Holly's Awakening(25)
“I’ll take her, Kade. You follow us to the hospital,” Steven said.
Kade let her go, and he hated not having her in his arms. “I’ll follow you, baby. You do what you’re told, and I’ll be there soon.”
She nodded. Kade handed her over to Steven. Besides her brother, he was the only other guy he trusted with her.
John looked at him with surprise.
“What?” Kade asked.
“I knew Steven had feelings for my sister, but I wasn’t sure about you. You’re always frowning at her. I never thought you’d love her,” John said.
Matt cleared his throat and left them to it.
“What are you trying to say?” Kade faced her brother waiting for some kind of derogatory comment.
“You’re Steven’s partner. We know you’re in a relationship with him. I didn’t think you’d want my sister. I knew Steven did. I saw you looking at her, and I thought you were jealous, but you’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
Kade stared at her brother and wished he could deny his feelings. He’d only ever been in love with Steven. There was a time when he believed he could only ever love one person. Holly was changing all of his beliefs. His feelings for her were powerful. He couldn’t change the way she was invading his heart and making him feel.
“Yes, I love her.” He’d taken her virginity and made her his woman to love and be with. Turning back to John he tapped the man on the shoulder. “Your sister is going to be well taken care of. I can guarantee it. Nothing is ever going to happen to her.”
Once he’d cleared everything up with Matt Kade climbed into his truck and made his way toward the hospital. He couldn’t get rid of the image of William kicking her in the stomach. Revulsion consumed him as he thought about the danger she was in. The glass against her throat could have easily taken her life and he’d be travelling to the hospital for an entirely different reason.
Leaving his car in the visitors’ parking lot, Kade made his way inside. He found Steven sat in the waiting room of the emergency room.
“What are you doing here?” Kade asked, taking a seat next to him.
“Holly wanted to be checked over alone. She didn’t want me there.”
Kade frowned. “How come?”
“The paramedic hurt her, and I went off on him. I think I scared her a little. It’s my own fault. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. I couldn’t help it. I can’t stand the thought of her being in any kind of pain,” Steven said.
Settling down, Kade looked toward the closed off area. “She through there?”
“Yeah. I’m never going to get that shit out of my mind.”
“Me neither. She’s a hard woman.”
“You can’t deny she isn’t the one. We both know she’s the one,” Steven said.
“Of course she’s the one. I don’t deny it. We’ve got to let Holly know she’s the one. We’re not letting her get away again.”
The nurse came out to find them. “Holly is waiting for you.”
They followed the nurse back to the room. Their woman sat on the bed waiting for them. She smiled the instant they walked through the doors.
“I’ll get your discharge forms,” the nurse said, leaving them alone.
Holly tucked some hair behind her ear. “I know you guys are angry with me, but I had to do something. Neither of you know what he’s like. He’s a hard man to live with and to deal with.”
****
Steven’s heart went out to her. She clearly didn’t think they knew what she’d been through all these years. They really didn’t have a clue, but they could guess. Going to her, Steven wrapped his arms around her trying to give her comfort.
“You don’t need to say a thing,” Steven said.
“If I wasn’t worried about how you’d react I’d have you over my knee,” Kade said.
Subtlety was never going to be Kade’s strong suit.
Holly chuckled.
“Please, baby, tell me there is nothing else wrong with you.” Kade caught her face between his palms.
She shook her head. “I’ve got a few cuts and bruises. Nothing else is wrong with me. The doctor ran a few tests to make sure. I’m totally fit and healthy.”
“I’m not talking about your body, baby. I’m talking about up here.” Kade pressed his fingers against her temple.
Her fingers covered his. She smiled between them. Steven’s world lit up at her smile.
“No, it’s not. I’m fine.”
“You’ve taken a lot of his abuse, Holly. Please, be honest with us,” Steven said, kissing her temple.
“I’m being honest. I spent a great deal of time working. It was only a few hours a day when I actually had to deal with him. The waiting was the worst. I used to have to wait for him.” She shivered. “Thinking about what he’d do affected me more.”