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.“Go back to sleep, Macie,” I say quietly, leaning down to kiss her hair.“What are you doing with my ring?” she asks in her sleepy voice.I know I should only be feeling sympathetic towards her right now, but her sleepy voice has always been so damn sexy and I haven’t forgotten that the love of my life isn’t getting married to someone else anymore.“I’m returning it to the weak prick that broke your heart.”She shoots straight up, clutching her lower abdomen where her incision must be.I’m sure that didn’t feel too good.Little tears appear at the bottom of her eyelids.“Shit, that hurt.” Her voice is shaky as she whispers words that make me shake my head, but I don’t have the heart to get on her about her cussing right now.“Crap.I meant to say crap,” she says, her face scrunched up in pain and apology.Right now everything about her is freaking cute as hell and I wish I didn’t have to go down and deal with this guy because what I really want to do is lie back down and cuddle with my girl until she feels better.I release a long breath as I gently guide her back down, tears trailing relentlessly down her cheeks.“I’ll ask the nurse to bring you in some more pain meds on my way out, okay? I won’t be long, promise.” I kiss her nose this time and she rolls back over to the same position she was in when I first arrived.My heart clenches.As soon as the cool air hits my face, I see Mitchell walking across the parking lot.That was fast.I keep my stare on him as he pretends not to see me until he’s right in front of me.He begins to step around me, greeting me with a detached “Good morning, Greyden” and a nod of the head.I guess he hasn’t put the pieces together.I take a step to the left, not allowing him to dismiss me like yesterday’s news.He stops abruptly, squares his shoulders and lifts his chin.“Did you need something? I need to get inside to Macie.”Like hell he does.“That’s not going to happen,” I say evenly as I flick my gaze past him out toward the parking lot.We’re standing in the entrance to the hospital still and people are starting to trickle in to see their loved ones.We don’t need to cause any trouble right in front of the hospital.That and I don’t need hospital security showing up before I kick this guy’s ass.Mitch glances in the same direction and understanding flickers across his face.He takes a step back.“Look, Greyden, I don’t want any problems.I just need to pick something up and I’ll be out of your way.”“See, that’s the problem.You’re such an asshole.I’ve wanted to say that to you for so long now.Mitch, you are such an asshole.You don’t deserve Macie, so I’m actually happy that you’re a fucking prick and do as you’re told.I just wish it hadn’t involved the girl I love.The girl that I’ve loved for most of my life is lying upstairs completely heartbroken because she was chasing a false dream that you presented to her, and for that alone I should kick your ass.Breaking off your engagement when an ‘alteration’ was added to your well thought out future and not giving a damn that Macie is devastated by that ‘alteration’?” Yes, I air quoted alteration.“I should really kick your ass for that, but showing up here in the aftermath of that because your mother told you to retrieve Macie’s ring? Dammit.” I can’t hold it in any more, I reach back and swing with as much force as I can and connect with him right in the eye.Releasing pent up aggression is always nice, but hitting the main source of it is the best.I immediately reach down with my left and hit him in the gut, keeping him upright with my knee.I purposely avoid his nose, hoping he can hop in his car and go home instead of going into the hospital for any treatment.“I have to at least get in one brutal punch, you know,” I comment calmly.“I would beat the shit out of you, but I don’t want you in the same hospital as my girl.” I start to walk backwards.“You’re damn lucky I’m the only one here,” I sneer in farewell.I throw his ring at him and hits him in the shoulder (since he’s still doubled over) before bouncing off and landing on the cement.He stands there holding both his stomach and his eye, but he doesn’t say a word to me.Fucker knows he’s in the wrong.My hand is throbbing when I exit the elevator on Macie’s floor.I try to text Claudia but that isn’t happening with my hand so I call her.“Hello?”“Claud, sorry to wake you.But remember what we discussed last night?”“Oh shit! Are you in jail? Did you really kill him? Oh my God, sit tight, I’m on my way.Where’s your lawyer’s number? Why didn’t we talk about a lawyer? Oh, never mind.I’ll call London.Is your minute up? I need more time! A minute isn’t long enough—I have more questions.Shit!”I’m trying so hard to stay quiet I can’t breathe.I can barely feel my throbbing hand because my whole body is vibrating in silent laughter at this extremely loyal friend of mine.“Claudia.”“Yeah?” She’s breathless and things are banging around in the background.I can just picture her throwing shit everywhere, trying to get dressed to get down to the bail bondsmen so she can get my ass out of jail.“I’m not in jail.”“Oh, thank God.” Her relief is evident as her words are exhaled easily.“You scared the piss out of me.Like literally, I had to pee so bad when you woke me up, I peed a little when I thought you were a murderer.”“Ah, you kill me, Claud.But seriously, something did go down, nothing as serious as that, just keep your phone on and answer it.”“’Kay, got it.Call me tonight and fill me in if I don’t hear otherwise.”“I will.Thanks.”I hang up and notice Macie’s nurse is sitting at the nurse’s station, watching me as I walk closer.I’m cradling my hand close to my chest because not only did I knock the hell out of it, but I think I might have tweaked it a bit at the wrist; it doesn’t feel good.The nurse looks at my hand and raises her eyebrows.She looks to be about the same age as my mom [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]