House Rules (30 page)

The pain continued to increase but I used it to help fuel the anger burning through my body.

His words came out fast and all strung together. “I had a moving company bring all of your stuff to my house two days ago.”

“You did
what?
” I lurched up and regretted it immediately as a scream left my lips and spots danced in front of my eyes.

“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.

The door opened and the last person I expected came through the door. Hatred poured through me.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I was surprised at how strong my voice came out given how weak I felt.

“Theresa, is that anyway to speak to your mother?” Her lip curled the same way it had when she accused me of coming on to Rex.

“What mother? You cared more about Rex who was fucking around on you.”

The bastard slithered into the room like the snake that he was. “Now, now, why would you say such things?”

I ignored his question, wanting them gone sooner rather than later. “How did you find me?”

“Oh, sweetheart,” the endearment slid off her tongue like a bitter fruit, “the police contacted us to say you were hurt. And we figured since we lost the business and apparently you’re doing very well for yourself”—she gestured around the room—“we’d come and collect on all of the things you owe us for.”

“I don’t owe—”

“What the fuck is this?”

Miller’s voice warmed me from the chill of my ‘parents’. He stepped over to the bed, setting the bag on the tray. He bent down to press a brief kiss to my lips. “Okay?”

“No, but now that you’re hear things are a little better.”

“Let me handle this?”

I nodded, more than happy to not have to deal with the two people who’d gone out of their way to make my life hell.

Miller turned and faced my parents, feet braced, arms crossed over his chest. It might have been the most inopportune time, but it was hard to miss the way his jeans hugged his ass as he stood there.

“I have a pretty good idea who you are and I think it’s time for you to turn the fuck around and leave.” His voice was calm, controlled.

Rex took a step toward Miller. “And who the hell are you?”

“Miller, not that matters. Tess obviously doesn’t want you here.”

“We’re her parents, she owes it to us to help take care of us while we rebuild our business.”

“Oh, she owes you nothing.”

My mom stepped up next to Rex. “This has nothing to do with you. She owes us for raising her and for almost ruining our marriage.”

“From what I understand, she didn’t ruin shit. Your husband, and I use that term loosely, has a difficult time keeping his dick in his pants when it comes to innocent young girls.”

Rex’s face grew red, his hands clenched at his side. Bad move. He had no idea who he was dealing with. “She stripped and begged me to take her.”

In a flash, Miller wrapped his hand around Rex’s neck and shoved him against the wall.

“I’ve had enough of your fucking mouth. I’m going to say this once and only once. I’m the man who put you out of business. It wasn’t hard. I have both the money and the resources. I am not a man to tangle with. Tess is mine, and anything you do or say to her you do or say to me. If you don’t want your own bed in this very hospital, you are going to silently walk through the door, go back to Ohio, and stay there. Don’t think I won’t know if you don’t. I know exactly where to find you. If I hear that you’ve contacted Tess in any way, I will pay a personal visit to you and I can guarantee it will not be a pleasant experience. Do I make myself clear?”

About halfway through Miller’s speech, Rex’s eyes bulged, his face taking on a purple hue. He nodded emphatically. Miller let him go and Rex’s hand immediately went to his throat, rubbing it.

My mom opened her mouth to argue, when Rex glanced at Miller, he saw something that had him grabbing her hand and pulling her from the room.

“What did you . . . How did you . . .”

The bed dipped as he sat down next to me and, taking my hand in his, he spent the next ten minutes explaining the whole thing to me. My eyes welled with each beautiful word that left his mouth. Some women might have been repelled by what he’d done, but I knew Miller well enough to know that this was him taking care of me. Him getting revenge on my parents was his way of making sure I never had to go through anything like that ever again. And if it made me a bad person for feeling elated about that, then color my soul black because I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Miller, I’m so sorr—”

He turned and silenced me with his lips. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

It amazed me how quickly Miller could change gears. One minute he looked like he could kill someone, literally, the next he was the sweet man who wormed his way past my defenses.

“I love you,” I said.

