Chapter 15
I felt something tighten around my arm, which made me jolt up from my sleep. A nurse jumped back but quickly recovered as I looked around the room. “You’re okay,” she breathed. “No one’s here,” she said, making me look at her. I said nothing but leaned back. I looked toward the window and noticed that it was dark. Great, now I can leave. I watched as the nurse carried on taking my vitals. She smiled once she was done. “There you go,” she said. “There will be a shift change soon, so you will have to wait if you want anything, but I can get it for you now if you like.” I shook my head. “No, I don’t need anything,” I said. The nurse nodded but stared at me. 1 “I hope this doesn’t come off rude,” she said. “I overheard what was happening with your family earlier, and I think you handled everything as well as you could.” I stared at her but gave her a small smile. The nurse smiled and sighed. “I will leave you to get back to sleep,” she said. I nodded. I watched as she took all the equipment she had brought and walked out the door. I had to wait for a few moments. I could leave when the nurses change. No one will come here, especially now that someone has seen me. I could hear people move around outside the room. I looked around and wondered if anyone had left any clothes for me, but there were none. Well, it looks like I’m wearing the hospital gown at home; very fetching. I will definitely have people staring, but I didn’t care. I want to leave this place, and fast. I removed the blankets from me and pushed them down till my legs were free. I moved slowly till l I sat up and my feet were on the floor. I knew I had to do this slowly, but hopefully, by the time the nurses changed shifts, I would have made it out of the hospital before they noticed I was gone. I used the side of the bed to stand up, but my legs felt like jelly, and I collapsed back onto the bed. I sighed. Stupid body. I need you to work. I tried again but held onto the side instead of falling back until I got my bearings. I stepped forward and steadied myself. I took it a step at a time till I walked toward the door. I pulled it open, looked to see if anyone was outside, and noticed two nurses talking. I closed the door and sighed. I turned around and leaned on the wall for support. I needed to get out of here. I looked around; I only saw a window, but there was no way I could get out that way. I looked like I was up a few floors, as I had a good view of overlooking some trees. If I jumped or even got down, there was a possibility of me falling. I waited for a few moments but looked at the door. Surely, the nurses had a shift change. I turned around, opened the door, and realized there was no one in the nurses’ station. I pulled the door open and looked around, ensuring no one was around. And there was no one. I released the breath I was holding and moved out of the room. I used the wall to support myself as I walked away. I kept my head down, hoping no one would spot me, even though a woman in a hospital gown that was open in the back might give it all away. I got to the end of the corridor and turned but walked into something hard. I lost my balance and landed with a thud on my ass. I groaned but looked to see what the hell I had hit. A pair of legs were in front of me, which made me take in every inch of whoever it was. I moved further up and realized that the person before me was hot as hell as I was met, with gorgeous chocolate brown eyes staring back at me. Oh, lord! He’s handsome. My heart rate spiked, but I soon realized that I was staring at him. The corners of his mouth twitched as his eyes bore into me. A blush spread across my cheeks. “Are you done checking me out?” he asked, licking his lips. My cheeks flamed more. “I didn’t mean…” I said, but looked around, trying to avoid eye contact. I heard movement and looked back at the man before me, who was kneeling. “Let me help you up,” he asked, holding his hands out to me. I placed my hands into his, which sent tingles through me. I looked at him. His eyes were on me as he helped me up. I stood, but my legs had other ideas as I tried to step, and I crashed into him again, but he caught me. “Sorry,” I mumbled as I leaned on him. The guy stood near. He bent down, placed me in his arms, and carried me bridal style as I flung my arms over his big shoulders. His cologne was doing something to my core and in a good way. I stare at him. “I got you,” he mumbled, carrying me back to my room. Not the place I wanted to go, but something about being in his arms felt right. I said nothing as the guy entered my room and