Stone Cold (8 page)

“Now.” She didn’t want to wait days or weeks to find out why he was here playing the part of attentive lover when they both knew he could barely stand the sight of her. What was his angle?

Releasing her hand, he sat back in the chair, sighing. “Fine, I’ll tell you what I know. This Bill person...”

She tried to shake her head, but the slight action caused pain to ricochet through her skull, making her wince.

“Are you okay? Do you need something for the pain?”

“No.” Given her history, the last thing she needed was drugs to numb the pain. She’d rather endure every throbbing, stabbing, ache, pain and twinge than slip back into that cursed oblivion. Since she didn’t seem capable of voicing more than one word at a time, she had to hope he understood her meaning when she said, “You.”

He remained silent so long, she thought he was waiting for more, but he finally said, “You’re wondering why I’m here? That’s a fair question under the circumstances.”

“Hate…” A tear of frustration slid past her lashes. “Me.”

“No, baby,” he said, taking her hand in his. “I don’t hate you. I could never hate you.” He kissed her hand. “I was angry. I admit that, but I went too far. I’m sorry.”

He was asking for her forgiveness? Was he serious? There was so much she wanted to say, but couldn’t. Instead, she had to wait for him to continue.

“I was devastated when I found you with Lee, but that didn’t give me the right to ruin your life. I should have ended our relationship and just found a way to move on, but I couldn’t. I needed revenge. I needed to make you hurt the way I was hurting. I’m not proud of what I did, but…”

She didn’t blame him for trying to get even; he had every right to hate her. In his mind, she’d thrown away months of being clean and jumped in to bed with his brother while he was away on a business trip. On their anniversary no less.

True, she had cursed her ex a time or two when she couldn’t get a decent gig, when she had to walk because she couldn’t put gas in her car, or go without food because she didn’t have a dollar for a donut, but he wasn’t to blame. She was. She’d trusted the wrong person. Again. It seemed to be a pattern for her, and her poor judgement had finally landed her in this hospital bed, fighting for her life.

Drake didn’t have to tell her that her life had been hanging in the balance. She could feel the remnants of near-death in every pore of her body.

“S’okay.”

“No, it’s not okay. You wouldn’t be lying here if it wasn’t for me. I did this to you.”

“No.”

The nurse walked in and Cassidy was able to open her eyes just enough to see her sympathetic smile. “The doctor said we can move you to a private room today, Cassidy. Of course, you’ll have to spend a couple more weeks with us, but then you’ll be free to go home and recuperate.”

“No… home.”

She saw Drake and the nurse exchange a brief look before he said, “She’ll be comin’ home with me.”

“No!” The strain of raising her voice took its toll and Cassidy winced.

“Relax, sweetheart,” Drake said, rubbing her forearm. “We have time to sort all this out.”

At least now she understood why he was here trying to help her. He was feeling guilty. The only thing she had left was her pride. There was no way she would become his charity case. No matter how bleak things seemed, she would find a way to pull through. She always did.

The nurse nodded in deference and bowed out of the room, leaving them alone to discuss her situation.

“Go,” she whispered.

“I’m not leaving you to deal with all this on your own.”

Something the nurse said finally resonated. How was she going to pay for a private room? She couldn’t even imagine the medical costs associated with surgery and weeks in a hospital. Not to mention the follow-up visits and physical therapy. “No insur…” Another tear slipped down her cheek. “Ance.”

“It’s okay. I’m gonna take care of everything. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”

Drake was a wealthy man. A few hundred thousand dollars in hospital expenses wouldn’t be a hardship for him, but there was no way she would allow him to feel responsible for her care. “No.”

He sighed. “Cassidy, you don’t have a choice. You have no other way of paying for your medical expenses. You need to let me help you.”

For the first time since she woke up, the despair began to take hold. She had nothing. No home, no career, a broken, battered body. No family, only a select few friends. Was it even worth fighting anymore? “I want…” She’d never allowed herself voice her hopelessness aloud before, not even with Phil, but she’d never been physically immobile, facing months of recuperation before.

“What do you want?” he asked, sounding anxious. “Anything. Just tell me and I’ll get it for you.”

“To die.”

She heard his gasp, but she wouldn’t retract the words even if she could. She’d fought so hard for so long. She was tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of believing that her life could get better when it just kept getting worse. She just wanted to slip away. Maybe what was waiting for her on the other side would be better than the hell she was living in.

Drake felt her words with the force of a bullet spiralling through his body. “Don’t say that. Don’t even think that.”

He’d been sitting by her bed for days, barely taking time to go home for food and a shower. He’d put everything, including his work, on hold to sit by her bedside, even though the doctors told him she wasn’t ready to wake up yet.

He’d once heard that comatose patients heard everything that was happening around them, so he talked to her, read to her, played music for her, just so she would know someone was there. She wasn’t alone anymore.

“I know you’re in pain, but it’s gonna get better. You’ll see, every day will get better.”

“No.”

A heartbreaking sob got trapped in her throat and Drake could have cried with her, but he forced himself to hold it together. “It will, honey. You have to believe that.”

