Fractured (Lucian & Lia #2)(3)
“I’m her fiancé,” I say quietly. She simply looks at me for a long moment without comment.
“Lia is stable and sedated right now. The trauma team is working on her. It’s going to be a while before the extent of her injuries is known. I…”
Before she can finish, I interrupt her. “Why is she sedated? She’s been unconscious except for a brief time. Was she awake?”
She rubs her temple, as if debating her answer. Finally, she says, “She awoke right after she was brought back. She…asked for you, and then in the next instant became almost hysterical trying to move from the gurney. She had to be sedated before…”
That’s all I hear. I’m down the hallway in an instant pounding on the locked double doors of the emergency entrance. “Open the f*cking door,” I snap to the startled receptionist gaping at me from the desk nearby. She hurriedly picks up her phone, just as my shoulders are grasped from behind. I shrug the hold off as my aunt steps between the doors and me.
She shakes her head at the receptionist, possibly trying to reassure her I’m not a lunatic, which is exactly what I am right now. Lia is lying somewhere beyond those metal doors, scared and needing me. All rational thought has left my body and I’m focused only on getting to her. “Luc!” she snaps. “Stop this right now! If you keep this up, you’ll be banned from the hospital and you won’t be able to see Lia. If you cannot think of yourself, then think of that girl who is going to need you.”
As her words hit me like arrows, I allow the hands, which are once again on my shoulders to pull me away. As if expecting me to bolt, Sam and Max take up positions on either side and steer me down the hall and into an empty restroom. My frustration boils over as I brace my hands on the porcelain sink before throwing a fist through the mirror above it. Both Sam and Max are utterly still as I pull my hand back and send it through the now-shattered glass. Shards fly all around me as I prepare to do it again. Strangely enough, the pain searing through my knuckles grounds me, helping me to find an outlet for the torment, which is suffocating me.
Max grabs my fist before it can make contact this time. “Enough, Luc. Fucking get it together before they have you locked up.” When I make no effort to fight his hold, he slowly releases me and slumps against a wall. “What in the hell happened to bring this on?”
My aunt walks into the restroom, followed closely by Sam. I hadn’t even noticed him leave. She curses under her breath as she takes in the mess I’ve made. I’m shocked when she holds my hand up, shaking her head at the steady stream of blood staining the white sink scarlet. With little sympathy for my self-inflicted injuries, she takes a bottle out of a plastic caddy that she brought in with her and liberally douses my shredded skin in something akin to liquid fire. As I flinch and try to pull away, she holds me firmly until she’s satisfied the area is clean.
Next, she brings out some tweezers and begins pulling out the pieces of glass, which had embedded themselves in my skin, and f*ck, once again the pain is severe but almost welcome. This I can handle. Physical pain is a pleasure compared to the emotional pain, which has gripped me since finding Lia. That type of pain is sheer torment. My soul feels like it’s been ripped from my body when I think of her. Without looking up, she says, “You’ll be making a donation to this hospital because in a few moments, I’m going to report that this bathroom was damaged by someone unknown and have it cleaned up. I’m doing this for Lia because she’s going to need you when she awakes again.” When she finishes bandaging my hand, she finally looks up. “Promise me you have yourself together now? If you don’t, I’ll have Sam take you home.”
I stare into her concerned eyes before nodding my head. “I’ve got it.”
“Okay then.” She starts repacking her supplies. “I’m going to go check in on Lia. I’ll keep you updated as long as you can handle it.”
Her meaning is clear: one more outburst from me and the information flow stops. Regardless of whether we are family or not, she can’t have me wrecking the hospital every time I hear something I can’t deal with. I don’t bother to reply because we both understand each other. She leaves the restroom followed by Max. As I start toward the door, Sam stops me.
“Luc, do you need to take the edge off?” I open my mouth, wanting to say yes more than I want my next breath, but a sense of shame washes over me. It seems pathetic and cowardly that I need something to help me cope with Lia’s attack while she is the one really suffering. What kind of * does that make me?
“No,” I say as I pull the door open. A part of me knows this is probably the worst time to go cold turkey, but I refuse to attempt to alleviate my pain when Lia cannot. I walk back to the waiting room in a much calmer manner than I left it. My aunt is right: Lia needs and deserves someone strong, and I’ll be that person…I’ll be anything for her.
Chapter Two
Lucian
I’ve long since given up pacing the floor, and I’m slumped in a chair in the corner. Nighttime in a hospital emergency department is bustling. I’ve moved away from crying babies and loud-talking people too many times to count. On her last visit, my aunt pulled a chair into the hallway for me, knowing I had no desire to be in a group of strangers.
“Lia is bruised and banged up pretty badly. She has fractures to her wrist, fingers, and her nose. What we’re watching closely right now though is the small amount of swelling she has on her brain.” At the look of panic on my face, she takes my hand reassuringly. “The doctor believes we can treat her with medication as long as the swelling doesn’t continue to increase further. At this point, we are monitoring that.” I notice vaguely that my aunt looks tired; I know she’s working a double shift so she can be near Lia. I sent Sam, Max, and Rose home hours ago. I was in no mood for company, but I know they would be back in a moment’s notice if I said the word. I’ve lived for years, though, as mostly a loner…until Lia, and it’s something I’ve fallen back on for comfort today. “Luc…the old scar on her back…did he do that, as well?” I nod but don’t bother to elaborate. In her years at the hospital, she has probably seen more women like Lia than I can imagine. Very little shocks her anymore.