Chloe finally made it to the floor and gripped her legs to her body. Why couldn’t I help her? Why did I leave her? She heard Amo’s voice trying to comfort her. Why do I always just stand and watch?
Vincent came to stand over Nero and Elle. “No one is fucking in here.”
Nero didn’t take his eyes off Elle, still rubbing her head. “Tell me who did it.”
Chloe squeezed her body tighter. Why can’t I cry for her? What’s wrong with me?
Nero turned to look at Chloe. “Fucking tell me!”
Do something right! “Cassandra,” she whispered.
“Amo, make sure she fucking understands.” Nero went back to crooning to Elle.
Her view became blocked by Amo’s body as he sat down in front of her. She now stared at his face, yet she was seeing past it at the same time.
“Chloe, tell them you saw nothing. You don’t know who did it,” Amo spoke to her.
I saw nothing. I don’t know who did it. I saw nothing. I don’t know who did it. I was in a car wreck; that’s all I know. I was in a car wreck; no one hurt me…
Chapter Forty-Four
Beep…Beep…Beep…
Nero sat in the waiting room with his crew and Chloe, waiting to hear from the doctor. Not like they’re going to tell us shit. We’re not family.
The last few months had been pure torture on him. That night, now months ago, he had talked to his father, yelling at him because he had known his dad had said something to her. In response, he had reminded Nero of what had happened to his mother, asked him if he wanted the same fate for Elle. So, Nero had let her go for good.
At first, he’d stayed close by her, something in him secretly hoping she’d give in and talk to him and it would make him change his mind. Then, when she’d made it a point of ignoring him, not even looking at him, avoiding his face, he had backed off, giving her the space she needed because he couldn’t take her not being able to even look at him.
Nero had watched her from afar at that point. She had kept working and adding hours on, despite him paying for her school. He had spent every fucking night the past few months following her to work, watching her from his car and then following her back home to make sure she made it there safely.
The worst part of it all was watching her turn into someone else. She didn’t look or act the same, and it was all because of him. I fucked her up. He knew it was all on him.
Elle wasn’t alone, though; Nero had changed, too. He couldn’t sleep without seeing her, so it was better not to sleep at all. Nothing tasted good to him besides fucking strawberries, and eating fucking strawberries was painful. Before Elle, he had fucked every girl who looked his way; now, he couldn’t even look at them because it wasn’t the girl he wanted to look at. He had several offers to go to prom, turning them all down. It had gotten so ridiculous that, when a girl came up to him, he just waved them away with his hand.
His balls officially hated his guts. His dick had been inside so many girls, and then, when his dick had finally gone inside Elle, there was no comparison. He couldn’t even try to fuck someone else. It wouldn’t have done shit. Nero had to take a freezing-cold shower, one right after another, to ease the pain in his groin.
Now, after seeing Elle helpless on the bathroom floor, none of it mattered anymore. He didn’t think Elle was better off without him any longer, and he wasn’t his father—he would protect Elle above anything else from now on. Not even the family will come before her. Nero was now going to take what was his, whether she wanted him to or not.
Nero saw Elle’s parents and brother come in, asking to see her. The nurses told them to remain in the waiting room for the doctor.
He watched them come in. Her mother had tears flowing from her eyes and so did Josh.
Nero stared at her father as he rolled in.
“What happened?” Elle’s father asked Chloe.
Nero stood. “We need to talk, alone.”
“I didn’t ask—”
“Now,” Nero said coldly, making the waiting room go silent.
He walked out and down the hall to a quiet part of the hospital, her father following behind.
“What makes you think I want to talk to you? You were the worst thing to ever happen to my daughter,” Elle’s father spat at him.
Nero flexed his jaw. “What makes you think I want to fucking talk to a father who doesn’t give a shit enough to see his daughter is getting the shit beat out of her at school?”
“What? She is?” Concern showed on his face.
Nero stood right above him, looking down at him. “Maybe if you lay off the pain pills and fucking got over the fact that you can’t walk anymore, you would have seen. But I know, deep down, you knew, and don’t tell me you didn’t.”
Elle’s father looked down. “No, I—”
“I don’t want to fucking hear it. When they look her over, I guarantee they’re going to see past injuries, and there’s no telling how many they will find. I suggest you talk to the doctors alone, unless you want her mother finding out.”
He nodded in understanding. “What are you doing here? If you think you and my daughter are getting back together, you’re mistaken. I know all about the Caruso family; I hear the rumors. I will do whatever it takes to keep her from you. I think we both know you’ve done enough already.”
“I know I fucked up. That’s the difference between you and me.” Nero squatted down so he could clearly get his message through. “She will go to college here now. She will live with me now. Elle is mine now. You try to keep her from me, I will tell Elle the truth about your little forklift accident rollover. About how you were drunk while operating machinery.” Nero saw the surprise in his face. “Yeah, see, I have friends in this city, and if you don’t care that I’ll tell her the truth, then I’ll have them kill you. That way, I can still look Elle in the face every morning. Are we clear?”