placed me on my bed. He placed me down and ensured my legs were on there. The man stood up straight and looked at me. “Carson,” he said. “My name is Carson.” I smiled. “I’m Leah,” I said and looked toward the chair. “Why don’t you sit?” Carson grabbed the chair and sat down, his eyes never leaving me. “So, why were you escaping?” he asked. “You must be ill to be in the hospital.” I stared at him. How was I going to explain to him why I wanted to leave? I cleared my throat. “I wanted to get out of here,” I said. I might as well not try lying to someone who tried to help me, even though his eyes were gorgeous. Damn, I need to keep my eyes away from him. He was going to be trouble. I looked away, but he spoke. “Why?” he asked, making me look back at him. I felt at ease with him. Something about him made me want to tell him more. My father didn’t have a family. His parents died four years apart, and he had no siblings. I haven’t had someone I could talk to about this, and the only person I had in my life was my Dad, and now he is dead, and I have no one. I looked at Carson as he leaned back in the seat. “You might as well tell me,” he said. “I don’t have to be anywhere for a while.” I stared, but after a while, I sighed. “It’s my mum,” I said. “She is making me move in with her and her new family.” Carson nodded. “You don’t like them?” he asked. I frowned. “Don’t like them,” I muttered. “My mum only introduced me to her boyfriend or husband tonight, and she wants me to play happy families with people I don’t know.” I looked at him. “I met him today and also my grandparents,” I said. “People that I don’t even know. Before, it was my Dad and me, and now I’m alone.” Carson’s face softens as he listens to me. “I don’t want to move in with them,” I said. “I don’t have that kind of relationship with my mum. She left me when I was eight years old, and only now she came back into my life after a doctor told her about my father’s death. I haven’t seen her, and now she wants to play happy families with me. I can’t do it.” My head was getting heavy again and was making me feel exhausted. Carson stared. “What can she do to make you happy?” he asked. “I know you have been through a lot, and I’m sorry about your father’s death.” I stared at him. Carson, a stranger, is the only person who has said sorry to me and meant it. I leaned back in the bed and pulled the covers over me. “My mum can’t make me happy,” I said, “She needs to leave me to come around to the idea of everything and not throw everything at me, especially people. I can’t cope with that. The way my grandparents looked at me was weird, especially my grandfather, he looked like he wanted to kill me.” Carson straightened up slightly and frowned. I sighed. “I want to go back home,” I said. “I had people who wanted to look after me. I want them, not my mum. I was doing alright without her.” Carson stared and cleared his throat. “Don’t leave,” he whispered, which made me look at him oddly. Why would he say that? Carson’s eyes bore into me more, but I felt relaxed and slightly more tired than I should have. Carson sighed. “Why don’t you see what happens,” he said, “Or wait till you are hundred percent at least before you try to make a clean getaway, so no one should have to carry you.” I smiled as Carson smiled back. “What I’m getting at is,” he said, moving toward me. His hand inches away from mine. Try it out for now, but if it doesn’t work out, you may find someone you can trust to help or even take you in.” I stared at him, and my heart rate spiked. Hoping he would be that person. Why was I acting like a crazy chick? I only just met the guy, but those chocolate eyes, though. I shook my thoughts away mentally and sighed. “I will think about it,” I said, slightly lying. “My mum doesn’t realize I need time to heal and process anything.” Carson nodded and smiled. “You need to rest,” he said as he went to move. “Can you stay?” I blurt out, which makes him stare at me. I cleared my throat, not knowing why I had said that. Damn, my lady parts were throbbing. What could I do to him? Ah! Leah shut up. Carson moved back into the chair. “Only till I fall asleep,” I whispered as I turned to face him. Carson nodded. I stared at him, feeling slightly safe for the first time in days. I don’t know what was happening to me, but Carson made me feel safe, and that’s all I needed to feel safe, and it was the first time I had felt like since the accident. After a short time, my eyes started to flutter, and I was sent into darkness. I knew I was asleep, but that soon changed when yellow eyes stared back. Not this again!