TAKING THE FALL - the Complete Series (12 page)

Leaning over me, Jeanette pushes the call button to get someone to come to our room. Instead, a voice comes over the speaker

“
Miss Matthews, what can I do for you?”

“
She wants out of here is what you can do for her. You said you were doing the papers over an hour ago,” Jeanette says in the same no-bullshit tone she gives kids at library when they’re acting out.

“
Just five more minutes and you’ll be on your way,” the nurse soothes before dropping the line.

“
Ask and you shall receive, Lays,” Jeanette says graciously and starts to get all my stuff together.

“
Do you think it’s weird that my brakes went out and my air bag didn’t go off?” I’ve been thinking this since the cops starting asking questions. I hate being scared. I thought I was passed that now.

“
With Saint popping up everywhere like a fucking jack-in-the-box, I think you’re fine,” she responds and I’m not sure if she’s telling me the truth or trying to keep me calm. “Hey, I’ll stay with you if you like. We can have a little slumber party.”

“
Nah, I just want to soak in a bath, maybe play the piano a little and then go to bed,” I reply. In truth I would love her to stay. I’ve felt so lonely since Carter left, which is insane because I only had him for one night. I’ve basically been alone my whole life, so I should be used to it. At night I keep dreaming about our time together. I’m pretty sure my pregnancy hormones are making it seem better than it really was.
Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Layla
.
It was incredible
.

I can see her studying me and I’m relieved when the nurse and doctor walk in before she can say something.

“
Alrighty, Miss. Matthews, it looks like you’re good to go, but I did call and leave a message with your OBGYN and told them you’d be calling to make a follow-up appointment. If you need anything before then, feel free to give me a call.”

“
Do you have a card or something?” Jeanette asks the attractive middle-aged doctor. Jeanette said he was hot, and while he’s easy on the eyes, he really isn’t her type. At all. She gravitates towards the dark, dangerous ones that look like they could snap you like a brittle twig. The doctor is handsome in more of a feminine kind of way. He’s got dark-blond hair that looks like it’s been carefully styled. He’s wearing his hospital scrubs and coat, but they are crisply pressed and obsessively neat. He and Jeanette would look like Ken and Barbie beside each other but I don’t think it’s meant to be. He’s too perfectly tailored for her.

“
Sure,” he says, pulling a card out of his front pocket and trying to hand it to me. Before I can take it, Jeanette swipes from his hand.

“
Mind if I use it?” she purrs coquettishly, giving him a look that has most men eating out of her hand. Between her looks and her boldness, I’ve never seen a man she couldn’t have by the balls.

“
Anyti–” the doc is cut off by a loud growl and I know it’s Saint without having to look. He marches over and snatches the card from her hand.

“
You’ll make the doc really fucking happy he’s already in the hospital you don’t knock that shit off,” Saint snarls and puts the card in his own pocket.

The doctor gives Saint a look of disdain before shaking his head and leaving the room, telling the nurse to discharge me. It’s probably wise he didn’t comment.

“
Jerk! I’m never going to get laid with you stalking around. A woman has needs you know,” Jeanette snaps at him.

“
Mama, you got needs? I’ve got a mouth and a cock right here to fulfill them. You’re going to get someone killed,” Saint barks, running his hands through his hair as if to calm himself down.

“
What part of ‘drop dead’ aren’t you getting, Saint?” Jeanette asks.

“
The part where every time you say it, your nipples get hard and I know for a fact your pussy is wet for me. If we weren’t in a hospital right now and if I didn’t have shit to do, I would show you.”

“
Fuck off,” she responds and turns to me, dismissing him. She must be pretty pissed because normally she likes to go toe to toe with him for a good fifteen minutes.

“
You ready?” she asks.

I’m still watching Saint because I don’t care how mad she is at him, that was still pretty freaking hot. I’m surprised she hasn’t cracked yet. I’m still pissed at the guy but there’s just something about him that makes you like him. He’s scary as shit when he wants to be, but he’s always quick to crack a joke or try to lighten the mood. But although he and Carter differ in that sense, they’re too alike for it not to hurt to be around Saint.

“
Yeah, just give me a sec,” I say. I slip into the bathroom and change out of my hospital gown.

When I come out, Saint is alone and leaning up against the door.

“
Sorry, I might have said some shit and she left. I told her I was taking you home and it was non-negotiable.” I can see the sorrow in his eyes. It makes me envious. Saint is here and trying like hell to get Jeanette to take him back. Must be nice to have someone fight to be with you.

Throwing the rest of my stuff into the hospital bag, Saint takes it and we walk quietly to his car. When we’re almost home, my phone goes off with a message from Jeanette.

Jeanette:
Sorry I had to get away from him. Home safe. You need anything?

Me:
Nope, I’m almost home. Going to take a long bath and go to bed. Talk to you tomorrow. Love you.

Jeanette:
Love you too xoxo

“
She get home okay?” Saint asks.

“
Yeah. Just give her more time.”

