“He’s gonna be okay?” I’m just checking I heard correctly.
Johnny places me on the floor and holds me at an arm’s length. “He’s gonna be just fine now that you’re here. The doc did say to be aware that while he’s in here, he’ll be going through detox, so he might be grumpier and moodier than normal. But Dee, if you love him like I know you do, then you have to stay and fight. You have to help him get better and ignore his outbursts and all the nasty shit he might say because… Iknowhow much he needs you. Iknowhow much he loves you because you were all he ever talked about while you were gone.”
“He doesn’t love me, though, Johnny, he told me last night. I’ll stay to help him get better, but once he is, I’m done. He doesn’t want me here. He more than proved that last night.”
“Dee, he does. That was the drugs talking. Trust me, when he sobers up, he’ll be beyond happy knowing you’re here.”
I exhale and nod.
I hope it wasjust the drugs talking.
Because I don’t know how I’ll survive if Colt tells me he doesn’t want me.
Again.
***
Hours pass, and eventually, Colt is moved from the emergency department to his own private room. We’re all here, waiting for him to wake.
Hux finally showed up and, well, looks terrible. He hasn’t stepped further than a foot inside the room. I guess he feels guilty because without him and Jared, Colt would never have been around that crap, and this absolutely wouldnothave happened. I can’t look at Hux, and I’m not the only person in the room who seems to be livid with him.
There’s small talk, but I’m not really listening. I’m too busy focusing on Colt’s rising and falling chest to join in. His hand tightens in mine, and I squeeze it back in response. I hold my breath as his eyes flutter and slowly open. He looks around the room and then at me. I smile and don’t bother to fight the tear that slowly trickles down my face.
“Hey,” I say, catching everyone’s attention. They all look at Colt, and he moves his free hand to hold his head. He groans slightly but doesn’t take his eyes off mine.
“It’s okay. You’re in the hospital, but you’ll be fine, babe,” I say, leaning in and stroking his cheek.
He smiles and reaches his hand out to touch my face. “Are youreallyhere?” he asks, and I lean my cheek into his hand, soaking up the small comfort.
“I’mreallyhere,” I reply, tensing up. “But if you want me to leave, I will. I one hundred percent get it.” I half smile.
He looks panicked and slowly shakes his head. “No… no… please don’t leave, Dee,” he pleads, and I caress his cheek, trying to calm him.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I reply.
He finally takes a look around the room. “Why am I here?” he asks, and I look over at Johnny because I don’t want to be the one to explain this nightmare.
“You overdosed after a fight with Dee last night.”
Colt looks at me like he’s confused. “Wait, last night? What fight? I haven’t seen Dee for two months,” he says, furrowing his brows.
“You don’t remember?” I ask, and he looks deep in thought and slowly shakes his head.
“It’s okay. I came back to see if I could talk you into rehab. You didn’t want to. Not much else happened,” I lie.
“Don’t sugarcoat it, Dee. He needs to know the truth. He needs to know what happened so he can understand why he has to stop the drugs and get back to living,” Anna berates.
I look at Colt and sigh. “I gave you an ultimatum. If you want me, then you go to rehab. You said you didn’t need to go and didn’t, and had never loved me. You told me to fuck off. I threw a bottle at you, and you left. Well, that’s the scaled-down version, anyway.” I hold back a sob at the memory of how much he hurt me.
Colt looks horrified and squeezes my hand tighter. “You know that’s not true. You deserve a happy life with Joseph if that’s what you want.”
“God, you’re an idiot. I deserve a happy life withyou, Colt. But only if you’re willing to make the change,” I say.
“Dude, seriously, you returned to the penthouse after leaving Dee and started throwing shit around. You were talking about how you fucked it up with her again and that you ended it for her own good, and that she’s better off without you. Anna went to check on Dee, but she wouldn’t let her in, and you locked yourself in the bathroom with a bottle of Jack and your damn stash,” Dingo tells him.
I look down at Colt, and he frowns.
“Dee, I don’t know how to function without you.”
