Protected by the HERO (64 page)

“Um…I was…I was leaving the parking garage when Adonis just came out of nowhere and hit me,” I said, because that’s all I knew. One second no one was behind me and then the next, my car was spinning and hit the corner of the parking garage. “He pulled me out of the car just before it caught fire,” I said and glanced over at my car getting drenched in water from the fire truck.

“If it’s revealed that Goodman was driving recklessly would you like to press charges ma’am?” the officer asked and I glanced over at Adonis who was talking to an officer. He glanced over at me with his bright blue eyes and I still saw remorse and regret there.

“It’s…It’s alright,” I said and the officer leveled a serious gaze on me.

“You don’t have to refrain from pressing charges just because he’s famous. It’s
your
car he totaled and
your
life that’s being disrupted ma’am,” the officer said and I sighed softly.

“I know…can I think about it?” I asked and the officer nodded with a small sigh.

“You can, but I advise you not to wait too long ma’am, I’ll give you my card in case you change your mind,” he said and then Adonis came into view.

“I’m sorry, but we have to take her in to the hospital. It’s very likely that she has a concussion,” one of the paramedics working on me said.

“Which hospital are you taking her to?” Adonis asked.

“West Presbyterian,” he said and Adonis nodded.

“I’ll be there and we can talk about this, okay Emily? It’s like I said, I’ll take care of everything,” Adonis said and the officer rolled his eyes and handed me his card. I took it and the paramedics strapped me in and loaded the gurney into the ambulance. The good news was that the world stopped spinning.

*****

Adonis

The paramedics were patient but after a few minutes of ready to go they told the police to follow to the hospital. They couldn’t stay here. Just before leaving the police officer told me that it was up to her to press charges for damages. After that it was simply a matter of cleaning up the scene. I felt horrible for totaling Emily’s car and endangering her life. All because I was in a big rush and being careless while driving. I ignored the crowd of people that had formed to watch the events unfold. I didn’t reply to their shouted questions. I would make sure Emily had absolutely nothing to worry about even if she did press charges or not.

“Adonis!” Jerry appeared out of nowhere. “Hey you have to make a statement to the press. The local news will be here any minute,” he told me. I nearly lunged off the gurney at him. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, emphatically ignoring him. “Guys, can you get me out of here.”

“Alright fine, go make sure she doesn’t sue you. Honestly Adonis, you couldn’t have just hit her bumper? You had to make her car catch fire and give her a concussion?” he asked.

“Look if it wasn’t for you stressing me out and packing my schedule with fucking photo shoots, none of this would have happened Jerry. Get off my ass,” I told him.

I got to the hospital around ten minutes after Emily. I thanked the paramedics for taking such good care of me. I hopped off the gurney and walked away from the nurse.  I asked for Emily but they told me no one apart from family was allowed to see her yet. The orderly seated at the desk in front of the emergency room was giving me a hard time.

“Please, I’m taking care of her bills and everything, I just need to make sure she’s okay. Can’t you just cut me a break?” I asked and the woman, who must have been in her late fifties, tilted her head at me, her expression unwavering.

“If a family member says it’s okay,
then
you can go back, otherwise I can’t let you see her,” she said and I huffed and then walked away from the desk. Just then a doctor and a nurse came through the emergency room doors and I quickly slipped back into the emergency room while the hard-ass nurse was busy typing away on her computer. I had to peek behind every drawn curtain to find Emily, she was lying on the bed with her eyes closed. She was still just as beautiful as before with her light chocolate-colored skin, unblemished, and her soft features. Her long straight black hair was fanned across her pillow and her full lips were slightly parted. Was she asleep?

“Emily?” I said in a low voice and her eyelids fluttered open, she had naturally long lashes and her eyes were a caramel hazel color.

“…Adonis?” she whispered and I smiled sheepishly.

“How are you feeling?” I asked her and she sat up slowly, winced and touched her head, just past her hairline. I could see stitches there.

“How did you get back here?” she asked me in a whisper and I shrugged.

“I snuck past the orderly up front. She was a real hard ass,” I said and Emily smiled slightly. “How do you feel?” I asked her again and she shrugged delicately.

“My head is pounding and I’m battling nausea, but other than that…I guess I’m okay,” she said and I wanted to kick myself.

“Please let me make it up to you? I’ll take care of everything like I said. I’ll even buy you a replacement for your car, brand new,” I said and she waved her hand at me.

“It’s alright Adonis…let the insurance company handle it,” she said and I shook my head.

“No, they’ll only pay for half of anything, at best. I landed you in a hospital bed, at least let me cover your medical bills and set you up with a car service until we get your car situation figured out,” I said and she sighed.

“Okay, fine…sure. You can leave me your cell number and stuff, my phone was…in the car,” she said and I quickly jotted down my information for her.

“Can you maybe give me your number at least?” I asked her and she rattled off her cell phone and landline number.

“So my mother is on the way here, along with my sister…I don’t think you want to stick around to meet them right now,” she said softly and I wondered if she was speaking softly because of a headache, or if she wasn’t all that upset with me.

“Uh, sure, of course. I’ll be calling you then,” I said and she nodded once before closing her eyes again.

“Don’t get caught by the orderly,” she said and I smirked as I left her little emergency room enclosure. I’d have to see about getting her into the best room possible.

*****

Emily

“So Emily, you were at a job interview, because you lost your job, and you were hit by one of
the
most famous football players in the country?” my mother and sister had arrived at the hospital, and instead of coddling me, they were interrogating me.

