Page 53 of The Saint

Adrien had lost a lot of blood but was able to get a transfusion soon enough to survive the ordeal. It sounded like he’d been stabbed all over his body. We were invited to visit him in his room, but I was the only one who went in because Bastien didn’t seem interested in seeing him.

I walked into the empty room and found him asleep in bed, the monitors beeping quietly, the streetlights shining through the closed blinds. It was a private room, so he was the only one in there.

I approached the bed and looked down at him, his skin so pale, his body so lifeless. He looked like he’d lost ten pounds even though he’d been fit the last time I’d seen him. It was either the loss of blood or the stress…or he really had lost that much weight since the last time I’d seen him.

As if he knew I was there, he opened his eyes slowly. It took him a second to focus on my face and another second for him to recognize me. “Fleur…” His voice cracked like he’d been asleep for a long time, when it’d only been a few hours at most. He slowly moved his hand across the bed and inched closer to mine to take it.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Hope disappeared from his eyes quicker than the flame of a lit candle in the wind. He swallowed, his disappointment palpable. His wrists were bandaged, and he looked like he’d been hit by a shipping truck, his skin bruised like he’d taken a frying pan to the face. “Why did you ask him to save me?”

“I didn’t, actually,” I said. “He just did it, because he knew I didn’t want you dead.” I grabbed one of the chairs and pulled it closer to his bedside, even though I had no intention of taking his hand, of ever touching him again. Tragedy brought people closer together, but this tragedy wasn’t enough, not when he wasn’t innocent in this story. He didn’t exactly move mountains to save me, so I shouldn’t move mountains to make him feel wanted.

“Does my family know?”

“I haven’t told them.”

“Good. Let’s keep it that way.”

I looked at the window instead of his face, unable to bear the sight of his beaten expression. “What happened?”

He didn’t answer me for a long time. “I got what I deserved.”

“I don’t know what happened to you, but I’m sure no one deserves that.”

“I tried to get out, but I wasn’t quick enough.”

“Bastien told me.”

“At least Bastien killed them, so I don’t have to.”

“You’re going to continue the business?”

“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “I thought I was going to die last time I was conscious, so it’s hard to think further ahead than the next hour.”

I wouldn’t be the one to take care of him. I wouldn’t get him home and into bed. Wouldn’t bring him his meals and handle the house so he could rest. He’d thrown all that away when he’d stuck his dick in someone else. It seemed even less worth it now because we both knew none of those girls would come to the hospital if they knew he was there. “You’ll need to tell one of your brothers…so someone will come get you.”

His mood dropped further, like he’d expected me to do more for him. “Yeah. Call Anthony.”

“Sure, I can do that.”

I continued to sit there even though I didn’t have a reason to stay. I guess it was pity that kept me there. He’d thrown me away, and I was still the only person he could count on. He’d betrayed me, and I was still there when I shouldn’t be.

“Thank you for coming.”

“Yeah.”

“And thanks for…saving my life.”

I couldn’t take the credit for that, not when I didn’t have to ask. Because Bastien loved me enough not to make me ask. “You’re on your own now, Adrien. Take care of yourself.”

“I’ll try.”

I got to my feet then returned the chair to the wall.

“Fleur?”

I turned back to him, unsure what else there was to say.

---