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Prologue
DIEGO
Eight weeks ago
“Diego, you need to calm down,” the doctor insists and meeting my gaze, I see the impatience behind his eyes. “Do I need to remind you that I have a very sharp needle in my hand.” He holds it in front of my face and all I want to do is hurl as my stomach rolls.
I tightly close my eyes, and hiss, “Just get it over with.” When nothing happens, I open my eyes. “I won’t move,” I add through clenched teeth.
He pauses and then starts to work on my shoulder. I don’t feel much, he’d numbed it with some damn powerful drugs already, so I close my eyes again and try to concentrate on something else. I clear my mind and the image of Rae appears. Her stricken face as I ended up flat on my back on the floor of the bar while Kasey and the others got a hold on the guy responsible. The way the loose tendrils of her hair had softened her face and caressed mine. I remember her small hands as they’d cupped my face while tears fell down her cheeks to the full and rounded curve of her lips. It was almost worth getting stabbed to see her feelings for me written all over her face. She was upset that I’d gotten hurt defending her, I know that, but there was so much more to what I saw swimming in her eyes—and that gave me hope.
My eyes won’t open but I hear my mom talking to a doctor. I know this because every other word uttered from her mouth is ‘doctor’. She isn’t happy about something, and for now I’m more than happy to pretend I’m still asleep.
How I managed to fall asleep while having my shoulder stitched up is beyond me. I hate needles, which makes me wonder whether or not I fell asleep or passed out cold.
God, I hope I didn’t pass out.
“Diego, your mother is well aware that you’re awake,” the doctor informs me, his voice laced with amusement.
“I’m busted,” I grumble, opening my eyes.
“Why would you pretend to be asleep when you know I’m sat here worried to death?” my mom questions, the anger in her eyes fading, replaced by salty tears and a trembling lip.
I’m an ass.
“I’m sorry. My head aches and all I could hear was you shouting at the doctor so I figured it was easier pretending I was still asleep.” I shrug, gasping as fire races up my neck.
“How are you feeling?” the doctor asks, standing over me.
“Sore. Thirsty. Hungry.”
He nods his head.
“How did I end up in a private room?” I question, frowning.
“You passed out,” the doctor states.
My eyes widen in surprise. “I’ve never passed out before.”
“So I’ve been told.”
A loud beeping sound suddenly starts coming from one of the machines that I’m attached to, which the doctor quickly silences before he continues, “It was at that point when we realized just how much blood you’d lost—turns out the wound was deeper than we initially thought, so we put you out and took you in to theatre. Basically, you’ve been stitched back together from the inside out.” He pauses, letting his words sink in.
Taking my silence as his prompt to carry on he edges toward the door. “Providing you follow doctors orders, you’ll be out in a day or two. Back at work in a few weeks.”
I don’t have anything to add so I just nod. My mom clutches my hand and I vaguely hear her telling him thank you—dismissing him.
Alone with her, she leans over and kisses my cheek. “You worried me. Worried everyone.”
“I had no idea he had a knife.”
“You should have minded your own business,” she adds, her lips pulled tight.
My heart sinks. “Mom, Rae is Aiden’s best friend. She needed help and there was nothing to think about. Even if it wasn’t Rae, and it had been another woman, I would have still stepped in.” I keep to myself that it was because of Rae that I lost it. I wanted to hurt the fucker for putting his hands on her—no other woman would have drawn quite that reaction from me.
“I don’t know, but I’m not getting into that while you can hardly keep your eyes open.”
I only half listen to what she’s telling me about family because I’m desperately trying to come up with a way of asking to see Rae without setting her off. Just as I decide to just tell her what I want, I feel my eyes closing and nothing I try to do will keep them open.
“Mom, I know my family is out there waiting to see me, but before I do I need to make sure Rae is okay.” I’ve been arguing with her since I woke up from what appears to have been a thirty-minute nap. “So, unless you want me to get out of this bed and go out there myself, please go and ask her to come in here.” I glare at my mom and know she’s angry at my request. Well, I’m equally angry with her for trying to prevent Rae from coming in here.
She even went as far as telling the doctor that only family is allowed in my room, which I quickly put a stop to.
My mom believes Rae is the one responsible for putting me in the hospital, and it’s pissing me off. Yes, I was defending Rae, but it wasn’t her fault. It was the asshole who had the knife tucked into the band of his jeans who caused all of this. However, as I continue to tune my mom out, I realize that this probably has more to do with it being Rae than anyone else.
She hasn’t taken to Aiden’s friend from the get go. She’s relieved that I’m okay, but there is more to it than she’s letting on. I have a feeling it has everything to do with the obvious attraction between Rae and I—the age difference possibly being the big issue.
As she opens her mouth to speak, I silence her with my hand. “Mom, enough already. I want Rae in here within five minutes or I’m going looking for her.” I narrow my eyes as she tries to say something. “I mean it Mom. I’m a grown man not a child.” Silence follows because she knows that she’s hit a wall with me on this, that she can’t keep ignoring what I want.
“I don’t like this. I’ll go and ask her to come in here, but make the most of the visit because I?
??ll make sure she doesn’t come in again.” On her last word, she turns on her heel and quickly exits before I can say otherwise.
I rest my head against the pillow, breathing through the pain in my shoulder, and the frustration of wanting Rae. I’ve been distracted by her since the minute Aiden introduced us.
I smile when I think about her soft, sexy, and lithe body. She’s a hot little thing and she brings all my protective instincts right to the surface.
Her scent has been mulling around my mind since I held her close when I got the first call about the local forest fire. I’d kissed her forehead and felt the heat rush straight to my dick.
It’s been obvious since then that she wants me to keep my distance, but I’m not sure how when our paths are constantly crossing. Kasey thinks I just need to get laid to get my mind off the curvy woman. According to him it’s the lack of action that has me craving the forbidden fruit.
The sound of the door creaking as it’s pushed open slowly has me snapping my attention in that direction. I sigh in relief when my eyes land on Rae, and I do more than a once over. She moves closer and as our eyes meet, I notice her beautiful face is pale with fatigue. Her lips wobble and she turns away, rapidly swiping at her face with her fingers.
My heart hurts as she tries to hide her emotions, so I hold my hand out. “Rae, come over here.”
She shakes her head and avoids looking at me. “Rae, please. I’m in bed and in a lot of pain, so it’s going to hurt me a hell of a lot to get up and come to you.” Okay, that’s not entirely true. The pain in my shoulder is turning into more of a dull throb since the pain meds are starting to kick in, but I’ll say anything right now to get her closer.
Rae grabs some tissues and rubs at her face before she finally faces me. “I don’t know what to say, or why you insisted on seeing me first—”
“Because I needed you in here with me.” I hold my hand out again and sigh with relief when she takes it, allowing me to tug her closer.
My eyes search her face while hers run up and down my bed ridden frame, her eyebrows scrunching together as she takes in my pale face, that’s when I realize I need her in my arms.
“Pull this down.” I tug on the side of the bed and when it drops, I pat the side.
Her eyes widen and she shakes her head. “No way. I’m not getting in that bed with you.”
