“I-I can’t catch m-my breath.” I’m grasping at my chest as the older male nurse puts an oxygen mask over my nose and mouth as he guides my breathing.
“Mr. Alarie, we are going to have to ask you to leave. At least until we can get her heart rate regulated,” the younger female nurse demands.
“Right. Of course. I’ll be right outside.” His gaze shifts to Oliver, who is now wearing a smug look on his face.
DAMIEN
“Did you tell her?” Oliver asks, holding his grin.Why is he smiling like that?
“Why the fuck would I tell mygirlfriendsomething that would stress her out while she is lying in a hospital bed?” I snap in reply. The audacity of this man. This isn’t the Oliver I grew up with. Or is it, but I have never been on the receiving end of his shit? That can’t be it. He seems so … complacent.
“Your girlfriend, huh? So, it looks like you won the bet. But let’s see what she says when I go in and tell her.” I slam my arm into his chest to stop him.
“The hell you will. She needs time to relax. I will tell her after she’s healed,” I concede.
He does nothing but smile. I watch as he wraps the balloon’s string around the door handle, looks at me with an ass-hat grin, and strolls away.What a tool.
I know I have to tell her. Hell, I wish for nothing but to have met her before this whole ‘seduce the prosecutor's daughter’ thing started.
As I walk back into the room, she lies there watching my every move. Devouring me with her eyes. “I know that look, beautiful.”
“A man should satisfy a wounded woman. Especially since said wounded woman’s man is standing right in front of her,” she says with a smile. How is she smiling?
“I’m sure something can be arranged.” An uncontrollable grin sweeps across my face. I am so happy she’s alive. But the looming cloud darkens my thoughts, knowing that it was me and that stupid bet that got her into this situation to begin with.
“Damien.” Ava puts her small hand on my face. Her eyes bounce between mine. Her touch against my skin makes me forget the fucked-up, dangerous side of my life that led us here. I lean down to gently brush my lips against hers. They’re a little dry, which reminds me that she’s just woken up after surgery and my heart drops to my stomach again. I can’t get rid of that constant feeling of fear that’s been haunting me ever since she got stabbed. The images of her lying in my foyer and bleeding out in my arms flash before my eyes. I leave a tender kiss on her chapped lips before I rest my forehead on hers. “I’m so glad to have you back, Firefly. I think we should take it easy right now, but just know that I’ll be satisfying your needs for the rest of my life.”
“Promise?” she teases, smiling softly, and I caress her soft cheek with my thumb.
“I promise,” I state without hesitation. “I want to grow old with you, Avalyne DeLuca. We’ll spend an eternity together.”
She smiles, indulging in my touch. “Damien—”
“Shh,” I whisper as I gently kiss her forehead. I don’t want her to stress now about anything. And we have a shit ton of obstacles waiting for us on our way to happiness. Her father. My mother. Black Venom. Her potential killer. But for now, nothing matters. Nothing but her health, her peace of mind. “First, let’s make sure you recover.”
Ava needs to stay at the hospital for the next fewdays. The doctors claim she’s fine, but they want to monitor her vitals a little longer. That’s good. It gives me peace of mind. I know she’s safe and in good hands. That also gives me some time until I take her back home—our home.The way Oliver acted today at the hospital was odd, to say the least. I know this man better than anyone. After all, we’ve been best friends for years. Or maybe it’s because the same blood runs through our veins that I can read him like an open book. Either way, I have quickly picked up on his bizarre behavior and the shit-eating grin he always wears whenever he’s done something. Somethingbad. But how is it that he showed up at the hospital when I haven’t told anyone what’s happened, not even Ava’s father? Has Oliver played a hand in all of this? I have to investigate.
I don’t remember the last time I drove this recklessly. I arrive at my place within fifteen minutes. Typically, the ride would take at least half an hour. But knowing how devious people in my surroundings are, I know I can’t waste even a fraction of a second. I rush toward my office and quickly open my laptop to check the surveillance.
“Of course,” I scoff, staring at the black screen as all cameras were turned off.
I inhale deeply, trying to combat the towering rage rushing through my system before I head outside. Whoever did this didn’t know I have one more card up my sleeve. A secret camera is hidden in a tree in front of my driveway. I move close enough to connect my phone to the camera and, seconds later, my blood runs cold.
“What the fuck…” I mumble, stunned. My blood turns as cold as my gaze as I watch Oliver arriving at my place in his black M-Class Mercedes just minutes before Ava was stabbed. My fists clench involuntarily. Is it possible my best friend, my fucking half-brother, is the one responsible for Ava’s harm? I refuse to believe this. I let out a heavy sigh, my eyes closed. “Fuck!” I throw a whiskey glass against the wall, letting it shatter in my wake before I make it back to my car and drive away.
As I follow a highway filled with traffic, my hands grip the steering wheel. I overtake each car. My ears fill with the sound of the accelerating engine. My heart is pounding out of rage. Adrenaline rushes through my veins. My jaw clenches involuntarily and I'm breathing heavily. The images of Oliver stabbing Ava, my one and only, keep flashing before my eyes as I put my foot down, heading off to bring my own kind of justice.
“You fucking son of a bitch!” I throw my car in park, jump out, and hurl myself at Oliver, who happens to be outside his place, leaning against his car. I grab him by his collar, pressing his body with full force against his vehicle; the phone he was holding in his hand lands somewhere on the ground.
“What the fuck, dude?” Oliver snaps at me, trying to yank out of my grip.
“It was you, wasn’t it?” I can hardly keep my composure, seething from within.
“What the hell are you talking about?” he shouts, pushing me away before fixing his denim jacket. “Are you out of your fucking mind?”
I set my raging gaze on him. “I know what you did,brother.”
Oliver narrows his eyes at me, tilting his head to the side. He doesn’t look surprised by my choice of words but somewhat fearful.
