Deceitfully (Sinfully Series) (11 page)

My heart ached and I felt sick. Hunching over was hurting the bruised areas but I didn’t care. I welcomed the pain. I just needed a minute to gather myself before moving on.

“Miss? Can I help you with something?” A weak old nurse walked into the barren room. I looked up and realized how awful I must look.

“No—no, I’m fine. Thank you.” I tried to smile, but it was forced. Looking around, I wasn’t sure what to tell her if she pried.

“It’s been a rough twenty-four hours for a lot of you. Why don’t you go get some sleep, sweetie? Take care of yourself so you can be strong for the others.” She continued her journey toward me and lent me a hand. I carefully placed my hand in hers and stood. I was short, but this woman must have been only five-foot tall. She hugged me like a grandmother would; patting my back and telling me that everything would be all right.

After a few moments, she pulled away and wiped away tears I didn’t realize had fallen. “Thank you.” She wasn’t one of Tate’s nurses but was treating me like she knew what I was going through. With a slow nod, she walked out the door and I soon followed. There was no reason for me to be there anymore. Sophia didn’t need me really. Not with Dylan.

The trek to my car seemed to go utterly slow. I felt like everyone knew why I was crying and were staring. Other people had loved ones who were dying or in critical condition, and I was crying because a boy didn’t reciprocate my feelings. I was pathetic.

Once I made it to my apartment, I didn’t even bother to kick off my shoes. I lay in bed and let the darkness consume me. I had nowhere to be and no one to go to.

THE SUNLIGHT WOKE ME. Rubbing my eyes, it took me a moment to gather my bearings. I still had on one shoe with no sight of where the other one was. Feeling around my bed, I found my phone wrapped in my blankets, and it was completely dead.

I doubted there was anyone trying to get a hold of me anyway. Stretching my arms high in the air, I thought about what I was going to do with the day. Naomi told me to take time off, but I wasn’t about to visit my sister. I had the whole day to myself.

I could be a recluse. When I really thought about it, I didn’t mind days where I was off work and stayed in my home with little interaction with the world. It was my way of disconnecting for the day and taking time for me.

Padding over to the kitchen, I wanted to bake something. I was used to baking every day I worked, and I needed to get back to normal. Tapping my finger to my chin, I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to make. Cookies? Too typical. Cake? Too boring. Toffee? Hmm, could work.

I brought out my favorite pot and got the sugar and butter melting. Timing was everything on toffee, and it needed constant supervision for it to turn out properly. I stirred for what must have been twenty minutes, getting lost in the color changes. The liquid reminded me of fall and winter. The color turned from a light yellow tone to a deep, copper color after rounds and rounds of stirring. At just the right moment, I added the vanilla, jumping when it sizzled in the pot.

After I’d poured the English toffee onto a sheet and added chocolate and nuts, I was ready to kick my feet up and relax. Flipping through the shows, I found a reality show with lots of relationship drama. I could spend hours wasting away while watching crap TV. Seeing their relationships crumble made me feel the slightest better about my lack of having one.

It was three o’clock when I finally gave in and headed to the bakery. I needed air and it was my safe place. If I couldn’t be happy myself, I planned to make others happy by creating fantastic cakes and desserts.

At least, I thought that was the plan.

“YOU’RE ALL SET TO BE discharged, Mr. Lawson. The doctor said to take it easy for the next week and no strenuous activity for the next two weeks while you heal. I have your paperwork here. How are you feeling?” the chipper yet attractive nurse asked me, taking me by surprise.

“I’m going home now? Why wasn’t I told earlier?”

“Oh, he got caught up in an emergency surgery and hasn’t been able to make rounds yet. He signed off on your paperwork for you to go home, though. Do you need any help getting dressed?” she asked with a straight face. I heard Tyler’s chuckle and knew he was thinking the same thing I was.

“Want to hang around a moment just in case I do? Tyler can go get the car.” I looked up at Tyler and gave him a nod to leave. I didn’t need him here for this.

She waited for the door to shut before turning to face me, biting her lip. As she took a step closer, I knew I had to explain before things went too far.

“Listen, there’s this girl. She’s been here with me since I was admitted, but she had to step away. If she comes back, will you tell her that I was discharged and give her my number? She has dark brown hair and brown eyes. You might have seen her before.” I knew I was failing to get through to her. Her hand was massaging my thigh over my hospital gown and with the way she was leaning in, I could see down her scrubs.

“Anything for you, honey.” She tried to hike up my gown, but I stopped her. This wasn’t why I got her alone.

“Not to be a dick, but this isn’t happening. Can you help me or not?” I stood carefully and started to get dressed. The one time I have a hot, willing nurse would be the one time that I couldn’t care less.

“Mmmhmm. Brown-eyed girl. Gotcha. You sure I can’t help you out there? Bedside manner is my specialty.”

“I’m good to go, actually.” I knew I would have to find another way to talk to Stella again. Whatever I felt wasn’t going away and I felt empty with her not around.

