I catch her walking back to my bed. She’s wearing black tights and a glittery t-shirt with her hair in a high ponytail. Only she can make looking tired cute. She senses my need to touch her and grabs my hand with both of hers. She bends and kisses my forehead.
The nurse rushes in, checking a number of things while I not so patiently wait to get back to Heaven. She confirms my vitals are normal and tells me the doctor will stop by later. Heaven and I smile at each other, neither of us speaking until she breaks the silence.
“I’m happy you’re awake.” Her grin is wicked. “You’re not getting out of my lecture that easy. Nice try though.”
I chuckle as well as I can in the circumstances.
“How long have I been here?” I ask around the ice chips she begins putting in my mouth.
“A little less than twenty-four hours. That dumbass almost overdosed you. They had to get the drugs out of your system since you didn’t vomit.”
It appears everything is taken care of, but I’m concerned about a particular memory.
“Heaven, she was on top of me—”
“And I beat her ass before she could.” Her chocolate eyes bore into me as she strokes my beard. “I didn’t let her take advantage of you.”
The breath I was holding rushes out as relief floods my body. I’m so very grateful.
Heaven does a few swipes on her phone and shows me her screen.
“I saved some pictures of her knocked out ass. Just for you.”
I pull her closer until my cheek is resting on my girls. “Later. You beat her up good?”
“Hell yeah. She is wrong on so many levels. They found a fucking shrine to you at her place. I told the police that I’m the only one allowed to be obsessed with you.”
I know she’s joking but the memories of being helpless while she was on top of me still make me sick to my stomach.
“Feel better?” I ask, hoping it sounds light-hearted.
“No. I’m not better until you are.”
I squeeze her tighter. I feel better the longer I cuddle her.
“I’m sorry about the other day. I should’ve trusted you completely.”
“You should have, but if I were betrayed as many times as you were and heard the same thing, I would’ve jumped to conclusions as well. They found the microphone in the basket. Spoiler alert, it wasn’t from Sione.”
“I figured. He has no reason to want to get me naked.”
“Right! If it helps, what I said was—”
I stop her because I don’t care anymore. She saved me from whatever crazy plan Allie had cooked up in her head. She can tell the world stupid shit about me.
“You don’t have to tell me.”
“I want to. I said the basket must be celebratory since thedeal is done. Then I told them I loved you. They asked what you said and that’s when I said, ‘he loves me, too.’ Latoya was teasing me about finding a real boyfriend while faking it. That’s when I said I knew it’d be an easy assignment. Then said something about your damn good looks, and that’s why I said you were easy. Although you can be kind of a slut too.”
Her jab pulls a chuckle out of me but I quickly recover. “Only for you.”
She picks her head up as if she’s looking outside. “So, I called people who’d care if you were in the hospital…”
“My parents?”
“Yup and Beau. Plus, I may be on better terms with your parents, but a little I-told-you-so never hurt anyone.”
* * *
