Brutally Beautiful(98)

“Even though you think you’re pushing my buttons…you will not get a rise out of me, Mr. Grayson. Now, stop all the elevator puns, they’re driving me up a wall.”

I was dead-ass laughing. I had to think of more puns quick. “You didn’t mind when my shaft was driving you up the wall last night.”

“Yes, I recall being in between a cock and a hard place,” Sam quipped.

“Yep, the best damn cock climber I ever saw,” I smiled.

“This is like pure punishment,” she laughed.

“Well, I am the punisher,” I said, locking my eyes on hers.

“Yes, my ass still stings nicely,” she smiled. How the hell did that woman think I was going to let her walk out of my life?

The elevator doors opened to Dylan’s floor and both women exited, laughing. I had three thoughts as I watched her walk out. One, I needed a sandwich. Two, I wondered where the best hiding spot was in this hospital to f*ck Samantha. And three, how the hell was I going to get her to stay in this town? I wanted her to be with me, no one else was going to have her. Period.

Creepy? Yes. Possessive? Absolutely. We all know I have issues. I. Don’t. Care. What. You. Think. I wanted her. She was the only person in this world that I had ever met that made me think differently about things.

My brother was sitting in one of those reclining hospital chairs next to a window when we walked in. The luckiest man I knew. Who else gets shot twice in a bar fight, and the bullets hit nothing important? He looked great, too. The color was back in his face, his smile was bright and they were already feeding him solid food.

“I’m so sorry that I brought trouble with me,” I heard Sam say to him as she sat softly on his bed.

“It was worth it, just to get to see my brother as much as I did, and to see him smile. I wish you’d stay.” His eyes glanced at Jennifer, “Jen told me about everything, but I still wish you’d stay here.”

“I can’t, Dylan. I can’t have any more people hurt.”

Hearing her say the words so decisively tore at my insides. Pulling up a visitor’s chair, I slumped into it and detached myself from the conversation, from the smiles and the laughter, from the world, wondering if any of this was worth fighting for.

I only registered a bit of information they discussed. Samantha wanted to change her appearance, dye her hair again, and they bickered over colors. Jennifer spoke a little about the shooter, and then there were some mentions about states like Montana and North Dakota. Then at some point, I couldn’t even tell you when or how long after we got there, Sam and Jen went to get coffee in the cafeteria and I was left alone with my brother staring at me.

“Kade, mate. Don’t let her go,” he said.

“What?” I asked, waking up from my self-induced coma.

Dylan leaned forward, clenching his face in pain and repeated, “Don’t let her go.”

“What the f*ck am I supposed to do?”

“Make her feel safe here. She can’t go out there on her own,” he whispered.

I laughed bitterly, “Actually, I think she can. She’s probably the only woman I ever met who could take care of herself on the run for the rest of her life.” I stood up, stretched and walked to the window. My rage lay just an inch below my surface.

“Do you care about her?” He asked.

“Bloody hell, yes,” I replied. Bending down to face him, trying desperately to hold back my anger, I sneered, “She doesn’t want to stay. End of story. I’m not a hero. I have no safety to offer her, I can’t even think of anything, except tying her up and locking her in my bloody basement.”