Page 45 of Linc
“You’ve got twenty minutes tops.I’ll knock twice if something comes up and see him coming back early,” Sam informs me.
“Thank you for doing this.”
“I owe Olivia everything, so this is nothing.”She shrugs, then opens Everly’s door and we walk in.
The room is sterile, white and the smell of disinfectant permeates in my nose.Sam goes over to the foot of the bed and checks her chart as I take in Everly laying in the middle of the hospital bed.She’s so tiny compared to the bed; she almost looks like a child.Her head is bandaged and she’s got a row of stitches across her cheek.Her left arm is in a sling, propped up on a pillow at her stomach.Bruises are already formed on her upper body and it makes me want to kill someone.
How could Linley do this to her, to my angel?Everly would never hurt a fly and for something like this to happen to her is a travesty.I’ll make this right.I’ll make sure Linley is punished for doing this to Everly, then we can put all this behind us and never think about that awful woman again.
“You’ve got some time, she’s been sedated but could wake.Remember, when I knock be ready to leave,” Sam tells me and then leaves me alone with Everly.
I go around to the side of the bed, where she’s not beaten blue or hurt, and perch myself on the mattress.She’s got the sheet and blanket pulled up to her waist, with her untouched hand laying at its side.Reaching for it, I place it against my cheek, wanting to make sure she’s really here; I feel warmth against my face.She’s alive.
“I love you, angel,” I say knowing she can’t hear me or maybe she can, either way I want it out there.I do love her, maybe even from the first time we met.She’s changed me to want to be a better man and that’s what she’ll get from me, from here on out.
Everly’s lips start to move and a jumble of soft-spoken words whisper out of her pink lips.It’s something I noticed last night she does when she sleeps.After the best night of my life, I stayed awake and watched her sleep until the sun began to rise.I wanted last night to never end; for us to live in our little bubble for as long as we could.Never did I expect my past to come back only a few hours later and try to destroy my entire world.
“What are you doing in here!”A voice booms from across the room and a door hits the wall, making the pictures on the wall shake.
“Mr.Bryant, I—”
“I told you to stay away from her,” he yells and takes a step towards me.
Surely, he wouldn’t try to start a fight here at the hospital.
“What is going on here?”Sam makes her way in the room and she’s a little out of breath, almost like she ran here.“Our patients are trying to recover and yelling and screaming isn’t what they need right now.”
She throws an apologetic look my way then goes over to check Everly’s vitals.
“I gave orders that this man wasn’t to be given access to my daughter under any circumstance.”Mr.Bryant shoves his finger over to me.
“Well, I just got on shift and have heard nothing about who is, or isn’t, on the visiting list.You’ll have to take it up with the night manager.”Sam stands up to him and doesn’t back down.
“I want you out of here.NOW!”He demands, his voice slightly raised to a deathly tone.
“Linc?”A soft voice speaks and if there wasn’t a pause in between Mr.Bryant’s rampage we’d have almost missed it.
“Baby,” I gush, as her perfectly beautiful hazel eyes open with a flutter.“Oh, angel, I’ve been so worried.”
I turn away from Mr.Bryant and give all my attention to Everly.She’s looking around, lost but as her eyes focus a little more, she starts to tremble.
“Linc, I had the worst dream.Linley, she tried—” her voice sounds loopy like she’s drunk and her eyes are glazed over.
“I know baby, but you’re safe now and she can’t hurt you ever again,” I reassure her.
She looks down at her hurt arm and her eyes widen.She starts to take in her surroundings and she must realize that it wasn’t a dream at all but did happen in real life.
Everly clutches my hand with her healthy one and starts to sob.
“She-she…I thought she was going to kill me.”She wails and I carefully pull her to me and hold her close.We rock for a few seconds before an annoying voice interrupts us.
“Sweetheart, how are you feeling?The doctor is on his way,” Mr.Bryant pipes up and I wish I could banhimfrom the room.
“Dad?What?How’d you get here so fast?”Everly questions.
“Sweetheart, it’s almost nine in the evening.You’ve had surgery and are just coming out of it.”Her dad informs her.
“Surgery?”She gasps then looks down at the gap I’ve left between us, as I didn’t want to crush or hurt her any worse.
