"Why are you here?" I demanded while somehow keeping my cool. I didn't like him talking about Olivia like that, as if she were just some chick. Olivia was different. If Caleb weren't like a brother to me, there was no telling what I would have done.
"I told you, I had to see what was keeping you from the office."
"Now that you've got what you came here for," I growled through clenched teeth. "You can leave."
"No," he shook his head. "You need to come back to work."
I shook my head. "I will be here when she wakes up."
"Look man, I knew you didn't know her before I came here." Caleb admitted and I frowned. "I checked her out."
"You ran a background check on her?" I roared, before reminding myself to keep my anger in check. I glanced at Olivia and she hadn't flinched. If I thought yelling would wake her up, I would do it...but the only thing yelling would accomplish would be getting my ass kicked out.
I couldn't have that. I had to be close to her.
"Of course I did." Caleb shrugged.
That shouldn't have surprised or angered me. Caleb and I were one and the same. We were both completely, and utterly, fucked up. "Get out."
Caleb laughed. If I ever wanted to beat the living shit out of someone, it was now. My knuckles burned as I fisted my hands. I was seeing red and Caleb was standing in the center.
"Look Jace, I get your infatuation with the girl," he glanced at her again. I twitched with the need to pummel him to the ground. "But, she is not the girl for you. Did you even check up on her, if not, I will forward you her information. She is a good girl. You would ruin her."
"I said get out, Caleb." My voice shook as I strained to hold onto my control.
"I'm just saying, if you care at all about her, you will walk away and never look back." With those last words, Caleb walked out of the room.
I didn't know what to do to calm the aching burn in my chest when Caleb walked out, leaving me here to think about his words. I knew damn well what he was referring to and he was wrong. Olivia was nothing like she had been. I wouldn't ruin Olivia.
I rubbed my hand over my forehead, feeling like a crazed lunatic as I compared the lifeless girl in the bed to Lexie. I hadn't destroyed Lexie. She had destroyed me. I had the power to give her everything and she had taken the only thing I ever wanted. The moment I first saw Olivia, I felt as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt as though I had been redeemed for my sins. I knew it was insane and I should probably commit myself to the nearest mental facility for psychiatric evaluation, but damn. I couldn't leave her. She was my angel.
"You trying to walk a hole into the ground?" Trisha asked. She was leaning against the wall closest to the door, clutching a new cup of coffee in a freshly manicured hand. I hadn't even heard her enter the room.
"When did you get here?" I asked, halting my nervous pacing. I didn't feel like entertaining her ridiculous question.
"A few minutes ago." She admitted. "You look like hell."
"Thanks." I moved across the room to sit in the chair I had occupied earlier. Trisha watched me with careful eyes and my skin crawled in response. I rarely, if ever, found myself in the position of being studied as though I were a bomb about to detonate. The fact that I was in this position now, was just another layer of proof I was loosing my cool control. Whatever Olivia had done to me, I needed her to wake up so she could, at least, reverse it. I fully believed once I knew she was awake and well, I would be able to walk away and move on with my life.
Trisha moved slowly to the side of the bed. She reached out and curled her fingers around Olivia's hand. I watched as her breath caught in her throat and her eyes misted over. There was no doubt in my mind Trisha loved Olivia like a sister. I wondered how their bond formed...they were just, so different.
"You know, she's strong." Trisha looked up at me. Her voice quivered as she spoke. "She will wake up." She laughed as she looked down at Olivia's face. "You know, she never admits it...but she really loves making people wait on her."
My interest piqued. Trisha had been reserved with the information she was willing to share with me in regards to Olivia. "She does?"
"Oh yes." She nodded exuberantly. "I definitely learned to master the art of patience because of Olivia. She likes to test."
I looked at the girl in the bed and wondered who she was. I wanted to know so much about her. Hell, I wanted to know everything. "She sounds talented."
Trisha laughed. "Oh God, yes, she is."
"How long have you two been friends?" I asked wearily. I hoped she wouldn't slam the door on me now. It had taken her four days to give me anything more than Olivia's name. I was a man starved for information. If she withheld her words now, I feared I might combust from frustration.