42. Ella

42

ELLA

H ours pass as we sit beside Colt with nothing but the sound of the machines he’s hooked up to whirring and doing their thing.

It’s selfish to sit here, stopping the others from visiting, but I can’t leave.

He needs me here; I know he does. And right now, I’ll do anything to make this a little easier on him.

I have no idea how he feels, if he can even feel anything, but I’m in pain.

Every single inch of my body hurts, but nowhere as much as my heart. That feels like it’s been put through the meat grinder and then spat out and reformed at the other end.

West shifts in his seat, and I look over, taking in his wrought expression.

Fuck. I hate this. I hate that those I love the most in the world are suffering.

His eyes hold mine, silently begging me to tell him that this is going to be okay, that he’s not about to lose his brother. But I can’t. I have no idea what’s happening here. Dr. Anna has been in and out, and each time she seems positive. But while he’s lying there with monitors attached to him via cables and tubes, I’m finding it hard to believe anything positive. So is West, it seems.

I should say something, but I have no words.

There is nothing I can say right now that will make any of this better.

So instead, my mouth closes once more and we’re plunged back into silence.

The sun has long set outside, but I can’t bring myself to look at the time for fear that barely any has passed.

We’ve got no idea how long they’re going to keep Colt unconscious, but something tells me it’s going to feel like a lifetime.

My cell buzzes in my pocket, but I don’t pull it out to look. I can’t, I’m too numb.

West glances at his a few times, but he never responds to anything. I can only imagine the number of people who are trying to get in touch with him after watching what happened.

My stomach knots thinking about how many millions would have seen Colt hit the ground. Luca told us in the family room that they cut the live footage as soon as the situation became clear, but it would have been too late. The country, the world, knows. And if that doesn’t add pressure to his recovery, then I don’t know what will.

Suddenly, I’m dragged from my morose thoughts when the door is thrown open and heavy footsteps march inside.

“Dad,” West cries, jumping from his chair, although he doesn’t move from his spot beside Colt.

Instantly, my thought goes to what I’d do if my dad walked into the room. I’d be in his arms in a heartbeat.

Tears flood my eyes all over again, my heart aching with his loss.

I’ve never met Dalton Rogers before. Sure, I’ve seen his face all over the tabloids for years now. Before he was a successful coach, he was a well-decorated player, still holding some records.

He was always going to be an intimidating man to meet, but I’m not sure I could have ever been prepared for just how much of the room he takes up—and I don’t just mean physically. I mean his aura, his intensity, his power.

We knew he was coming; we’d been told that he’d left his team mid-game to get on a flight here. That in itself proves just how powerful he is.

His eyes linger for a second on his youngest son before they fall to Colt.

Pain rips through his expression. I feel it right down to my toes.

But then, he turns his attention to me.

A violent shiver rips down my spine and my blood turns to ice as his expression morphs to one of fury.

“Who are you?” he spits, his eyes narrowing in accusation.

“Dad,” West says, attempting to rectify the situation. “This is Ella. Colt’s girlfriend.”

His eyes widen in disbelief before he crosses his thick arms over his wide chest.

My stomach drops, a sense of foreboding falling over me.

“Colton doesn’t do girlfriends,” he states like it’s a full-blown conclusion that Colt will forever remain single. “You need to leave.”

“What?” I gasp while West argues, “Dad, no. This is Ella ,” he emphasizes, as if it’ll mean something to Dalton.

“I don’t care who it is. Colton wouldn’t want some damsel in distress sitting by his bedside while he’s in this state.”

Disbelief settles as Dalton moves closer. Grief, anger, and hopelessness, all collide within me.

“B-but I love him,” I blurt like an idiot. It’s the first thing I’ve said in a long time, and I really wish I could take it back.

Dalton’s expression turns even more furious.

“I suggest you run along.”

My hand lifts to cover my heart, as if that simple act alone will stop it from racing so hard I’m sure it’s going to explode inside my chest.

“No, Dad. All of that is bullshit. Colt has been in love with Ella for years. You know that,” West argues.

He does?

But any hope I have is dashed when his eyes come back to me.

“Colton doesn’t give his heart away.” He takes a step closer as if he’s ready to claim the chair that I’ve made mine since stepping into this room. “You can leave now. Colton has everything he needs.”

I want to crumble. To break down right in front of him. But something tells me that it won’t get me very far with the cold, hard man before me.

I study him, and he glares at me impatiently. I hate to admit it, but I see a lot of Colt staring back at me. His inability to trust, to give himself to another.

Staring at Dalton Rogers really does help me understand Colt in a whole new light.

“Ella is what he needs, Dad.” West continues to try to fight for me, but it’s not going to help. His father is an unwavering force.

“It’s okay, West,” I force out, attempting to appear strong. “You three should be together right now. I’m going to go and see the others. If anything ch-chang?—”

“Ella, you don’t—” He moves toward me, and I hold up my hand, stopping him from saying or doing more so I don’t break down.