“
I’m a patient man, Layla, but my patience is starting to wear thin.” This breaks my heart a little. As much as I’m still angry at Saint for keeping tabs on me in secret for Carter, I hate seeing two people that could be together hurting for one another. I can’t and won’t draw parallels with my situation with Carter. He doesn’t want me, but these two could be together if they truly wanted it. I know Jeanette still wants him but she’s just holding back.

“
Don’t give up on her, Saint. She needs someone like you.”

“
I know she does but I never said I was giving up. Just that my patience is running thin and she might not like it when I snap. I’m letting her play her games for now because it makes her think she’s in control and I know she needs that.”

I look over at him and really take him in. He’s always dirty-mouthed and crude, but he’s so much more observant than I realized.

Pulling into my driveway, Saint hops out of the car to walk around and open my car door.

“
Let me do a house check, it will make me feel better,” he says. I know he’s not asking but I want him to as well. It will make me feel better after everything that’s happened today. I’m still anxious at the possibility, no matter how remote, that someone tried to hurt me. It makes me worry about Carter too.

“
He’s fine. I talked to him today,” Saint says, confirming that he really is more observant than I had given him credit for.

“
Thank you,” I say, opening the door and letting him in the house. It doesn’t take long for him to go through my little place, and I notice he seems to know his way around. I wait for him at the door and don’t comment, because I don’t want to know why he knows my house so well.

“
Looks all clear. I’ll check around the outside before I head out,” he says while walking out.

“
Thanks, Saint.”

“
I’m glad you’re okay. I know you don’t believe me, but Carter would have lost it if you were hurt.”

“
I don’t want to talk about him anymore, Saint. I get that you want to get back with Jeanette, but can we leave any and all mentions of Carter out of it? I’ve moved on.”

“
Got it,” he says, not quite believing me. “Lock the door and set the alarm. Later, Layla.” He leaves and shuts the door behind him. I make sure he doesn’t see my eye roll. I’ve lived on my own for four years and I know how to take care myself.

I lock down the house and head for my bathroom. I opt to take a hot shower instead of a bath. All I want is to wash away the hospital smell. I don’t bother to dress and just throw on my pink fluffy robe and grab my Kindle. My tummy rumbles loudly and I realize I haven’t eaten today. I don’t feel like making anything, so I just order Chinese.

I’m getting to a really juicy part in my book when the doorbell rings, making me jump. Figuring it’s my takeout, I grab my wallet, turn off the alarm and open the door.

“
That’s how you open a fucking door, Cherry?” Carter growls. I jump back in shock and end up tripping over my own feet, falling flat on my ass.

My heart starts pounding at the sound of his voice. Looking up at him, I see his face is set in a hard glare and his jaw is tightly clenched. He’s just a big as I remember, but I swear his effect on me is magnified. After all, now I know how he kisses, what his hands feel like as they caress my skin, how it feels to be owned by him.

Instantly he’s on me, lifting me off the floor like I weigh nothing. I automatically wrap my arms and legs around him to keep from falling. Kicking the door closed with his foot, he walks to the couch, dropping down on to it so I end up straddling him. I know I should be screaming and yelling at him, but my body just clings to his, and I bury my face in his neck. I felt scared all day and I finally feel safe again. It’s as if he’s taken all my worries away with just his presence.

That’s when it hits me. My moment of relief is swept away by sadness and jealousy. All I can smell on him is cheap women's perfume. I lose it. Angrily, I push myself off his lap. God! To think I curled myself around him like a loyal puppy. Here I am clinging to him, and he’s spent his night with another woman? What happened to all that “I’m yours, and you're mine bullshit”? I swear I can feel my tattoo of his name burning my skin.

“
You stink, Carter. You smell like another woman. I understand that you don’t want to be with me, but, Jesus, have some compassion.”

“
It’s not what you think, Cherry,” Carter says softly. He starts to rise and I hold my hand out, not wanting him to get up. He looms over me, filling my entire field of vision. He’s easily over a foot taller than me, and right now I need to be on the same level as him.

“
I don’t believe you. See, you have this problem of lying to me and running away. You’re just that kind of man it seems,” I throw the words at him as my anger gets the best of me.

“
Never lied to you,” he clips.

“
Doesn’t matter. I don’t want to fight about this and I’m done crying. I’m letting you go,” I say forcefully. Maybe if I’m forceful enough with my words, even I’ll believe them.

“
You’re letting me go?” he says in a tone that implies I’ve lost it. Maybe I have. God, why does he have to be so beautiful?

I tear my eyes away from him and shift my gaze to my feet. “I can’t justify this to myself anymore. I fight with myself trying to rationalize your actions. I go over and over everything that happened between us in my head. I’m driving myself crazy. Every time I give myself over to you, it’s just a waste of my love. Leave me alone, Carter.” I put my hand over my belly and his eyes go there. “Leave
us
alone. Please.”

I wish I could sound more commanding, more convincing but I can’t. I feel my shoulders drop in defeat and I close my eyes tightly

The silence is deafening.