Page 9 of Flame's Fight

I frown at Gina. “You’re dating him?” I ask. When she nods, I continue. “But I saw him coming out of her apartment one morning. Early.”

Gina frowns as she considers my comment. I immediately wish I could pull it back. There’s no sense upsetting her. But maybe she’d be better off without the cheating bastard.

“Wait, was this a little over a month ago?” She asks and I nod. “Curt and I were staying with Brooke for about a week while we looked for a new apartment. We were moving in together and wanted to find a bigger place closer to the hospital.”

“But…” I start and realize I don’t know what I’m going to say. When I saw Curt coming out of her apartment, I made an assumption. But when I confronted Brooke about him, she didn’t explain. She got mad at me for spying on her and broke things off. Why the fuck didn’t she just tell me the truth? Why did she get so defensive?

“Is that why you two broke up?” Gina presses. I had forgotten she and my mom were still in the room. “You thought she cheated on you with Curt?” When I nod, she frowns. “But didn’t Brooke explain who he was when you asked?” When I say nothing, she smacks my leg. I don’t feel it, but I still scowl at her. “You didn’t ask?”

“I did.” I protest, but I’m so confused that I can’t think of what to say next.

“What did she say?”

“She just got mad at me and accused me of spying on her.” I defend myself. “I thought she was admitting it.”

I see two similar looks of pity on their faces. Well, fuck. What was I supposed to think?

“And you just gave up?” My mom asks. “Is that how I raised you? To run away from your problems?” I groan because she’s right. She taught us to always face our problems head on.

“I kept expecting her to end things, so I thought that’s what she was doing.” I growl, throwing my head back as I slam my fist on the mattress.

Axel enters the room as I berate myself for how I handled things with Brooke.

“Shouldn’t you be guarding the door, prospect?” I ask Axel, and he nods.

“Yeah, I was, but when I heard all the shouting, I thought you needed my help.” Axel says with a grin. “You’re always pissing off the ladies.”

“Fuck you.” I return only to have mom cluck at both of us about our language.

“Dr. Chambers said she’s moving you after a CT scan.” Gina says as she moves around the hospital bed, prepping it for my move. Brooke rushes in just as Gina starts wheeling me out.

“Axel, you need to call Dante and get him down here. It’s Tally. She needs him.”

CHAPTER SIX: BROOKE

As I follow Tony guiding Dr. Chambers to the ER nurse’s station, I feel like I’m watching a horrendous traffic accident as it happens. Tally has her back to us, and I have this urge to scream for her to run. I know her father won’t attack her here in the hospital, but I prepare myself to jump into the fray if it comes to it.

Tony calls out to Tally, and I see her turn. Her eyes widen, then narrow when she sees her father.

“What are you doing here?” She asks. Her tone is frosty.

“I need to speak with you.” Vance Chamber says. “It’s important.”

“I have nothing to say to you.” She replies.

“Dr. Chambers.” Tony admonishes her. “This man is a distinguished guest in this hospital. You can’t speak to him that way.”

When both doctors turn and yell at him to shut up, I have to stifle a laugh. Tony backs away from the feuding doctors. When he spots me, he comes to stand next to me.

“Please. I only need a few minutes of your time.” Vance says. “I just want to talk to my daughter.”

“You lost me as a daughter after what you tried to do to Caitlin. Or have you forgotten?” Tally asks as she turns to walk away.

Vance grabs her arm and pulls her back around. “That wasn’t my fault. Your sister…” But Tally doesn’t give him a chance to finish that sentence. She closes her right fist and lays him out.

“Dr. Chambers!” Tony yells, and I realize I need to step in. Tally needs help. And the only person who can take charge of this situation is Dante.

Dashing down the hall toward Flame’s room, I’m searching for Axel. When I don’t see him, I rush into Flame’s room. I know he doesn’t want to see me, but he’s going to have to lump it for now. Tally needs Dante, stat. When I see Axel, I yell for him to call Dante and get him down here. Axel yanks out his phone and makes the call. It’s then that I see Gina wheeling Flame out of the room.

---