“Won’t.”

Drake knew she wasn’t referring to the physical pain anymore. Her life had been a struggle since the day she was born. Her only reprieve had been their brief time together. He couldn’t blame her for feeling the situation was hopeless, but he wouldn’t let her give up. “Whatever it takes,” he whispered, fiercely. “I’m gonna be with you every step of the way. I promise.”

“Don’t…” She tried to draw a breath and winced in pain. “Want… you.”

The weight of her words fell on his chest, making his heart feel heavy. Trying to choke back the disappointment, he said, “Well, I’m you’re only option. So it looks like you’re stuck with me.” The words for better or worse were floating around in his head, but they sounded too permanent and he knew she would surely resist a permanent arrangement, especially since… she didn’t want him anymore.

That was a bitter pill to swallow. He’d been sitting with her for endless hours and during that time he’d allowed his mind to wander. He remembered the good times they’d shared. The sound of her laughter, the twinkle in her beautiful eyes, the unparalleled sound of her voice when she belted out a ballad. He’d love this woman once. He thought maybe, just maybe, with time and patience, they could get back what they had. But obviously, that was not to be.

“Go.”

Leaving was the last thing he wanted to do, but he knew she needed her rest and he didn’t want to upset her. “Fine,” he said, standing. “I’ll be back later.”

“Don’t,” she whispered.

There was no way he could stay away from her. He knew she needed him, whether she was willing to admit it or not. “Don’t do this,” he pleaded. “Please don’t shut me out.”

“Don’t… come…” She gasped. “Back.”

***

It was discharge day for Cassidy, and the doctors refused to sign her release papers until they were satisfied she had a safe place to convalesce with someone who was able and willing to take care of her. Of course, her fake fiancé had stepped up to the plate, insisting she would be in good hands with him.

She had asked Drake to leave her alone, but he refused to listen. The one and only day he hadn’t stopped in to visit, she had to admit she missed him.

Living under his roof for a month or two while her body continued to heal would be torture, but he was right, it was her only option since going back to the center in her condition wasn’t feasible.

She was surprised when his driver took them in the opposite direction of his downtown penthouse. “You moved?” she asked, stealing a glance at him.

“Yeah, to Brentwood.” He slipped his phone back in his pocket. “I like it out there.”

“What’s not to like?”

He smiled. “True.”

Their eyes locked and she said the words she should have said before. “Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.” His eyes travelled over her body. “You’re looking better every day.”

Most of the bruises were starting to fade and she was finally able to walk without an aid. She was feeling a little bit stronger every day. “Thanks, I think,” she said, brushing her fingertips over the faint yellow bruise on one of her cheekbones.

“You’re still gorgeous,” he whispered.

“Liar.” She couldn’t hide her smile. It had been so long since he’d offered her a compliment, she’d forgotten how a few choice words could make her feel so special.

“You are.” He glanced at the cleavage peeking out of her fitted, zippered hoodie, quickly tearing his eyes away when she raised an eyebrow in question. “But you’ve lost too much weight. My housekeeper, Dora, will fix you up in no time.”

“I don’t want your staff waiting on me, Drake. I’m perfectly capable of preparing a simple meal for myself.” The doctors told her to listen to her body’s cues. Rest when necessary, engage in light activity when she had the energy. She intended to heal as quickly as possible so she could move out of his home and return to her own life.

“I don’t want you to lift a finger.” He pointed at her, scowling. “I mean it, Cassidy. I have a staff to cater to your every need while you’re recovering. Caleb will take you anywhere you need to go, including doctors’ appointments and physio, but he’s under strict instructions not to let you overdo it. He’ll be there to help you to and from the doctor’s office, if need be.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t need someone to babysit me.”

“I’m not going to risk a setback because you’re too damn stubborn to ask for help when you need it. That’s why you ended up in this mess in the first place.” He released a breath, looking a little contrite. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. What happened wasn’t your fault, but…” He raked a hand through his hair. “I still can’t believe you were staying in a place like that. What the hell were you thinking?”

Cassidy couldn’t blame him for questioning her about her living arrangements. To a man like Drake, living in abject poverty would seem unimaginable. “I was thinking it was time to get my life together.” She looked at him out of the corner of her eye before quickly turning her attention back to the passing scenery. “When I moved out of your place, I needed to figure out how to get my life back on track. Phil and the center helped me to do that.”

“Why the hell didn’t you come after me for a settlement? Given my state of mind at the time, I can’t deny I probably would have fought you, but no matter how hard I fought, I’m sure you would have walked away with enough money to start over.”

After what went down between them, she would have been too ashamed to lay claim to anything belonging to Drake. “It was all yours. None of it was mine.”

“Yeah, but you could’ve made a case for—”

“I didn’t want it, Drake.” Keeping the car and ring had been hard enough. Her pride wouldn’t allow her to support herself on his dime after allowing him to believe the worst of her.

“If I’d known you were living like that, I would have done something about it. In spite of what you might think of me, I’m not a monster.”

