“Shit.” Miller lunged, catching me as I flopped against the pillow again.
The nurse came back through the door with a little white paper cup in her hand.
The pain meds.
She handed them to me, along with a small cup of water. Without a thought, I tipped the cup back and washed the pills down. I’d had enough of the pain. I didn’t care if these things knocked me out for a week if it meant I’d wake up and be able to sneeze without feeling like my ribs were being torn from my body.
She flitted around the room, checking on the IV in my arm, and the chart at the end of the bed. Once she was satisfied she slipped out of the door, leaving Miller and I alone once again.
Relief slowly spread through my system and each breath came a little easier. With the pain subsiding, I could finish my argument with Miller.
“You have twenty-four hours. One whole day to move all my stuff out of your place. Just have your ‘people’ box it up. I’ll scan the free ads today and see if there are any apartments available.” There was no way I’d head back to the last one. Not now that Ray knew where I lived.
“No, I won’t.” He braced: feet apart, arms crossed over his chest. This was what I had come to know as Miller’s “I ain’t kidding” stance and the very fact that he was doing it now when I had specifically told him what I wanted was infuriating to say the least. However, knowing Miller as I did, I knew it would be futile to argue. So I softened my voice, going with a different tactic.
“Ray won’t find—”
“It wasn’t Ray.”
My hands began to shake. I’d been so sure it was Ray. The calls, the texts all of the signs pointed to him. Was it a crazy customer from the bar? Or someone from Miller’s past? I swallowed hard. “Who?”
“Marcello.”
My blood ran cold. From what had Miller told me previously, Nathan Marcello was known for the way he punished loved ones. “But I thought you talked to him? Told them I wasn’t Ray’s anymore.”
“I did.” His eyes hit the floor. “I told that motherfucker to leave you alone. Apparently, he’s using this as a way to get to my family—to the people I care about.” His eyes lifted, his hand cupping my cheek. “I’m so sorry, Tess. He came after you because of me.”
As the pain disappeared my mind began to cloud. It became hard to think, to focus. I knew what Miller was saying, but I couldn’t really process any of it. My eyelids felt heavy.
“I don’t know what to do,” I whispered, the words tumbling from my lips.
He shook his head and helped me get comfortable on the pillow. “We do nothing. Dad is handling it now. You worry about getting better so I can take you home and fuck you in every room of our home.”
The words sounded wonderful together: our home.
As I started to started to slip into unconsciousness, I whispered. “I’m still pissed you paid off my loans.”
He bent and kissed me on the forehead. “I know, but I don’t care. This way, you won’t have to work as many hours—if any. You’ll have more time to finish school work and the rest you can spend with me. If you still want to be pissed that’s fine. But I won’t have you arguing about this Tess. You’re mine, and I take care of what’s mine.”
My lids slid closed and I confessed my fear. Too tired to hide the truth. “I don’t want to live you because it’s safer. I want . . . more.”
Warm lips pressed to mine.
“Oh, Tess, I’m worried about your safety and that’s why I had your stuff moved while you were out, but its not why I want you to live with me. I want you to be with me always. I love you and can’t imagine a day where I don’t want to come home to you and your smile. I want to wake up next to you for the rest of my life.”
And with that, the world faded to black.
***
The next day, I sat there waiting for Miller to return. He’d agreed to get me something different to eat when he deemed the food brought me inedible. After he’d left, I’d actually looked in the mirror for the first time and was horrified at the sight that greeted me. It was a good thing I’d waited for Miller to leave, I had a feeling my reaction wouldn’t help the guilt I could see behind his eyes every time he looked at me.
There were purplish marks surrounded by yellowing around my eyes. More healing bruises on my nose and jaw. Not wanting to see any more, I shut out the light and went back to the bed.
A soft knock sounded on the door. Miller said that Elena planned to stop by that morning. Apparently, she had been there on and off while I was out of it. I was excited to see her. She’d made me feel welcome in Miller’s family and since I planned on moving in with him, I needed to have a better relationship with his family. Elena was a good start.