Page 99 of Hide and Seek
“Uhhhhhh,” Ace says, not able to lie for shit. “He might be in the general vicinity.”
“You wanna see him?” Diesel tacks on.
“No,” she says too quickly, her voice almost panicked and sending a pang of agony right through my chest. “Just, ummm . . . Tell him thanks for me.”
“SHE SAID THANKS,” Ace yells toward the door. And I reiterate, I’m going to fucking kill him. His tone lowers again, and I can only assume he’s speaking to Harper. “He said anything for you because I’m a pussy-whipped bitch, and that you should repay him by giving me this hot little vixen’s number,and if not, can I at least fuck her in the disabled bathroom down the hall?”
Another smack sounds through the room, and this time Ace grunts in pain. “The fuck was that for?”
“Keep your dick in your pants,” Diesel mutters before his tone shifts. “We’ll get out of your hair, Harper. But uhh . . . I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Thank you.”
“And listen,” he continues. “Just know that while you’re figuring shit out with Knight, you’re family. If you’re in trouble or you don’t feel safe, whether that be at home or work, you can call.”
“I appreciate that.”
I can almost picture the awkward, forced smile that Diesel would offer, doing his best not to seem like the grouchy bastard that he generally is. Only that thought disappears the moment Izzy speaks up again. “Oh, don’t you worry, big guy. I’ll be more than sure to call.”
Fucking hell. There’s going to be another fight between the boys.
“You do that, babe,” Diesel murmurs, and not a moment later, the boys stride out of the room, both Diesel and Ace looking far too impressed with themselves.
“Don’t even fucking think about it,” I tell them, knowing they each have a one-track mind.
“Fuck, you’re such a thirsty little whorebag,” I hear Harper scold her best friend through the thin hospital walls. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Always thinking with your vag.”
“I know,” Izzy murmurs. “I can’t help it. I need to climb them both like trees. I’ve never been so worked up in my life. I’m going to have to excuse myself and take care of business in the bathroom. Holy fuck.”
At that, Ace turns on his heel, more than ready to head straight back in there, but Diesel catches him by the scruff of his shirt, dragging him away from Harper’s room. “Come on, Romeo. It’s just you and your hand tonight.”
We start making our way back down the hall, and while I know I should take off and get home to get a good sleep for work tomorrow, I can’t seem to make myself head toward the exit. “You guys go ahead,” I tell them, my gaze shifting toward the hall that will lead me back toward the hospital’s security center. “I’ve got some shit I need to work out.”
Their brows furrow, their gazes filled with curiosity. “You good, boss?” Ace asks.
“Yeah. Just something I need to wrap my head around,” I tell them, and with that, they take off, leaving me to finally figure out what the hell has been going on with Harper lately, and as I turn to the right, heading deeper into the hospital, I prepare myself to meet with Carly for the second time tonight.
34
HARPER-RAYN
Stupid fucking men. Why do they always have to ruin everything?
I sit in my hospital bed, my legs crossed on the blankets as I wait for Nurse Celia to return with my discharge forms. It’s been five long days wasting away in this hospital bed, and while I’ve hated every second of it, I’ve also done everything in my power to make sure I get out of here as soon as possible.
When they told me to get up and start walking around, I all but sprang out of bed, despite the pain shooting through my body. I’ve pushed myself to my limits, desperate to heal from this shit and finally put it behind me.
The only thing that’s been getting me down is Knight. And not only because he tore my heart into shreds, but because he took it upon himself to mention what happened to his stupid brother, who in turn told my mother.
That asshole. I get why he did it though. He didn’t want me to be alone, but is anybody ever truly alone in a hospital? There are people everywhere. Not to mention the fact that most of them are my colleagues and peers. My room has turned into the current lunch spot for the week, and while I’ve kinda loved getting to catch up with some of my older friends who I don’t necessarily get to see anymore, all I’ve wanted was for that space beside my bed to be taken by Knight. Instead, it’s been my mother’s face staring back at me.
Apparently getting jumped can make a mother suddenly forget that she’s been feuding with you for the better part of a decade, and no matter how many times I tell her that she’s free to leave, her ass remains parked in that damn chair.
I let out a heavy sigh. As much as I want to see him, I can’t.
The moment he questioned me, I knew it was over. After everything that I’ve been going through over these past few weeks, his support is what I’ve needed most, and to learn that he thinks it’s all in my head has killed me in a way I wasn’t prepared for. He broke my heart into a million shattered pieces, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to look at him the same.
Everything hurts, and I want to hate myself for falling for him the way I have as it only makes it harder to try and move on. I knew it was stupid to get involved with a man like Knight. It was only a matter of time before he swept me off my feet. I just wish he was capable of catching me when I fell.