“I never thought you were.” He’d always been kind, loving and supportive to her during their relationship. He picked her up when she stumbled and reassured her she had the talent to make a name for herself in Nashville, with or without his connections.

“Shutting you out the way I did was—”

“Justified,” she said, quickly. She couldn’t stand to hear him berate himself, given the lie he’d had to live with the past year. “You did what you had to do.”

“I guess I underestimated how much you wanted to make it in this business, huh?” His lips turned up at the corners, not quite a smile, more of a begrudging show of appreciation. “I thought you’d turn tail and run back home.”

“Why? There’s nothing for me there.” She wasn’t one to feel sorry for herself, but she was a realist. “I may have been able to secure a job slinging hash like my mama, but I could do that anywhere. I sure as hell didn’t have to go back to Georgia to find a job as a waitress in some greasy truck stop. Besides, there are too many bad memories back home. That’s the last place I want to be.”

“I admire you,” he said quietly. “There’s not many people who would’ve stuck it out here with the kind of obstacles you were facing. It’s hard enough to catch a break in this town, but with a guy like me working behind the scenes to block you at every turn… Hell, that would’ve broken a lesser person’s spirit.”

“What choice did I have?” she said, daring to look him in the eye. “No money, no family, no education. The only thing I have is my voice.”

“I’m sorry I tried to take that away from you,” he whispered. “That was a really lousy thing to do.”

She’d never wanted or expected him to show remorse for his actions. If anyone should apologize, it was her. “Nothing less than you felt I deserved. Like I said, you were justified.”

He grinned. “Damn, you’re stubborn, lady. Can we just agree to disagree about this?”

“Sure,” she said, shrugging. “But first, I want to say what I tried to say that night, I’m sorry I hurt you.”

“Don’t,” he said quietly, gripping his phone in his fist. “I don’t wanna talk about what happened that night.”

She knew better than to push, so she let it go. There was nothing more she could say anyway and there was no sense rehashing the past. It wouldn’t change the present and they had no future.

Drake was occupied for the rest of the ride to his estate, taking calls and responding to emails. She flipped through one of the magazines she’d brought from the hospital, pretending to read the articles highlighting the biggest and brightest stars in country music.

She tried to conceal her appreciation when the stone and stucco mansion came in to view, but it wasn’t easy. She’d never even seen a house that big, much less been an invited guest. “Will I be staying in the guest house?” she asked, pointing to a much smaller building near the pool.

“Nice try,” he said, smirking. “If you think I’d leave you out there to your own devices, you don’t know me as well as I thought you did.”

Suddenly desperate to make him see reason, she said, “It may be easier for me to make my way around a place that size. It looks like just making it from one end of your house to the other may be exhausting.”

She started to panic. The last thing she wanted was to get comfortable living in the lap of luxury, especially when she would be returning to Phil’s center in a matter of weeks. It was important for her to remember where she came from so she wouldn’t get caught up in some silly fantasy, playing house with Drake.

“No worries,” he said, slipping his iPhone into the pocket of his leather blazer. “If you need anything, Dora can get it for you. You’re welcome to stay in our wing if you don’t feel like venturing too far at first.”

“Our wing?” she asked, her voice betraying her concern.

“Yeah, you’ll have the suite next to mine.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said, wringing her hands.

“Of course it is. Dora is at the opposite end of the house. This way, if you need anything at night, I’ll be there to…” He licked his lips. “See to your
needs
.”

Damn her traitorous body for responding as though he was propositioning her. He was merely trying to be a good host, not get her back in to his bed. “I don’t want to inconvenience you.” She knew she was grasping at straws, but felt compelled to try convincing him an alternative arrangement would be in their best interest. “I know how busy you are. You need your sleep and I really don’t want to be a bother.”

He chuckled, lowering his head. “I don’t recall ever considering it a bother when you woke me up in the middle of the night, darlin’.”

Her face flamed when she thought of all the times she’d woken him with a gentle caress intended to entice him. “I, uh…” Before she could respond, the limo driver was opening the door and offering his hand.

She looked up, taken aback by the man smiling down at her. He was gorgeous. Tall with sandy blond hair, deep green eyes that crinkled at the corners, and a flash of white teeth that revealed a single dimple in his left cheek.
Wow.

“Miss Ross,” he said, his smile indicating he was amused by her obvious perusal.

“Oh, sorry,” she said, blushing as she reached for his hand. “Thank you.” She caught a whiff of spicy cologne as she invaded his space, prompting her to draw a deep breath.
Yummy.

Getting out of the car, Drake narrowed his eyes as looked from his chauffeur to his house guest. “Caleb,” he said, gesturing to Cassidy. “Miss Ross will be staying with me for the next couple of months while she recuperates from an accident. As I mentioned earlier, I want you to tend to her…” He clenched his jaw, as though he was reconsidering his directive. “I want you to take her to and from appointments, that’s it. She claims she’ll be fine to make it in to the doctor’s office by herself. Unless you’ve changed your mind about that?” he asked Cassidy, raising an eyebrow.