“Miss, you need to leave, now.” The doctor tells me.
“Why? He isn’t going anywhere. He’s dead, you bitch.” There are moments in life when you feel like you’re being tested, by God, the universe, by whatever the fuck is up there, if there is even anything at all. This asshole didn’t deserve my love, but he got every single inch of it. He got the ugly bits that I’m ashamed off, he got the good bits that he was never worthy off. He wasn’t a fucking prince in those stories I grew up with. He was the villain. The spoiled asshole who lived an entitled life and made me realize I hadn’t truly lived a day until him.
I stand, unsteady, lean in, and kiss the toad. Maybe he’ll get up. Maybe I should fling him against the fucking wall and transform him into my Sai. I can see his smile when I ridiculed his music, feel his arms around me as we looked out at the ocean I hear every cry, drown in every tear. I press my lips to his. “God, I love you. I love you so fucking much, Sai.” I sob.
“No, no you don’t.” The doctor tells me.
I spin around. “The fucking nerve…” In the place of the doctor is another woman. “Who the hell are you?”
“You don’t get to claim him. Oh, no, little girl. He’s mine to keep, he was promised to me.”
I frown. “Are you kidding me?” Her hands are trembling, and in the blink of an eye, I notice that she’s holding a dagger. She rushes toward me, but before she can touch me, Sai gets up. He has her by the neck and he’s pushing her toward the wall. “Nobody touches her.” He growls.
The woman’s eyes widen, and she chokes in his hold. I grab a hold of his shoulders, trying to pull him off, but he’s a man of steel. He doesn’t even budge.
The woman draws a breath, what seems like her last, then drops at his feet. Doctors and nurses rush in, and Sai falls to his knees. They manage to get him back on the table, and I find a space in the corner to watch as they work on him. I look toward where the woman fell, but there is no trace of her. Maybe I imagined it all.
A nurse leads me to a seat outside the theatre and hands me a cup of water. I feel like I’m in a haze as I drink the water. When they tell me they’ve cleared him for recovery, I cry like I have never cried before. I cry until arms help me up and into a hospital room. I curl into a ball and let sleep take me.
* * *
I wake up,and sun is streaming in through the windows. I look to my right, and Sai is smiling at me. “Couldn’t stay away from me, could you, Brit?”
“Asshole.” I laugh, looking at the ceiling. “How’d you survive?”
“Heard some chick crying all over me, calling me names, and decided I wasn’t having it.”
I leap off the bed and wrap my arms around him. “I hate you so much for scaring me.” he yelps. I immediately straighten up, remembering he’s wounded.
“I liked it better when you were curled up next to me.” I smile down at his handsome face and climb back in, curling up to his side.
“Are you really okay?” I whisper into his neck.
“I am now.” he admits. “I love you, too, Güzel. More than I ever knew I could love someone.” He kisses my forehead, and I tears slip down my face.
“I have no idea what happened, Sai. I thought I’d lost you, and then that woman.”
“Can we just stay in this moment? No darkness, just light. Just you and me.”
The door opens, and my mom and Amy walks in. “Good to see you both up.” Amy says.
I climb off the bed and hug them both. “Me too, cuz.” I tell her.
“I knew we were sisters from the moment we met.” Her voice is full of emotion.
“I think the worse part about all this is that I found my uncle hot.” We laugh at my confession.
My mother smiles at us both “I have so much that I need to fill you both in on. But first, how are you, Sai?”
“Good. Thank you, Kate, for everything.” Mom makes her way over to him and hugs him lightly.
“I wish I could have been around more, but,” she looks over at me, “I had to make sure Deniz didn’t get to Kennedy.”
“I’m glad you did.” They smile at each other. I have so much I need to know, but right now I have the most important people in my life in one room. Some girls wish for diamonds and gold, I wish for this. Light, love, and hope. I have all of that right here.
I meet Sai’s eyes across the room, and he smiles at me. That smile that makes my heart skip a beat. Those eyes that will always hold a hint of mystery, and a promise of more to come.
21