“I love you, too. Now eat, while I see what I can do about getting you out of here. I can’t wait to take you home.”

That had to be the best thing I’d heard since I woke up that morning.

CHAPTER 29

Theresa

After getting home, Miller set out to wait on me hand and foot. He insisted on doing everything for me, including sending someone to the school to pick up my missing work. Thankfully, he didn’t try to cook, instead asking Ashton to make something. He and Elena brought dinner over, and stayed to see how I was feeling.

It was a little overwhelming seeing my things in Miller’s house. The fact that he’d incorporated my things throughout the house meant the world to me. The car may have been my first purchase, but everything I owned had been something I’d worked hard for.

He truly did understand what it meant to me.

My car was a completely different story. There was nothing they could do to salvage it. After a lot of persuasion, I got Miller to agree to let me buy the car from the dealership. It was my way of making up for him paying off my loan. With those and my rent payments gone, I could actually afford a new car. Although, I had a feeling the price Miller would give me wasn’t anywhere near the actual price of the car.

I knew staying with Miller meant that he was going to buy me things, I had to learn to push those reservations aside and learn to enjoy the things he gave me.

From the conversation I’d overheard between Miller and Dean, Ray had a few bones he’d had to have surgically repaired, which would leave him in the hospital for a while. Broken bones didn’t seem enough to warrant that length of stay, but I was guessing that there was a lot about his altercation with Ray that Miller was leaving out, and being the good girlfriend I was, I decided to let him have that play and kept my nose out.

A few days after the hospital released me, Miller’s mom and dad ended up on our doorstep, bringing with them enough food to see us through the next two months.

I couldn’t control the nerves that plagued me the moment they walked into the room. I didn’t want a repeat of the first time we met.

“Mrs. and Mr. Hawes,” I said, attempting to straighten my hair that had no chance of looking nice under the circumstances.

His mom smiled. “Faith and Malcolm, please. You’re family now.”

I wasn’t really. Not yet, but the words still felt really good. 

Malcolm took a seat on the couch across from Miller and I. “I want to apologize for my behavior the first time we met. I was used to Miller breaking his mother’s heart with all of the different women she’s seen him with. We had no idea how serious your relationship had become.”

“Dad.” Miller groaned, wrapping an arm around me, pulling me in tight.

Malcolm shrugged. “Like she doesn’t know your history.”

“A history that won’t be repeated,” Miller argued emphatically.

“Enough you two.” Faith turned to me. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, thank you. I would like to go back to class in a few days.”

Miller turned to me, worry lines creasing his brow. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“I feel much better than I did a few days ago, and I can’t wait until the cast comes off before going back to school. Besides, I agreed to let Dean or Charlie go with me anytime you can’t.”

Miller’s dad had arranged guards for me, Elena, and Miller’s mom. It felt weird to be in a situation where I needed someone to keep me safe. Never had I imagined a world where that would be necessary.

“Don’t you dare try and stop her, Miller.” Faith’s stern tone drew my attention. He shut his mouth. It was good to know I wasn’t the only one to put Miller in his place. “Now, Miller says you want to be a nurse. Tell me all about it.”

I told her all about wanting to help people and my goals. It was a nice feeling to a have a parental figure listen and be proud of all you’d accomplished. His parents stayed for dinner, which gave me the opportunity to get to know them better. Watching them interact with each other, reminded me a lot of Miller and myself. No matter how hard and intimidating his father could be to everyone else, he never showed that side to Faith.

I hadn’t seen Miller’s dad in any other scenario so I couldn’t comment on any change in his demeanor, but the man who sat opposite me discussing ziti recipes was definitely not what I’d imagined he would be based on Miller’s stories. Then again, I’d seen firsthand how Miller could change in an instant. Maybe it was a family trait.

I looked at his mom fussing over everyone and wondered if that might be me some day; running around after our children, while Miller held court at the head of the table. In truth, I wasn’t sure if this life was for me. The secrets, the uncertainty . . . the illicitness of it all—it was a lot to take in. But if being with Miller meant accepting all that came with it, then I would give it a damn good try.