“Did you get his information at least? Is he going to pay for any of your bills, because clearly you aren’t in the position to dole out cash right now,” my sister’s voice was grating on my nerves and I was three seconds away from throwing her out. My mother, I expected this from, less so from her.

“Please Vanessa, for the love of Pete, shut up or
leave
,” I groaned and she finally quieted when my mom gave Vanessa a look. “We exchanged information. He was just here. He said he’ll take care of everything. Now can we all have some quiet time?” I asked and both my mom and Vanessa sighed. “Honestly I could have died today and all you two can do is interrogate me?”

“Well, we’re just shocked is all. You never tell us what’s going on with you,” my mom protested and I sighed.

“Well that’s what’s going on,” I said and my mom came to sit next to me on the hospital bed.

“So when are they letting you out of here?” Vanessa asked and I shrugged.

“They want to keep me overnight at least, for observation,” I said just as a nurse walked in.

“Good news! We found you a room. The person covering your bills specified that you be moved to one of our nicer suites too,” he said and smiled at me as if I were lucky to have been hit by Adonis Goodman’s Ferrari.

I was moved and then settled into a rather nice room for a hospital. I had my own bathroom and an area for visitors. A double closet bigger than my own closet.

“Wow, this is like the hospital version of the Double Tree,” my sister said, when they walked into the room once I was settled. I couldn’t help but laugh, though the movement caused my head to throb painfully.

“Okay you get some rest. Try and sleep,” my mom came to the bed to rearrange my pillows and I let her. Really, wasn’t any stopping her.

“Emily, are you up for a visitor?” One of the new nurses poked her head into my room and I wondered who else would be visiting me. Not many people knew I had been in a car accident.

“Ah, who is it?” I asked and the nurse actually blushed a little.

“Adonis Goodman,” she whispered and I could practically hear my mother and sister, readying themselves to meet him.

“Oh, uh, it’s fine,” I said and then she opened the door wider and let Adonis’s tall, broad shouldered figure into the room.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” his eyes went right to me and scanned me almost anxiously.

“I’m alright. Hopefully it’s just overnight that I have to be here,” I said and he nodded and then noticed my mom and sister for the first time.

“Oh hello. I didn’t see you two there. I’m Adonis…I’m sorry I crashed into Emily,” he said and I almost smirked. I would have never pegged Adonis Goodman to be so humble that he would apologize for the same thing repeatedly.

“Well as long as you don’t leave her high and dry…” my mother said, she had recovered from the shock of seeing him before my sister had.

“Of course not ma’am. I told Emily that I’ll take care of everything,” he said solemnly and then glanced at Vanessa who was quiet for once.

“Um, this is my mom Rhonda, and my sister Vanessa,” I introduced them and Adonis shook their hands.

“Don’t worry, Emily doesn’t have to worry about anything other than getting better,” he assured them and my mother was pleased.

“Good. It is the least you could do for nearly killing her,” she said and I groaned.

“
Mom
…” I said and she ignored me, of course. Adonis hung his head a little, like a scolded schoolboy.

“Like I said, I’m really sorry ma’am. There’s no excuse for what happened,” he said and then glanced at me.

“I came here to tell you that I arranged a car service for you, fully paid. So you don’t have to catch the bus or anything. Then I was thinking that maybe…we could go for dinner when you’re feeling up to it, to talk about your car situation,” he said and I felt my mother’s gaze hit me like a ton of bricks. All she wants is for her remaining daughter to get married, and of course she saw Adonis as the veritable prince charming.

“Oh thank you, really you don’t have to—” I was cut off by my mother shushing me.

“That was very kind of you Adonis, and of course Emily will go out with you,” she said and I rolled my eyes. Adonis looked as if he was trying not to laugh at this point.

“I will call you. I have your info.” I said and he nodded with an almost sly smile.

“Great then. I just wanted to check on you. Oh. I also have something for you. A letter,” he said, and then pulled a folded envelope from his back pocket. It was addressed to me from the New England Calvary medical team. I looked up at him with hopeful eyes and he smiled at me and gestured towards the letter.

I opened it up and read it three times. I had gotten the job; I wasn’t jobless anymore!

“Did you have anything to do with this?” I asked, as my mother took the letter from my hands so she could read it.

“I swear I didn’t,” I had to go back to headquarters to talk to the public relations people and all. Then the head of medical staff caught me and asked if I knew how to reach you because your phone…and all…” he gave me a sheepish smile and I gestured for him to continue. “Anyway, he gave me the letter to deliver to you and here we are,” he said and I smiled.

“Well it seems like things are looking up,” my sister finally spoke up and I nodded.

*****

Adonis

Emily was a little late for dinner, but I was relieved that she showed up at all. She was walking toward my table wearing a sexy sweater dress with knee high boots and black stockings. Her hair was down around her shoulders and her gaze was on mine. She seemed equal parts determined, guarded, and curious.

“Emily, hey, I’m glad you came,” I stood as she got closer to the table and then held her chair out for her to sit. She looked at me as if she was confused by the gesture, but sat down anyway.

“I couldn’t stand up Adonis Goodman, now could I?’ she asked, as I sat down.

“You could have if you wanted to. I would’ve understood…but I probably would have been persistent in seeing you again,” I said and she tilted her head at me slightly. The light caught the stitches just past her hairline and I winced a little bit.

“Just so you could buy me a new car? Really?” she asked in slight disbelief and I nodded.

“Yeah, and to make sure you’re okay. Are you? How’s your head?” I asked and she shrugged.

“The headaches are getting a little better…” she said. The waiter came around to take her drink order and brought bread for the table.

“I ah, wanted to let you know that I took care of the medical bills,” I said. She looked at me like she didn’t want me to have done that.