Fighting To Stay (15 page)

Tears fall quickly down my face as I look at Robert. He reached up and turned the pump on before looking back at me.

“She gave me the choice too. I chose her because knowing she was alive and out there was harder to handle than living without her after having some of the best moments of my life. You’re taking away his choice. The man is smart. If you weren’t worth it to him, he wouldn’t be there. He wouldn’t have asked you to marry him. He wouldn’t have searched for you all night long when you left. I know this decision is yours in the end, but please remember that it’s not just you in the equation. Think about how you’d feel if the roles were reversed. How would you feel if he shut you out and didn’t involve you in on anything? Just think about it is all I’m saying.”

With that he walks out of the room, I take several deep breathes trying hopelessly to get myself under control. Closing my eyes, I rest my head back against the headrest and slowly drift off to sleep.

When I arrive back at my hotel, the desk clerk waves me over. Groaning, I turn and head in the direction.

“I’m exhausted. Can’t this wait?”

“You have messages,” she says confused.

“Messages? From who?”
No one knows I’m here.

“Um, I’m not exactly sure. They said you’d know,” she says handing me the messages.

Taking them from her, I turn around and head back in direction of the elevators. Thinking back to when I woke up after my treatment. The covers were tucked around me. Something told me it was Garrett, but at the same time, I’m not sure he would have left if he did come back from that other patient.

Turning around, I walk right out the door. I know where I need to go. It was time to stop hiding from it. Hailing a cab, I tell them the address and think about what I need to say first.

After calling Robert, when I arrive at the clinic, he’s waiting for me. He escorts me into the back. When I get close to Garrett’s office, my nerves kick in.

Taking a few deep breathes I peek into this office. He’s on the phone and he looks like utter crap. No, he looks like someone that has been chewed up and spit out.

“She hasn’t called you either? … Damn it! Where could she be?” His voice cracks and I watch as he runs a hand through his hair.

Bravely stepping into his office, I respond to his question. “I’m right here,” I say quietly.

His head snaps up and he stares at me. Turning, I shut the door, hearing him slam the phone down as I did so. No more than turning around and he’s gathering me in his arms, kissing me like there’s no tomorrow.

Breaking from the kiss, he holds my face in his hands. “Where have you been? Why did you run? God, I’ve been so worried about you.”

“Did you almost die because of me?”

He steps back, really looking at me. I can see the tear tracks down his face.

“No, why would you think that? I did almost wreck yes, but it had nothing to do with you. I had gone to a guy’s house and had a few drinks. We were reliving the old days, just having a good time. I left thinking I could drive and a deer jumps out in front of me… Why would you think that?”

“Your cousin said it was because of me. That I…”

He jerks away from me quickly. Shock fills me and I’m unable to move. Grabbing his phone, he dials a number.

“Fred, can you come by my place tonight? … Yeah, what time? … No, I haven’t heard a word from her in two days. … Yeah, I’ll see you at six.”

He hangs up the phone and pulls at his hair. I’m honestly afraid to say anything at all, but I have a lot I need to say.

“Gare, I need to tell you what I came here to say. Please, just listen to me before you say or do anything. Okay?”

He looks up at me nodding his head. “Go ahead.”

Staying behind his desk, I am grateful for that. If he’d come over to me, I’d skip talking and fall into his arms again. But that isn’t going to solve anything. We need to talk.

“Today, I had a talk with Robert. What he said to me hit home and that’s why I’m here. Garrett, I love you more than anything in this world,” tears start falling immediately. “However, I can’t stand the fact that I might hurt you or be the cause of you hurting yourself. Nevertheless, as I listened to Robert telling me about his wife and the way he felt about the time with her and without her. I realize that I’ve been selfish. This whole time I think I’m saving you and your heart, but I could very well be causing more damage than I could dying. I’m taking from you now because I’m afraid of what I’ll take from you later should I die. And that’s not fair of me. This is a decision you should be able to make on your own and I need to let you. I love you, Garrett. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, however long that is, but if you want to walk away right now, I understand that too. I’ll let you think about it all, just wanted to come by here and let you know that I’m staying at the
Golden Nugget
across town.”

Turning I start to leave. My heart was hammering in my chest and my brain whirled around trying to make sure I said everything that I need to say. Suddenly, I’m spun around and pushed against the door.

His mouth is on mine and my hands are pinned next to my head. He devours me as if I’m his last meal. After a moment, his hands release mine, but his mouth never leaves mine. Garrett’s hands move to my waist, lowering down my sweats.

The need for him takes over. When he plunges into me, I cry out with the pure pleasure of having him love me this way.

“You’re mine, from now until forever. I want no one else, but you. Do you understand me?” He growls against my lips.

“Yes, yes, yes,” I pant out.

“This running away when you get scared is done. We are in this together, no matter what,” he whispers right before biting my neck.

“Ahhh, yes!”

Right there against his office door, he made love to me. It is intense and passionate. Panting, still pressed against the door with his weight pressed against me, he kisses his way across my shoulder and up my neck to my mouth. Tenderly and oh so lovingly, he kisses me as he helps me get dressed.

