Kristi’s eyes went wide with fear. “Cody, please. No. You can’t.”
“I will if you cause any further harm. The only woman I’ll ever marry is Brooke, if she’ll have me. I’ve wasted enough time with you. Get out.”
“Cody,” Brooke called to him and tried to get up, but couldn’t even manage to raise her shoulders before she fell back into the cushion.
“Stop moving,” he begged her.
She sighed. “Don’t end things because of what happened to me.”
“It should have, and would have, ended the night of the Christmas party if Kristi hadn’t tried to manipulate me into marrying her. She stopped taking the pill on purpose without even discussing it with me. That’s enough to end things. But what happened to you… I almost lost you forever.”
“Come here, Cody.” Brooke held out her hand.
He went to her and gently took her hand, concerned about all the blood soaking her bandages.
“We talked about this. Even if we’d been together, it wouldn’t have changed what happened.Hewanted me. He came for me. He would have found a way to get to me no matter what. Thisisn’t your fault. You and Kristi have been together a long time. You love her.”
He shook his head. “No. I don’t. I thought I did, but then I found out what real love feels like. It’s how I feel about you. I spent the last six months trying to convince myself letting you go was the right thing. So you could have an unfettered college experience. So you wouldn’t be ridiculed about being with your stepbrother. So you wouldn’t regret being with me because of my crazy busy life. But now I understand how you felt all this time. None of that matters as long as I’m with you. I love you. I want to be with you. That’s how I feel. And I can’t live without you anymore.”
“Maybe you’re not really in love with me. I’m not the Brooke you used to know anymore.”
“Bullshit. You’re so much more than the Brooke I used to know. And I love you, damnit.”
All of a sudden the trauma caught up to her and her eyes drooped.
“Don’t you dare fall asleep when I’m telling you I love you.”
A hint of a smile tilted her lips. “I hear you. Australia heard you.”
“Kristi heard you.” Susanne pointed to the side table at the end of the couch.
Kristi had left her engagement ring on the table beside a picture of Cody and Brooke standing on either side of Cody’s prize stallion. Sometime during Cody and Brooke’s brief conversation, Kristi had quietly walked out the door.
Cody couldn’t care less about the ring. He turned back to Brooke. “I love you. We’re getting married.”
“We are not,” she said immediately.
“Yes we are. Don’t argue with me. Don’t fight me on this. Not tonight. I’m tired. I’ve had a shitty day. And you’re bleeding again,” he said miserably. “Please, honey. Just think about it.Let it sink in. Let yourself believe it because it’s true. I love you. Maybe you can love me again, too.”
Cody stood and greeted Dr. Nash as he walked in the living room after Janie showed him in. “Thanks for coming so quickly.” He looked down at Brooke. She stared back at him, fear in her eyes. “You can trust me, Brooke. You know I would never lie to you.” He leaned down and slipped his arms beneath her. “I’m sorry. This is going to hurt.”
He carried Brooke up to her bed, trying desperately not to see the way her skin broke out in a fine sheen of sweat. She bit her lip to hide the pain. He hated hurting her. It clawed at his insides and left him raw.
He laid her gently on the bed.
Dr. Nash set his medical bag at her side and pulled out supplies.
Cody concentrated on Brooke’s too-pale face. “You’ll be okay, sweetheart.”
He held her hand as Dr. Nash unwound the bloody bandages on her arm. He kept his focus on her.
Dr. Nash clamped a hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t you go downstairs and give me a few minutes alone with my patient.”
Brooke gave him a soft nod to go.
He didn’t want to leave her, but the sight of all that blood, those long gashes and the reminder of how she’d gotten them, nearly undid him.
He kissed her swollen fingers as she held their daughter to her chest, then fled the room. He hated to leave her when she was in pain, but it was too much for him.