Grabbing my stuff, I tried walking out the door, but she shook her finger at me, making me sit in the wheelchair she’d brought with her.

When I got downstairs to the car, Tyler had a cheeky grin and gave me a high five after he got me settled into the front seat. Dumbass could think whatever he wanted. I had one goal, and it didn’t need to be publicized just yet.

“That didn’t take you long. I didn’t mind waiting, bro.”

“Shut the fuck up. Now, can you take me to my place? I’ll be fine after that.” If I was honest, the pain meds were making me drowsy as shit and all I wanted to do was lay my head down. After that, I was going to figure out how to talk to Stella again.

“Sure thing. I can hang around; make sure you don’t pop a stitch or whatever if you need. The boss man gave me the day off when he found out you were shot and in the hospital.” He looked over, and I knew he was going to milk the excuse. I didn’t need him to babysit me, though.

“I’ll call you if I need anything. Don’t worry about me.” I laid my head on the headrest. We weren’t at my place yet, and I needed to close my eyes for just a minute.

I awoke to Tyler pulling my right leg out of the car. “What the hell?” My voice was groggy. I had just closed my eyes…

“I’ve got places to be. I’ve tried waking you for the past fifteen minutes. Get out.” He held out his hand to help me out, but I needed to do this on my own.

“Just give me a second.” I used the side of the car and the door to brace myself, but my stomach was screaming at me to stop. By the time I made it to the couch, my lungs were dying for air and I never wanted to move again.

“I can be here in twenty minutes, just make the call,” Tyler hollered as he left my place.

Peace and quiet. My body was fighting me, and it wasn’t long before I was out for the count.

THE SOUND OF MOANING woke me up. I was delusional. My eyes fought to stay closed in fear of what I’d see when I opened them. “Go home,” I breathed out as I turned to my uninjured side.

“No love, bro? Polly thought we should make sure you didn’t need help when you woke up. Ain’t that sweet of her?” Tyler called out from my recliner behind me. Her moans had stopped, mostly.

“Polly Pocket?”

“I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be pissed or happy with that nickname. How are you feeling, Tate?” Polly spoke up but was still breathless. Turning to see what was going on, I quickly wished that I was still asleep. Polly was sitting on Tyler’s lap with a blanket over her lap.

Her pants were on the floor beside them.

“I’m fine. Seriously. Has my phone rang at all?” I looked on the table but wasn’t quite sure where it was.

“Only Payton with her eight texts and four phone calls. I told her if she missed me, I’d fly out to give her a little lovin’, but she didn’t take the bait.” He was laughing now and I had almost forgotten about his drunken trip to his room with Payton. I had been livid when I had seen them together. But when I had realized that her intentions were purely innocent, I couldn’t stay mad at her. She was trying to be a good friend by getting his drunken ass up to his room to sleep it off before his wedding.

“Is this shit on the news? How’d she find out?” I slowly sat up and figured I’d have another hour before Payton got on a flight to Chicago. I didn’t need that.

“It’s everywhere now. All the news stations are covering the ‘high school reunion massacre.’ They still haven’t come forth with all the names of the victims yet. She just needs to know you’re safe,” Polly told me in a gentle tone. She was in the process of pulling her pants back on after retrieving them.

Standing up, I walked into the kitchen and found my phone on the island. First Payton, then I’d have to figure out my next move with Stella. Reading her texts, I knew Payton was full-on freaking out.

Payton: Tate. Please tell me you’re ok

Payton: This can’t be happening

Payton: I swear to God if you’re getting laid instead of picking up your phone, I’m going to be so fucking pissed

Payton: I just need some sign to know you’re ok. I keep seeing the reports of five people having been killed. They’ve shown bloodied people in gowns and bodies on stretchers. I can be up there in 5 hours if you need me. <3 Payton

Shit. Dialling her number, I hoped I had gotten to her before she boarded a plane. She had Emilynn to take care of now. She didn’t need to worry about me. On my top contacts, Cylas’ name was two spots above Payton. I fought the urge to break down as I heard her come on the line.

“Tate? Oh my gosh, are you okay? Are you hurt?” Her voice was frantic, and it made my heart hurt. I hated seeing her as anything but happy.

“I’m fine, Payt. A little sore but nothing major,” I said as calmly as possible. I also needed to get a hold of Graham, Matt, and Trevor. I wasn’t sure if they knew about the ones who died or not. I needed to accomplish so much, but I wasn’t sure how long I was going to make it.

“I had already started looking for flights. I never thought Tyler’s incessant requests for me to have his number would ever be beneficial. I didn’t know how to get in contact with you. Jesus, I’ve never been so scared. Well, in a while at least.” She got quiet for the last part. I knew what she was referring to her confrontation with her stalker. She was a survivor.

“Tyler’s here now and has fantastic bedside manner.” Just then, I felt a pillow being tossed at my feet and couldn’t help but laugh. Tyler was a great friend but not someone I would consider for being my in-home nurse. He was as gentle and quiet as an ox.