"Why are you guys here?" I ask. Huh, my brain's online again. Enough to wonder, at least.
"Colt's freaking out about Evie's safety. He's been prowling the ER all night. He dragged me along to check out their systems."
Sounds about right. He’d want Declan’s computer expertise here, though how the hell he got access to the hospital systems, I don’t know. Colt's protective as hell, even of me, and I'm just his friend. I can't imagine how bad he'd be with his girlfriend. I'm sure he's considered wrapping her in bubble wrap each time she leaves the house.
I straighten as I spot the doctor coming toward us. I'm holding my breath as he speaks.
"How do you know this woman?" he asks.
"She's my little sister. Is she going to be ok?"
His eyes tighten, a mask slipping over his face. A kind mask, but still a mask. "We don't know yet. We're going to send her upstairs for some scans. We're worried about bleeding and swelling in her brain. We'll know more in the morning."
He says more, but as he walks away all I can focus on is bleeding and swelling. That sounds really bad. A moan forces its way out of me. "Oh, no." My legs feel wobbly. Declan's arms tighten around me until I get my feet under me again.
"Goddammit. What the fuck happened, Cara. Who was this guy? Who did this?" Declan doesn't talk like this. Not to me. He stutters and mumbles and blushes.
"Tyler. He's Bree's boyfriend. I didn't like him. They were at the club tonight, but they left early." I’m a broken record, repeating the same shit over and over.
"Seriously, Cara? So you stayed behind and partied while your sister went home with her abusive boyfriend?"
He's saying exactly what I've been thinking, but somehow it doesn't feel right when it's coming out of his mouth. I'm at the club because that's my business. My future. That's where Bree and I are all the time.
"I've never seen him hurt her. She never told me he was. I thought he was just an asshole. She's twenty-six. She has her own life. And she can usually handle her own shit." I sound defensive because I am.
"How the hell did you miss it? Maybe you should spend less time in the fucking club and more time with your sister. Your priorities are fucked up, Cara."
Years ago, I read a book that talked about love like a garden. The first seed is planted, and that seed needs to be nurtured and watered. And it will grow. I loved that metaphor, and each time I saw Declan, every time he came to my desk to fix my computer, every time I showed him how attracted to him I was, I pictured that love growing.
I was a fool.
This isn't love. Declan doesn't love me. He doesn't even like me. He thinks I'm the kind of person that chooses to party at a club while her sister is beaten. How could he ever love that kind of person?
I wouldn't.
That little seedling of love, the one I was carefully tending, watering, watching grow, shrivels up and dies in the center of my chest. I was so wrong. In that seedling’s place, a tower of rage forms.
Raising my hands, I plant them on his chest, shoving him away. He's big, but so am I, and I manage to take him by surprise and knock him back a couple of steps. My disappointment and anger make my legs steady under me. "Let go of me, right fucking now." I use my work voice. The one that lets everyone know not to fuck with me. "You don't know a fucking thing about me. Turn around and walk the fuck away. Now."
He moves back towards me, eyes wide, and I show him how much I don't want him here. I show him my disgust with myself for being so stupid. He staggers back, shaking his head. "Fine. You want me gone? I'm gone."
He turns and walks away, not stopping. Not looking back. I'm not surprised, but it hurts. Colton's tugging a nurse towards me. I've never met her, but I've seen her picture a few times. Evie. The woman Colt's obsessed with. He’s been hounding me to meet her, but I barely have a spare second between work and the club.
I watched Evie with my sister. The gentle way she touched her, how she spoke to her, even if Bree couldn't hear her.
I love her. I love her because she's taking such good care of Bree. And I love her because she looks at Colt like he's the most incredible man in the world. He deserves that.
Colt's face radiates concern. "What just happened? What did he do?"
He's such an amazing friend. He loves so big, so deeply, you never have to guess where he stands. I smile, thankful he's here on this completely shitty night. "He fixed me."
"I don't understand, honey."
I shrug. "I thought I was in love with him. And he just made it very clear how he feels about me. So he fixed it. I'm done with him. He set me free."
I turn away, moving to my sister's bedside, blocking out Colt's confused gaze and Evie's sympathetic one.
My stupid heart is broken, but it doesn't get any more attention from me right now. Because the rest of my heart is lying in this bed. She's all that matters now.
