Page 78 of Dark Obsession
Chapter 27
Nate
"Sir. There are several people here to see you." The nurse moved up beside my bed and touched my arm.
"I don't care. I'm not seeing anyone." I kept my face toward the window. "They're not my blood relatives, and I’m not married."
"All right, but I still think-"
"I didn't ask what you think," I barked and jerked my face toward her as I narrowed my eyes.
She moved back and lifted her hands as if surrendering. "Okay. I'm sorry."
"Fuck off." I turned back toward the window and closed my eyes as pain laced the center of my chest.
Guilt. Embarrassment. Fury.
I couldn't look at Jenna again after what happened. There was no way. Ashley didn't want me to die, or Jenna to end up a bloody stump from being fucked across the kitchen floor.
She wanted my dignity. And she got it.
The door opened and I sat up and started to throw my pillow.
"I'm not here to fluff any of your shit. Lay down and shut up." Erik walked in and dropped down in the chair next to the bed.
"Fuck you, Bertinelli. Get outta here." I closed my eyes and rested my arm on my face. "I don't owe you shit."
"Naw, but you sure as fuck owe that beautiful woman close to tears in the lobby. She fucked you in front of a crowd to help you out a couple of days ago. I stood by like a bastard and watched." He pressed his fingers to his mouth as I turned my face toward him.
"You're sick."
"No, you are." He got a faraway look in his eyes. "Did you fall in love with her when you first started going to De Luca or was it more recent?"
"Have you been watching me?" I growled and sat up.
"I've always been watching you, Nate. You're my best friend. I'd never let a fucking leaf fall on your side of the street." He turned his steely eyes back onto me. "You think just because you flipped me and my family off that I could walk away? You saved my goddamn life a million times when we were kids. Took a bullet in the chest for me, what? Five times?"
"Four. You dick." I reached up and rubbed my chest.
"You're not choosing to live right now. You're choosing to die."
"No clue what you're whining about. I'm not in the mood though." I let the smirk slide off my face as pain wrapped tightly around my chest, suffocating my desire to take another breath. "I can't see her again. She's in danger for one, and she has to hate me. I violated her trust, killed her brother, fucked her like a two-bit whore."
"Yeah. And?" He stood up and moved over to the bed, putting his hand on my chest. "You're a good man. You're just living in a fucked up world. Fix it, or I'm going to fix it for you."
I turned and swallowed the burn in my chest as my eyes filled with tears. "Ash stole my pride, Erik. How the fuck do I ever get that back? Jenna deserves a man, not an abuser."
He nodded. "Ash only stole what you let her steal. Nothing more. You have a woman who loves you waiting in the lobby. Don't turn her away." He smiled just before I closed my eyes. "I promise you that I'll pick her up and make her mine."
"No, you won't." I reached up and grabbed for his throat as he chuckled.
"Good. She's a little too tainted for me anyway. I swear, she enjoyed fucking you and tugging on your shit as much as you cried for more." He moved back as I reached for him again. "She loves you, man. That shit is priceless."
"I know." I turned back toward the window. "Take her home for me. I'll see her when I get out. I promise."
He left without another word, and I was grateful. He knew me well enough to understand that when I said my peace... I meant it.
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