CHAPTER24
“Thank fuck you’re here. Why aren’t you answering your phone?”
Justin took a step back as Mark pushed his way into Justin’s house. One look at his best friend told him something was wrong. “What’s going on?”
Mark ran a frazzled hand through his hair. “Dad’s been taken to the hospital, and I need to get there. I told mom I’d tell Kim, but she’s not answering her phone. Ali isn’t either, so they’re probably together. I went by her house and her car’s there, but she isn’t, so I tried Ali’s apartment. They aren’t there either. I need to find her, but I don’t know where else to look.”
The euphoric high Justin had been on a few minutes before turned sour in his gut. “Back up. Davis is in the hospital? What happened?”
“He went out to the car to get something and slipped on some ice, Mom said. They think he may have broken his leg.”
Okay, that wasn’t as bad as he’d feared. Still, Kim would want to know and be there for her parents. Hell, he wanted to be there. But first, he needed to get Mark out of his house. His best friend finding Kim in Justin’s house...especially in her current state...would only make things worse.
“I tell you what,” Justin said. “You go to the hospital. Be with your mom. I’ll find Kim and Ali. I know a few places they might have gone.”
“Are you sure?” He could see Mark was torn.
“Of course.” He moved toward the door.
It was then Mark noticed the discarded dress on the floor. “Oh, man. You’re on a date. I’m sorry. I’ll—”
“Stop. Davis and Belinda are more important than a date. She’ll understand.”
He looked skeptical but nodded and went to leave. It wasn’t even a question that Justin would make sure Kim got to the hospital as soon as possible to be with her family. What was more of a concern to him was how she’d take the news.
“Thanks, man.” Mark embraced Justin before walking out the door.
Justin waited until his friend had gotten into his car and driven off before gathering Kim’s dress from the floor and padding down to the bedroom where Kim waited. She looked up when he walked through the door.
The look on his face must have been as telling as Mark’s had been. “Who was it?”
“Your brother.”
She paled. “What?”
“You need to get dressed. Your dad slipped and fell. They think he may have broken his leg, so they’ve taken him to the hospital.”
Kim snatched the clothing from him. She had the dress on in a matter of seconds. “I need to go.”
“Wait,” he said, grabbing hold of her arm to stop her.
She looked up at him, her eyes wide.
“Unless you want your family to know we’ve been together tonight, you can’t go racing off to the hospital minutes after your brother left my place.”
It was as if the air had been let out of her sails. She pressed her lips together. Thinking.
“Your brother thinks you’re with Ali.” Her brow furrowed, so he supplied the additional information. “He tried to call you both, but you had your phones off.” Before she could get too bogged down in the whys, he offered a solution. “I can call the club and let Ali know what’s going on. We can swing by and pick her up, then head to the hospital. I told your brother I might know where you’d be, so it wouldn’t be out of the question that I’d drive you.”
Kim nodded and he dug his phone out of his pocket. He’d turned it off, the same as Kim, before they’d entered the club. While it was powering up, he helped her into her coat and escorted her to his vehicle. Before backing out of his driveway, he dialed the club’s main number. The phone rang in both Katrina’s office and the bar.
“Hello?” Chase answered the phone. Given the private nature of the club, they never answered with anything other than a plain greeting.
“Chase, it’s Justin. I need to speak with Ali. It’s an emergency.”
“Sure. Just a minute.”
Chase put him on hold as Justin drove toward the club. A few minutes later, Ali came on the line. “Justin?”
Justin filled Ali in on what was going on. She agreed to be waiting in the front foyer for them in ten minutes.
He pulled up to the curb in front of Serpent’s Kiss and moments later, Ali emerged from the old building. She was still in her club clothes, but that was okay. He and Kim had talked on the way and decided it was best to be as honest as possible. She and Ali had been out clubbing. It would have been difficult to explain their attire with any other explanation.
It took another fifteen minutes to get to the hospital and another five to figure out where they needed to go. Kim’s mom saw them first. She stood, drawing Mark’s attention. His best friend stood, bracing his hands on his hips. “Where have you been?”
A flash of guilt swept across Kim’s face. “Ali and I were at a club.”
“And you couldn’t answer your phone?” Mark asked.
“Stop it,” Belinda said. “No one knew your father was going to get hurt. Kim’s allowed to go out and have fun.”
Mark didn’t seem happy with the reprimand, but he let it go.
Belinda embraced her daughter. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Kim closed her eyes and held her mother close.