“Be with him. Be strong for him.”

Before he has a chance to comment, I flee from the room, Dalton Rogers’ stare burning through me as I do.

The second the door closes behind me, a loud sob erupts and I stumble forward into the wall.

“Oh my goodness,” someone gasps, but I’m too lost to the pain of what’s just happened to really hear it.

A shadow falls over me before a warm pair of hands grip my upper arms.

I look up through watery eyes to find a blurry, unfamiliar face.

“Everything is going to be okay, Ella,” she says, proving that she knows exactly who I am.

I nod, although I don’t feel it. Right now, it feels like my life is falling apart all over again.

How is this fair?

How?

Just when I’m pulling myself out of the last disaster and find some happiness, it’s ripped away from me in such a public and agonizing way.

Tears continue to drip down my cheeks as the nurse smiles softly at me.

Exhaustion pulls at my muscles, making me want to curl up right here on the floor and close my eyes, blocking it all out.

“Come on, let’s get you back to your friends,” she says softly.

I shake my head. “C-can’t,” I whisper brokenly.

Even if I wanted to, my legs wouldn’t comply. My body is completely and utterly useless.

“Things are going to get better,” she promises, but words don’t help.

“Ella,” a much more familiar voice calls from down the hallway.

When I look up, I find Letty, Peyton, and Macie running toward me.

Together, they manage to get me to my feet, and with their arms locked around me, they guide me back to the private family room.

No one says anything until the door closes behind us, and then the questions come.

“What happened?” Brax asks, rushing to my side, physically shoving Peyton and Macie aside so he can get to me.

He takes my face in his hands and wipes my tears with his thumbs while I continue to sob uncontrollably.

It’s long minutes later when I finally calm down enough to speak.

“Th-th-their d-d-dad?—”

“Dalton did this?” Brax asks fiercely.

I nod, biting on my bottom lip in an attempt to stop myself from breaking down all over again as I remember what he said.

“He…he told me that Colton wouldn’t want me there,” I say in a rush.

“No,” Brax states. “Fuck no. We’re not having that. You are the only one that Colt would want by his side right now. Not that cold asshole, that’s for sure.” Brax paces back and forth across the room, allowing my girls to return to my side. “Fuck that. No. I’m not fucking having it. Luc, let’s fucking go.” He surges toward the door like a man on a mission.

“Wait, no. You can’t?—”

“Yes, I fucking can. That man barely knows who his son is. He has no right to dictate who supports him. That’s bullshit.”

“He’s immediate family,” Leon says regretfully. “If he wants to throw his weight around and stop any of us from seeing Colt, then he can.”

“West will sort it out,” Letty says confidently. “He’ll be down here any minute to get you and take you back.”

All of us look at the door, but it doesn’t open.

“Just give him some time,” she adds, squeezing my hand.

“Anyone want any food? I’m fucking starving,” Kane asks.

“Dude, seriously?” Luca hisses.

“What? Would you rather sit here listening to my stomach growl?”

“I could eat,” Brax confesses.

“Same,” Leon mutters.

“Go,” Peyton encourages. “We’ll stay with Ella. Go get some fresh air, food, and then bring us something good back.”

The thought of eating anything makes my stomach turn over.

“You sure?” Luca asks.

“Yes. We’ll call if anything happens.”

With concerned expressions on their faces, the four of them leave, plunging the room into silence.

“This wasn’t how it was supposed to be,” I whisper.

“It’s just a bump in the road. Everything will work out,” Macie says.

I look up at all three of them, desperate to feel just a hint of their positivity, but I get nothing.

Everything is dark and hopeless.

The guys are gone for ages. It doesn’t matter to me, but the girls are starting to get hungry.

When they eventually crash back through the room with arms full of food, they look stressed. Even more so than when they left.

“What’s wrong?” Macie asks.

“It’s chaos down there,” Kane explains, passing Letty a premade sub and some chips.

“Everyone sends their love and best wishes,” Luca says.

I’m sure their words should make me feel better, but they don’t. Instead, the knowledge that the entire world is watching right now makes me want to curl in on myself and hide.

This is hard enough to deal with as it is. I don’t need eyes on me. On us.

“We weren’t sure what you wanted,” Brax says, stepping up to me with a whole variety of food options.

I shake my head, unable to even look at it all without feeling sick.

“I’m not hungry,” I mutter.

“El, you need to eat something,” Letty says, her maternal instincts kicking in. “You need to keep your strength up.”

She’s right. I know she’s right. But it isn’t enough to convince me.

Shaking my head again, I slowly push to my feet. “I need the bathroom,” I explain before walking out of the room.

“Wait, I’ll come,” Peyton offers.

“No,” I snap a little harsher than I intended. “I…I just need a moment.”

Without giving them a chance to argue with me, I take off on unsteady legs in the direction of the bathroom.