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“Take this as a warning. Next time, I won't be as lenient,” he spat out with a curled lip as he placed his hands onto the wires on my hand. “Next time you try to get in the way of my plans – you won't be as lucky. Everleigh, I will dig deep… Dawson will know all about your relationship with Tye.”
“B…but.”
“Save your breath,” he hissed. “I have my ways…”
I pushed to keep my eyes open, when all I wanted to do was close them. I hoped the pain in my head would stop taking over, blocking the words out running through my frazzled sore head. I couldn’t though, not with him here. He could do anything. Stone Parker was a bastard and wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted but he had met his match. I'd fight until my last breath knowing I had acted as a buffer. That I stopped the person I cared for from ending up in his grasps, even though I know he'd have done anything to have avoided it, too. The question was, Stone seemed to believe we all had a price, but did we?
I heard the door click shut and exhaled the breath I had been holding. I was alive, in pain but very much alive. Scare tactics were on the cards but I'd not crumble at his methods. All I needed was my man.
“Dawson...” I whispered, as I felt sleep carry me off again.
* * *
“Everleigh… Belle?” I heard a hoarse voice whispering in pain as I felt the pressure squeezing against my hand.How long had I been asleep?“Open your eyes, baby… that's right.”
I listened to the voice pushing through my brain and allowed my reflexes to respond. I urged my eyes to open and focus. I had to see if this was still a dream or finally reality. Dawson, was he really here? Was my mind playing tricks?
“That's it, baby…” he said as I heard the beeping of the machine start to settle in line with my slowing heart rate. “It's okay…”
I felt the panic rise again as I heard footsteps approaching. Who was there? The panic rose higher as an unknown voice spoke quietly and softly, calming me immediately. My eyes took a minute to adapt to the light and things seemed a little hazy. A female. It wasn't him.
“Miss Acton. My name is Nurse Williamson, you were brought into hospital yesterday.”
I nodded my head and tried to force words out as I felt the rough hands behind my neck lift me gently. I swallowed at the familiar warmth as a straw was placed in front of my lips.
“Small, little sips…” Nurse Williamson said before my head was gently placed back on the pillow.
“Dawson...?” I croaked out, trying to look around.
“I'm here… shh, Belle.” He picked my hand up and gently kissed my knuckles, rolling his thumb along the top as I noticed the redness of his eyes. My heart broke.
I reached for my head with the arm I could move, the other felt heavy and weighted across my chest. I gently patted, attempting to check myself over, but it was worthless. The energy it took drained me in moments.
“I'll let you rest… if you need me, just press the buzzer…” she said, side eyeing Dawson, before giving me a slight smile. “Everleigh, you've had a bad fall… rest.”
I nodded but Dawson’s gaze lay daggers in my heart and the icy chill swept down my spine. He knew it wasn't a fall but first I had to ensure his bastard of a father had no ammunition left to fire. He wanted to play dirty, push his son away and reveal my past. He'd have a fight when there was nothing left to reveal.
“Everleigh… what?”
“Dawson…” I interrupted. “Stone… I need to talk to you, about Stone.”
“Okay, baby.” He shushed me, running his fingers through my hair as I felt the unintentional tug. “I'm sorry…”
“It's okay…” I winced, managing to reach for his hand with mine. “Stone came to see me, but I have to be honest. He wants to destroy us; he wants you and doesn't care how.”
“I know…” he said, “but he won't win.”
“He may.” I sighed. “He knows about me. Everything…”
I closed my eyes as I felt a tear roll down my cheek and reach my lip. I tried to ignore the throbbing pain that pulsed in my casted arm and the grimace from appearing on my face.
“He will twist everything, and I’d rather be the one that told you than allow him to gloat over my story. I won’t allow him the power to twist and control everything.”
“It can wait… Belle. Let's just wait, you need to rest,” Dawson replied, trying to divert me.
“No Dawson, I have to say it now, it’s better I tell you...” I said, holding back the pained cry from my voice, knowing I had to sleep. “Tye and me… we were fuck buddies.”
“No… Belle,” Dawson replied, dropping my hand and storming from the room as my eyes grew heavy. “Just…” And he was gone. He’d left again, just like before. He promised to stay, he promised me forever and stupidly, I’d believed him. My eyelids closed and I was out again.