Justin decided to steer the conversation in a different direction. “How’s Davis?”
“They took him to have his leg X-rayed about a half hour ago and they aren’t back yet,” Belinda said.
It took another forty minutes before someone came out to talk to them. Unfortunately, they’d only allow family members into the door, so Justin and Ali hung back.
“You doing okay?” Ali asked.
He glanced over at her. “I’m fine.” His response was clipped, but it was the best he could do. All he’d wanted to do as they sat in the waiting room was to hold Kim’s hand. Sadly, he’d been forced to sit there, hands folded in his own lap, while he’d watched Kim constantly fidget with anxiety. He hated being so close to her and yet so far away at the same time.
Ali flipped the page on the magazine she’d been perusing. “It’s a good thing Mark’s distracted tonight. You two aren’t hiding it well.”
“We haven’t touched each other.”
Grinning, Ali nodded. “True, but that doesn’t mean you haven’t been sending off signals.”
“What are you talking about?”
She shrugged. “All the sly glances you’ve been shooting each other’s way. And that longing look on your face when she left the room...”
Justin wanted to deny it, but he couldn’t. He’d wanted to go with them and be the support Kim needed, but instead he was left sitting on his ass feeling useless.
Not able to stand sitting any longer, he stood. “Do you want anything from the vending machine?”
“No, I’m good,” Ali said, going back to her magazine.
He strolled into the hall, heading for the elevators where the vending machines were located. He heard hushed, but agitated voices.
As he drew closer, he realized who it was. “Where were you tonight?” Mark demanded.
“I told you. I was at a club with Ali.” He rounded the corner and nearly lost his shit. Mark was standing way too close to Kim. Her palms were pressed against the drywall, trying to put some space between them, but her chin lifted in defiance.
“What club? And how did Justin know where to find you?”
This wasn’t good.
“Since when do I need to clear my whereabouts with you, big brother?”
“Since you show up to the hospital with your back covered in strange red marks.”
Oh hell. He hadn’t even thought about that. By morning, the evidence of the flogging he’d given her wouldn’t be noticeable, but it had only been a couple of hours and that dress of hers left a good portion of her shoulders and upper back exposed. She’d had her coat on when they’d first arrived, but she’d obviously taken it off and it was impossible not to notice the marks. Justin could see them from here. He was going to have to intervene. “Everything all right? How’s your dad?”
At the sound of his voice, the two siblings turned. Kim looked relieved. Mark looked annoyed.
It was Kim who answered him, though. “Dad’s going to be okay, but he’s going to have to have surgery. They have to put a pin in his leg.”
“Could you give us a minute?” Mark asked, although, from his tone, he wasn’t really asking.
“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
His friend’s eyes narrowed. “Why not?”
“Because you’re acting like a jackass to your sister when she’s already upset because of what’s happening with your dad. You need to back off.” Justin knew he was taking a chance coming between Mark and Kim, but he wouldn’t let his friend berate his lover for something Justin did to her.
Mark took a step back and looked at his sister. Then to Justin. Blowing out a loud breath, he marched down the hall without another word.
“Thanks,” Kim said, sagging against the wall.
“Come here.” Justin opened his arms, inviting her into them.
She hesitated. “Someone might see.”
“I don’t care.”
Kim collapsed into his arms.
He hugged her close. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” Her answer was mumbled against his chest. “Everything was okay until I took my coat off. It was hot in the room, and I wasn’t thinking.”
Justin glanced down at the skin in question. The impact marks had faded a lot, but anyone who knew her would be able to spot the redness a mile away. Closer inspection would have made it clear it wasn’t from her simply pressing against something.
He kissed the top of her head and tilted her head up. “Why don’t you head back to the waiting room and keep Ali company for a while. I’ll see if I can find Mark and”—Justin’s gaze lingered on where his friend had disappeared down the hall—“see if I can smooth things over.”
She nodded and stepped away from him.
Justin stayed put until she turned the corner, then he went to find Mark.
It was after one in the morning before they’d gotten her dad a room. Kim had wanted to wait until he was settled before leaving. Her mom hadn’t wanted to leave, so the nurse had a cot brought in for her to sleep on.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay, Mom?” Mark asked.
Belinda Langley shook her head. “There’s nothing you all can do tonight. Go home and get some rest.”
Kim embraced her mom. “I’ll be back in the morning. Call me if you need anything.”
“Thank you, honey.” Her mom kissed her on the cheek before turning to hug Mark.