A tear slips from my eye as he walks us over to the couch. “I love you. I love you so much,” I sob.

“I love you too, baby. Always and forever, you are my everything. No more trying to save me from something that I don’t want to be saved from. Okay?”

“Okay. Who did you call earlier?”

“Fred, my cousin that you danced with at the restaurant.”

“Oh. You didn’t talk to him when I left?” I ask confused.

“Yes, but he never mentioned any of that.”

“What did he mention?”

There’s a knock on the door that breaks our bubble. Garrett makes sure that we are presentable before yelling for whomever to come in. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath.

Damn, I’m so freaking tired.

“Dr. Hepner, I… Oh, I didn’t realize
she
is here.”

“Do you have a problem with my wife being here, Ms. Perry?”

Through the crack in my eyes, I watch her eyes widen.
He claimed me. This is real. He’s mine and all mine. Finally!

“Your
wife
? You’ve got to be kidding me? You married this whore?”

“Get out of my office, collect your belongings. You’re fired,” Garrett hisses in a controlled voice.

“What? Why? Because of her?”

“No, because of your blatant disrespect for authority and the embezzling you have been doing,” Robert’s voice booms through the office causing me to jump.

“It is okay, my love. Go back to sleep. I’ll be right back.”

“No, please stay,” I plead worried that something bad is going to happen.

“I’ll be fine, baby,” he leans in and kisses deeply. “When I get back, we’ll go home. Just rest.”

“Are you sure about this? Garrett, I just don’t have a good feeling about this.”

He sets the knife down that he is using to cut up some potatoes for supper. Walking over to me, he wraps his arms around my waist.

“I know something’s not adding up for me either, but we’ll never figure that out unless we do this. Everything will be okay. He doesn’t know you’re really here.”

When knocking sounds on the door, he sends me up the hall to the safe room and instructs me to lock myself in there. I’m shaking out of control. All I want is him to hold me, but right now he’s risking it all for me.

Looking at the bank of monitors, I flip through until I see him and this Fred character standing on the screen.
Please Lord let there be sound.
By some miracle, I manage to hit the right button after several attempts. I can now hear what’s going on in the kitchen.

“You’re cooking,” Fred asks.

“I’ve got to eat right,” Garrett snaps.

“Sorry. I just figured you’d be too upset to eat.”

“This will be the first meal that I’ve eaten since she ran out. I just don’t get it. We were happy. She was ready to get married and then she runs away.” Slamming his fists on the counter in fake frustration, he looks at Fred. “She said nothing to you?”

“Man, I’m sorry, but…” Fred cut himself off.

Garrett is around the counter and holding him by the shirt demanding he tell him.

“She said that she can’t love you. She said she tried, but she just can’t seem to do it. Her heart belongs to that Vince character and she can’t hurt him any longer. That’s when I started yelling at her for hurting you and she ran off.”

How did he know about Vince?
Just as I thought that, I see movement in the entryway. Grabbing my phone, I call Garrett. Thankfully, he answers.

“What,” he snaps.

“Vince is in the house,” I whisper panicked. “He’s working with Vince.”

“That’s fine. Call the emergency number and the security number as well. They will be there within five minutes. I had already informed them when I left the office today.”

“I love you so much. I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah, me too. Call it now. Keep me updated.”

He hangs up. Quickly, I search for the numbers, finding them on the desk near the monitors. Calling both the numbers, my eyes are glued to the cameras.

Biting my nails, I watch as Vince enters the kitchen. Garrett’s back stiffens as he looks between Vince and Fred.

“How the hell did you get in here?” Garrett hisses at Vince.

“Fred let me in. Funny thing about family. When they hate you, they really go to any lengths to hurt you.” Vince says all too pleased with himself.

“What are you talking about,” Garrett growls.

“See, Fred here hates you for what you’ve done to his best friend. He wants you to pay for it. So he brought me in to take Donna away from you. It worked well when they convinced you to ‘better’ yourself for her. Then she had to go and grow a pair of balls and kick me out. Then proceeds to move her whorish ass on to you. She’s mine and I’ve come to collect what’s mine.”

“She is not yours nor is she a whore.” He turns his attention on Fred. “How could you do this to me? After all I’ve done for you when we were younger and hell, even now, this is how you repay me?”

Fred laughs. “You brought this on yourself. You just can’t leave well enough alone and be with Carly like you were meant to be.”

“What?! Carly? Seriously? I’ve never been interested in her. In fact,” Garrett squares his shoulders. “I fired her today.”

“You what,” Vince roars.

Come on people, where are you?

Just then I see several officers enter the house quietly, using hand gestures to direct the plan of action. My breath stalled in my chest as I watch Vince and Fred both lunge for Garrett. Thankfully, before they could make contact with him, the police enter the room.

“Freeze! Put your hands in the air.” An officer commands.

Everything happens so quickly. The minute I see the officers with Vince and Fred, I leave the room. Quickly, I run out to Garrett.

“Garrett,” I scream the minute I enter the room.

He turns and quickly makes his way over to me, wrapping me in his warm comforting arms. It is over. It is finally over. Vince will forever be out of my life now.