Addicted to Mr Parks (The Parks Series #2)(15)

I looked around the hospital room on a deep sigh, then glanced towards my drip and tiredly carried my gaze back to Parks. “You want all of me?”

Perching on the edge of the bed, he took my hands and whispered gently, “I want all of you and more. Let me have that.”

I sucked in a ragged breath. In just a couple of hours, my world had been turned on its head multiple times. I’d come face-to-face with my fractured life and, now the man I was falling for, who abandoned me, had walked back into my life and wanted me, issues and all. Was I ever going to get off the ride from hell?

“I’m not strong enough to survive my past, so how can I be strong enough to promise a future with you?”

Parks’s eyes looked torn between despair and deep concern. “You don’t have to be strong anymore, Evelyn. Let me do that for you.”

My gaze drifted to Cheryl, who was tearful but awaiting my response. She wanted more than anything in the world to see me better, to see me happy. It was then I knew I wasn’t just hurting myself as I self-destructed. I was killing those few who loved me.

Finally, I accepted. “Okay.”

Clearly expecting me to decline, Parks blinked at my words, then regained composure. “Okay,” he breathed. My eyes closed when he pressed his forehead against mine because I felt our souls touch, and the passion that was undeniable between us soared once more.

The strained sound of my aunty breaking down at the bottom of my bed punctured my heart. Her sobs made mine escape, giving me no choice but to break down with her.

“Evey, you brave, brave girl.” She ignored my plea not to be hugged and took me into her arms anyway, and there I cried, holding her tightly against me. She held me in an embrace, but the tears came like a flood. Admitting I needed help was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I felt vulnerable and weak, but I couldn’t be strong on the outside when inside, I felt like I was killing myself.

I was losing. And that was okay.





Chapter Seven





Parks and Cheryl hovered closely around the bed as a doctor checked me over, then gathered his notes.

“You’re good to go, Evelyn. But remember…”

“Rest. I know, I get it.”

Cheryl tried to make a fuss over me, but Parks took over and helped me to my feet. She frowned at the way he seemed to want to protect me and not let anyone else help.

“Right, Evey. Do you need anything at all before I leave?”

“No, she doesn’t,” Parks confirmed. “I have everything she needs. Excuse me one moment.”

“Where are you going?” His suggestion that he was going to leave the room rattled my bones. He stroked my cheek with his thumb to ease my panic.

“I have to call Cleaver. I won’t be long.”

I nodded and sagged down into an empty chair as he left. Cheryl was silent for a while. It looked like she was assessing all the new information in her head before she came out with what I knew she was pondering about.

“He’s a bit dominating, isn’t he?”

Oh how little she actually knew. I dismissed her lightly. “He just likes to get the job done.”

But that didn’t reassure her, and her building worry made me agitated. “So how long have you known him?”

I winced because of how little time I’d actually known him, and saying it out loud make it sound worse. “Four weeks.”

Her eyes resembled an owl. “Four bleeding weeks? And he’s got further with you than I ever have? Well, praise the Lord for Wade Parks. I should kiss the handsome bugger’s feet.”

I chuckled, thinking deeply about her comment. “You know, it’s not just because he came into my life that I’m accepting help. I can’t go on like this, Chez. When I first started gaining feelings for Parks, I was confused. I still am. But trying to deny him is killing me. It’s easier if I let him in. I know that now.”

“Are you going to move in with him?” she asked, ignoring her phone ringing in her bag.

I rubbed at my face. “For now. Steph doesn’t want me, and I can’t go back to my parents’ flat.”

“What?” Her tone sent chills down my spine. “You went back there?” My embarrassed grimace told her yes. “Are you crazy?”

Dipping my head down, I admitted, “I know it was stupid, but my parents are my weakness, and I don’t know how to break free from them. But what I crave from them is something I will never get. Craving their love is something else to add to my list of why I f*ck up in life.”


“But unless you cut them out of your life, you will never start to rebuild.” She went to hug me, but I put my arms up.

“Don’t. I’m fine.” I knew if she wrapped her arms around me, I would have cried again, and I couldn’t deal with more tears. “She’s back on drugs.” I sighed. “I found her high as a kite. When she came around, we had a fight. I ran into one of her dealers, and my mind just blew, Chez. How much am I supposed to take?”

Her hand slowly crept to her mouth, the blood dispersing from her cheeks. “Trevor?”

I shook my head. “It was Gabe. Trevor isn’t out yet.”

Cheryl knew all about Gabe and Trevor because I went to her house for two months in hiding, living in fear until I knew for definite he was behind bars.