Justin and Ali hung back near the door. Once her dad had been assigned a room, they’d been able to see him. Not that he would likely remember them being there. He’d been given some strong pain relief and was currently snoring in his hospital bed.
After saying their goodbyes, the four of them made their way down the elevator to the parking lot. Mark had been acting strange around her ever since he’d returned to the waiting room with Justin. He hadn’t mentioned her back again, but she’d made sure to retrieve her coat and keep it securely on her body.
Justin hovered close, but he hadn’t spoken to her either since their embrace in the hall. She’d needed that hug. And while she wasn’t remotely in the mood to pick up where they’d left off earlier that evening, she wanted the comfort of his arms around her. She wanted to fall asleep knowing he was right there, strong and sure.
The cold night air hit them in the face when they stepped outside. Mark turned to Justin. “Can you give Ali a ride home since her place is closer to yours?”
“Sure,” Justin said. “I was planning to take both Ali and Kim home.”
“I can take my sister.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Justin said.
Kim confirmed Justin’s assessment. “Neither do I.”
Her brother didn’t seem happy his plans were being questioned. “Why not?”
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think it’s a good idea, either.” Everyone looked at Ali. She’d been quiet most of the evening, staying by Kim’s side and supporting her. Holding Kim’s hand when she needed it since Justin couldn’t. “I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you and I don’t care. It’s been a long night and you both need rest. Whatever it is, you can figure it out tomorrow when everyone isn’t so jumpy.”
Kim silently mouthed thank you to her friend.
Mark rolled his shoulders. “Fine. We’ll talk tomorrow.” Then he turned on his heel and headed off toward where he’d parked his car.
“Okay then,” Ali said.
Justin began walking again. “Let’s get out of the cold.”
They piled into Justin’s car and made their way toward Ali’s apartment. Ali made herself comfortable in the back seat. “You two are going to need to come clean soon. Mark’s going to figure it out before too long.”
Justin flexed his fingers on the steering wheel but didn’t comment. Neither did Kim.
Everyone was quiet for the rest of the drive. They parked in front of Ali’s apartment, and she flipped the hood up on her coat. “Call me tomorrow morning and I’ll go to the hospital with you.”
“Thanks, Ali.”
Her best friend placed a comforting hand on Kim’s shoulder, then exited the vehicle.
They waited for her friend to go inside and turn on the lights before leaving. Ali’s mom was still there and driving Ali crazy, but she wouldn’t say anything about Ali getting in late. She may not even be in yet herself. Zelda had moved into her find another man stage.
Justin maneuvered out of the small parking lot and headed back to her apartment. He pulled into the parking spot nearest to her door and turned off the engine.
No words were said as they got out of the vehicle and made their way up the sidewalk. Justin waited behind her as she put the key in the lock and turned. He helped her with her coat before removing his own, then hanging them both in the closet. She’d wondered if she would need to ask him to stay, but he showed no signs of going. She fell into his arms, burying her face in his chest as she’d wanted to do for the last few hours.
The feel of his hands running along her back made her feel safe. She knew her dad would be okay, but seeing him lying in that hospital bed looking pale and not his usual energetic self had been a wake-up call. He wasn’t going to be around forever. None of them were and they all had to make the most out of the time they had.
Leaning back, he cupped her face in both his hands and kissed her lips with the softest pressure. “Go get ready for bed. I’ll lock up.”
Kim didn’t argue. She stopped in her small bathroom to take care of business and brush her teeth before heading into the bedroom.
Everything was how she left it. She’d had trouble deciding what to wear to the club. There were several outfits draped over the end of her bed. She picked them up and threw them into the corner. It was too late and she was too tired to worry about them tonight.
Water turned on in the bathroom as she removed her dress and threw it into the dirty clothes hamper before kicking off her heels. Her feet were killing her. At the club, she’d known she’d be sitting or kneeling most of the time, so wearing the heels hadn’t been a big deal. The hospital floors, however, had not been kind to her feet. She’d spent way too much time walking and standing on the hard floors.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing her poor feet, when Justin strolled into the room. He crossed the room and sat down at the end of the bed, more than a foot away from her. “Get into the bed and I’ll rub your feet for you.”
Kim didn’t have the energy to argue. She pushed herself higher on the bed and he placed her feet in his lap.
The first few touches were almost painful as he worked the knots out of her feet. But slowly the pain began to ease and what he was doing felt so good. She rested her head on her pillow and closed her eyes, letting the feel of his fingers caressing her lift the tension in not only her feet but her entire body.