“You gotta wake up, baby. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s going on,” I tell her, whispering it lowly so only she and I can hear my words.
“Alright, what do we have here?” a police officer asks.
“Not sure. I got a 9-1-1 text from my girlfriend, heard a gun discharge, then found her on the ground. No blood or anything that I can see. My guess is the woman over there, which Melanie has a restraining order against, is the reason,” I state.
“Ambulance just pulled up. I’ll go deal with the lady.” I hear him murmur a few words then hear a wailing. “That dumb bitch! She’s the reason everything happened. I lost my body, then the man who was my meal ticket. That whore over there got it all.” Agatha is blabbering as the female Police Officer places her silver bracelets around her wrists.
“I’d love to hear all about that, but let’s go out front.” She escorts Agatha, then the paramedics are making their way over to Melanie, fucking finally.
“Who do we have here? Any information you can give me? Next of kin, date of birth, drug allergies?” he asks. I rattle off what I can and let him know I’m her fiancé. This way, I have some way of obtaining information until I can grab her phone and call Gene.
I watch as they take her blood pressure, take her pulse, and then finally my Melanie wakes up.
“What the hell? Don’t poke me.” She wakes up fighting mad.
“Sunshine, calm down, let them work on you,” I tell her, reaching to hold her hand.
“Tell him to quit poking around my head. It fucking hurts,” she complains.
“She’s showing signs of a concussion, probably nothing major. Just the same, we’d like to take her to the hospital.” I nod my head in agreement even if the blue-eyed beauty is glaring at me.
“Can I ride with? I just need to grab her cell phone and lock the place up.” My mind is already on autopilot thinking about the shit we’re about to endure at the hospital.
“Yeah, but be quick. The sooner we get there, the better.” I nod my head, then tell the woman who is mine from infinity and fucking beyond what I’m about to do.
“I’m going to go inside, grab your phone, call Gene, put your laptop away. Great thinking, by the way. Couldn’t be prouder of you than I already am, protecting yourself.” I kiss her forehead even though she’s in a neck brace.
“Don’t be gone too long, please.” Her fingertips brush my hand.
“Not a fucking chance.” I leave her but definitely not for long. I look around, seeing her laptop is trash. I grab it, put the dented thing on the counter, grab her phone and keys just in case, then I’m locking the house up. My only goal is to get back to Melanie, and fast.
20
Melanie
“Absolutely not. You’re not cancelling. It’s not even a concussion, just a headache, and by tomorrow, I’ll be good as new. You heard the doctor.” I harrumph, crossing my arms over my now braless state. Stupid hospital gowns.
“It’s tomorrow. No one is going to be home with you. Hell, by the time you get discharged from this place, more than likely when the skies are pitch black and we get back to our place, it’ll be close to freaking midnight. Please, let me be there for you, sunshine. Seeing you like I did, thinking you were lifeless, I’m gonna need at least twenty-four hours around you to settle down.” Fox is practically begging me, and I hate it, so freaking much. I hate that he doesn’t want to be at the second beach volleyball tournament of the season. Apparently, Cruz said he’ll drive or fly up to take his spot. Of course, that was part of Fox’s plea too. I still hate it.
“Fine, but I swear to God if you mother-hen me, I’m going to my own place,” I grump. We’re still waiting for the doctor to return with my CAT scan results, but my cognitive test showed no signs of a concussion. Fox was the one who was adamant I have the scan. I could roll my eyes at how he was acting, all alpha, growly, and basically beating his chest when the male doctor was taking my pulse. I know he means well, but he may need to get used to it. Men are going to be everywhere around us for the rest of time.
“Not promising, but I’ll hide your keys if you try to get up and start cleaning the house again,” he counters.
“Come here, please.” I lift my arm up. I’m not even admitted into my own room, thank goodness. So, aside from the hospital gown, I’m lucky to have no IVs or any other plethora of things that could go wrong.