Lucca quickly grabbed her face and rubbed her jaw. “You’re lucky I owe you.” He dropped his hand just as quickly and stood. “Remember, darlin’, you have till tomorrow night.”
Elle watched him disappear into the shadows before her eyes—well, eye. His ice-cold voice ran through her head, ‘I owe you.’ Elle’s body shivered; as a result, she lay back down and pulled the cover up to her head. For what?
* * *
The next day, Elle had a full day. They had moved her out of ICU to a room on the fourth floor where it was much quieter, and the room was a thousand times bigger. They’d said she was looking good. She was eating well, walking well, talking well, and going to the bathroom on her own. She was still sore, but that was to be expected. The doctors told her they wanted her to stay one more night, and then she would be free to go.
Now that she was out of ICU, everyone could finally visit her freely. She had immediately told her father to tell Nero she still didn’t want to see him, and to her surprise, he’d respected her wishes.
Everyone had come to visit her; Chloe, Amo, Vincent, Leo, and even Maria along with her own family. She officially had a stockpile of flowers and cards, and in return, Elle had apologized to the ones she hadn’t talked to in months for disowning them because of Nero. Even though they helped conceal the truth.
When it had started to get dark, she told her family to go on home and she just wanted some rest like the night before. Elle couldn’t rest, though; she simply sat in bed, staring at the blank TV screen.
Elle heard a quick knock on the door and the nurse came in.
“Just making my rounds for the night before I head out. How are you doing?” She walked over to check the readings on the machines.
Elle gave her a half-smile. “I’m fine, thank you.”
“All right, honey. Is there anything I can get you?”
Elle looked out her window, seeing the just-now-darkened sky. She took a deep breath. “Is he still out there?”
The nurse smiled at her. “You mean the one who’s been out there all day, real handsome?” She patted her hand. “He is.”
Elle swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. “Can you tell him…?” She trailed off.
The nurse gave a squeeze to her hand. “I’ll get him for you.”
Elle continued to stare out the window as the minutes passed. She could barely hear the door open and the footsteps coming to her bed.
“Elle, will you look at me?”
She couldn’t remember the last time she had heard his voice, the last time he had spoken her name. His voice still sang to her and stilled her soul, even after all that time.
Elle slowly turned her head so he could look at her. She heard his soft gasp then his small, contained growl. Then she did something she had trained herself not to do. For the first time in months, Elle gradually lifted her eyes to look at him. Even though she could only see well out of one eye, she noticed Nero’s changes.
His hair was long, his face scruffy, and dark circles under his eyes conveyed there was no telling the last time he had slept. She had never seen Nero any less than immaculate, yet right now, he looked as if he was wearing the same clothes he had worn when she had gotten here.
Elle suddenly didn’t feel good after seeing what Nero looked like. I did that to him. She now understood why Lucca had come to see her.
She watched Nero sit on the edge of her bed and she scooted over, afraid to touch him.
Nero sighed. “Elle, I’m—”
Elle quickly stopped him, speaking over top of him. “Why don’t you go home and get some rest? I’m being discharged in the morning. We can talk after we’ve both been home and had the chance to clean up.”
Nero shook his head. “I’m not leaving you.”
“Mr. Evans let me read your essay,” Elle whispered abruptly.
Nero didn’t respond.
“Please, go home and get some rest, then I promise we’ll talk.” Elle looked into his pain-filled eyes. “For me, Nero.”
Nero pushed back his long hair only for it to go back where it had been. “Okay.” Nero stood back up and looked at her damage. “Do you know who did it?” His voice had gone deadly.
Lie. “No, I don’t remember anything.”
Nero flexed his jaw. “All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Bye,” she quietly said as he walked out of the room.
Elle laid her head back on the bed, thankful she didn’t have to look at Nero any longer. She hated herself right now for how he looked. It was too painful for her to see the toll she had put on him. Elle knew she didn’t look so hot right now, but that was different. She could always deal with seeing herself hurt, but seeing someone else hurt and knowing she’d caused it was too much for her. Especially someone she…
Elle shook her head, realizing she had lied to him, even after she had gotten mad at Nero for all his lies. The truth was, she had remembered what happened, but Elle didn’t want Nero to know, too afraid he’d kill her.
It was Cassandra.
Chapter Forty-Six
Roll Out the Golden Carpet
“Just sign here, and then you’re free to go.”
Elle signed the paper on the dotted line. Where are my parents?
She looked at her nurse, holding a bag. “M-my ride’s not here yet.”
“Yes it is, honey. He’s waiting out front. Now, let’s get you dressed.”
Elle figured her mother hadn’t wanted to leave Dad alone long in the car, so she slowly got up and the nurse helped her change into a pair of her sweats and a t-shirt from home. Elle sat down in the waiting wheelchair. Ugh, I can finally go home. Needless to say, Elle was sick of hospital food, the constant monitoring, and the horribly-uncomfortable beds.
The nurse walked her down the hallway, into the elevator, and to the sliding doors. When the doors opened, Elle was greeted with a black Cadillac and dark-tinted windows. A brand-new Nero was there, leaning up against his car. Nero?