Beach Series
Beginning with You: Free Prequel
Coming Home to You: Book One
Finding Home with You: Book Two
Making Home with You: Book Three
Rockport Beach: The Complete Series
The Love and Wine Series
Always Yours: Companion Novella
Finally Yours: Book One
The Dirty Hollywood Series
Beautiful Secret: Book One
Beautiful Trouble: Book Two
Beautiful Lie: Book Three
Cocky Hero World
Pin-Up Pilot
Acknowledgements
Once again, a huge thank you to all of our readers! Thank you for buying our books, for leaving us a review and for all of your support, it means the world to us!
Thank you also to Sara Eirew for the most perfect photos of Reid and Sienna and for Amy Queau of QDesign for taking those photos and creating these gorgeous covers! They are absolutely gorgeous. Thank you also to our beta readers and editor, your time and support is invaluable.
As always, thanks to our husbands for their love and support…and crazy plot ideas or smartass comments.
Table of Contents
Prologue- Two Years Ago: Reid
Chapter One- Present Day: Sienna
Chapter Two: Reid
Chapter Three: Sienna
Chapter Four: Reid
Chapter Five: Sienna
Chapter Six: Reid
Chapter Seven: Sienna
Chapter Eight: Reid
Chapter Nine: Sienna
Chapter Ten: Reid
Chapter Eleven: Sienna
Chapter Twelve: Reid
Chapter Thirteen: Sienna
Chapter Fourteen: Reid
Chapter Fifteen: Sienna
Chapter Sixteen: Reid
Chapter Seventeen: Sienna
Chapter Eighteen: Reid
Chapter Nineteen: Sienna
Chapter Twenty: Reid
Chapter Twenty-One: Sienna
Chapter Twenty-Two: Reid
Chapter Twenty-Three: Sienna
Chapter Twenty-Four: Reid
Chapter Twenty-Five: Sienna
Chapter Twenty-Six: Reid
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Sienna
What’s Next
Hey Readers!
About the Author