Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 146477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Their brows furrow, their gazes filled with curiosity. “You good, boss?” Ace asks.
“Yeah. Just something I need to wrap my head around,” I tell them, and with that, they take off, leaving me to finally figure out what the hell has been going on with Harper lately, and as I turn to the right, heading deeper into the hospital, I prepare myself to meet with Carly for the second time tonight.
34
HARPER-RAYN
Stupid fucking men. Why do they always have to ruin everything?
I sit in my hospital bed, my legs crossed on the blankets as I wait for Nurse Celia to return with my discharge forms. It’s been five long days wasting away in this hospital bed, and while I’ve hated every second of it, I’ve also done everything in my power to make sure I get out of here as soon as possible.
When they told me to get up and start walking around, I all but sprang out of bed, despite the pain shooting through my body. I’ve pushed myself to my limits, desperate to heal from this shit and finally put it behind me.
The only thing that’s been getting me down is Knight. And not only because he tore my heart into shreds, but because he took it upon himself to mention what happened to his stupid brother, who in turn told my mother.
That asshole. I get why he did it though. He didn’t want me to be alone, but is anybody ever truly alone in a hospital? There are people everywhere. Not to mention the fact that most of them are my colleagues and peers. My room has turned into the current lunch spot for the week, and while I’ve kinda loved getting to catch up with some of my older friends who I don’t necessarily get to see anymore, all I’ve wanted was for that space beside my bed to be taken by Knight. Instead, it’s been my mother’s face staring back at me.
Apparently getting jumped can make a mother suddenly forget that she’s been feuding with you for the better part of a decade, and no matter how many times I tell her that she’s free to leave, her ass remains parked in that damn chair.
I let out a heavy sigh. As much as I want to see him, I can’t.
The moment he questioned me, I knew it was over. After everything that I’ve been going through over these past few weeks, his support is what I’ve needed most, and to learn that he thinks it’s all in my head has killed me in a way I wasn’t prepared for. He broke my heart into a million shattered pieces, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to look at him the same.
Everything hurts, and I want to hate myself for falling for him the way I have as it only makes it harder to try and move on. I knew it was stupid to get involved with a man like Knight. It was only a matter of time before he swept me off my feet. I just wish he was capable of catching me when I fell.
Goddamn it. That’s not fair. He has caught me, time and time again. Every time I fell, he was right there to pick up the pieces. So many nights he just held me and told me everything was going to be okay. He’s had my back since day one, and yet, I can’t forget the pain that tore through me the second I realized he didn’t believe me, the second he dared to suggest that it was all in my head.
After everything, how could he possibly think that?
I was there, I experienced it all. I remember the agonizing pain as I pulled back the body bag to see Laith’s face staring back at me. How could he suggest that was all in my head? I have the fucking scars spelling out MINE on my ribs to prove it.
This right here is why I’ve never allowed anyone to get this close. You let them in, you let yourself become vulnerable, and all it does is open you up to hurt.
I should have trusted my gut, should have never let him get that close.
My phone chimes on my bed, and I scoop it up, finding a new text from my mother. I let out a sigh and open it.
I quickly respond before she ends up leaving.
I roll my eyes. There’s nothing wrong with my apartment, but at least she’s not on my back about my career for a change. It’s almost nice. Almost.
After dropping my phone back to my bed, I drag my hand down my face as I try to find just a semblance of composure. I don’t know what it is about my mother, but she always manages to bring out the worst in me. That woman could just breathe in my direction and I’d lose my mind. Now that’s a real sickness that Knight should be worried about.