“Well you’re going to have to,asshole,” I heard Kat hiss.
“Babe, bedroom,” Sal ordered.
She must have done as she was toldbecause I didn’t hear a reply.
Sal’s voice dropped a few notches andI couldn’t hear what he was saying anymore. But whatever he said must havepacified Cole to some extent because I heard the front door open and shut, thenall was quiet.
I listened to the sound of my raggedbreathing, my heart pounding in my chest as it had been throughout the wholeexchange. I hadn’t expected him to come here for me. I felt soconfused,I couldn’t process anything aside from the factthat I was deeply hurt.
I managed to get some sleep, thoughvery little. Mostly I just lay on my back and stared up at the ceiling, my eyesburning from tears and exhaustion. Kat slipped in again in the morning and Ilooked over at her without emotion.
“Did you sleep?” she whispered,crawling back in bed with me.
“Barely,” I murmured hoarsely.
“Did you hear?” she asked, referringto the night before.
I nodded. “Most of it. I don’t get howin the hell he thought I would be in his bed when he got home. He must be outof his mind,” I said.
She shook her head. “I don’t know whatwas going through his mind either, other than him being so completely wreckedthat we wouldn’t let him back here to see you.”
“Thank God you didn’t,” I breathed. Wewere quiet for a few beats before I took a deep breath. “I don’t know what todo now,” I whispered, my eyes welling back up.
“What do you mean?” she asked softly.
“All I want is to just go home. But Iknow he won’t allow that, none of them will. But if I thought I wanted todisappear before, that was nothing compared to now.”
“I’m sure Sal will let you stay here,”she suggested.
I shook my head. “I don’t want him inthe middle of this. It wouldn’t be fair. He and Cole go way back.”
“Connie?” she suggested.
I bit my lip. “Yeah, maybe that wouldwork for a little bit,” I sighed.
“I’ll call her,” she said immediately.I knew she was desperate to do something to help. She got up to call Connie andI continued my scrutiny of the ceiling.
I hadn’t moved by the time Katreturned. “Connie said you can stay with her. I filled her in a little, I hopeyou don’t mind,” she added.
I simply nodded, feeling completelydevoid of emotion. I felt utterly numb.
“Come on, Scar, let’s get you up andinto the shower. Then we’ll get some of your stuff and take you to Connie’s,”she told me, pulling me up and practically shoving me into the bathroom.
I felt like a robot as I went throughthe motions of getting dressed. Kat let me borrow some clothes. I stared at thebreakfast she put in front of me, unable to take a bite. I saw Sal and Katexchange glances, but I didn’t have it in me to put on a show. I was wrecked,no sense in hiding it.
Finally, after what felt like aneternity I was all set up in Connie’s guest room. We’d stopped briefly at theapartment and Kat had run in to get some of my stuff. I sat on the bed andstared into space. Kat had offered to stay with me but I waved her off. Ineeded time alone and she had a life to live. Connie hadn’t asked questions buthad simply hugged me and showed me to my room. I was utterly grateful that shedidn’t hover. Finally, I curled up in a ball on top of the bedspread fullyclothed and fell asleep.
Chapter Eleven
When I woke up it was pitch black out andthe clock told me it was just after midnight. My stomach growled. I hadn’teaten in over 24 hours, but I ignored it. I clicked on the light and forcedmyself to sit up. I sat there a while trying to get my head sorted when a softknock sounded at the door.
“Hey,” Connie said quietly, peakingher head in. “I saw your light on, how are you?”
I gave her a weak smile. “Beenbetter.”
“You should eat something,” she saidsoftly.
“Later,” I shook my head. What Ireally needed were my painkillers but if I took them on an empty stomach I knewI’d get sick.
