4
Larkyn
A machine beeps rhythmically next to my head. The sound isn’t supposed to be heard. It’s supposed to become background noise. But my headache controls me. It’s as if you found all of the jackhammers in the world and used them all to drill into my head at the same time.
I’d take the jackhammers over what is happening in my head right now. My head is worse. A simple beeping is enough to make me want to rip off my ears and throw them at the machine, in hopes it will stop.
I keep my eyes closed, though I’m awake. Even with my eyelids shut, the light is too bright for my sensitive eyes to handle. Now I want to carve out my eyes, too.
Great, at this rate I won’t have any body parts left.
“Larkyn, are you awake?” the e
vil bastard asks.
I lie still, hoping Kade will go away if he thinks I’m asleep.
“I saw you ball your hands into fists, and you frowned when you heard me speak, so I know you are awake. You might as well talk to me,” the son of a bitch says.
Kade’s not going away. He feels guilty for what happened. That guilt won’t go away if he leaves. Maybe if I talk to him, he’ll leave.
“Turn off the lights,” I say.
I swear I feel the bastard grin. “I’m that bad to look at, huh?” Kade asks.
My lips tighten, but I refuse to frown or show any emotion for Kade. He and Sebastian are cruel. They don’t get to witness my suffering.
“No, I have a headache that hurts like a motherfucker, and the light is making it worse,” I say, not adding I don’t want him to see me in pain.
Kade turns off the lights without any more argument.
I slowly open my eyes. My eyes don’t burn from the light, but I wouldn’t call the room dark. The closed blinds let in far too much light to dampen how much agony I’m in.
Kade narrows his eyes at me and reaches out to touch my hand, as he sits on the edge of my bed. I pull my hand away and hide it under the covers so he can’t attempt to touch me again.
“You’re pissed, that’s good,” Kade says.
“How is being pissed a good thing?”
He smirks. “Because it means you remember what happened. The doctor was afraid you might not remember. The accident might have fucked with your head.”
“Of course I remember your brother almost fucking killing me!”
He cocks his head. “And yet, you’re looking at me like you want to kill me as well, even though I saved your life.”
I huff and glare at him. I want both King brothers out of my life. I don’t want to think about either of them again. I wouldn’t be in the hospital for the dozenth time if it weren’t for these assholes.
I glance at the door, afraid Sebastian is going to walk in and want to apologize. I’m not ready for that. I don’t want to see him. Ever.
“Don’t worry, Sebastian isn’t here,” Kade says.
I exhale, after realizing I had been holding my breath.
“But Serena may walk in at any moment. She hasn’t left you, except to get coffee and occasionally food when I demand she leave,” Kade says.
I smile. At least I have one friend. But that means… If Kade knows Serena hasn’t left my side, then he hasn’t left my side either.
He looks at me with his big smoldering eyes, and my anger falls away. Kade did save my life, and then he stayed with me. I can hate his brother all I want, but I can’t hate him.