43. Jasper

My eyes feel heavy. I can't open them, and it's maddening. I can hear the beep of a heart monitor and hushed voices, some familiar and others not.

I want to scream out but the words–any sound–are caught in my throat, thanks to the oxygen mask I can feel on my face. I need it off. Now.

I lift my hand slightly but I don't have the strength to lift it to my face to pull the mask off.

"C'mon, Jasp, baby, wake up for me," Reece's voice pleads before he leans closer to whisper in my ear, "I miss fucking you."

His breath fanning over my ear as he exhales with those words causes a shiver to rush through me, goosebumps tingling my skin, my dick jolting. I need to wake up right now. I feel Reece shift again and he takes my hand, squeezing it. Behind the mask I gasp, forcing myself to inhale deep before forcing myself to open my eyes.

They feel gritty and my vision is cloudy, but I can still see enough to dart my eyes around the room. I'm shocked to see my parents, as well as Reece in the same room. They're all standing around the bed, whilst Reece is sitting in a chair by the side of the bed.

Coughing I gasp for air and Reece pulls the oxygen mask down to my chin. Leaning over he peppers my face with kisses, ending up leaving a faintly longer kiss on my lips that causes me to gasp.

He's openly kissing me with our parents in the room. Openly kissing me as though our parents are accepting of our love. I try to speak, but my throat is hoarse and it hurts like I've swallowed a hundred razor blades.

"It's ok, baby. You don't need to speak right now," Reece utters, kissing me again. I give in this time, kissing him back because I have my Reece back even just for a moment.

My parents could pull him out of the room and I'd be ok with that–at least for a little while–as I got to have another moment with him. Inhaling a deep breath I swallow hard.

"Reece, I can't believe you're here," I say hoarsely, my voice cracking from the strain of using it again and the emotions threatening to pull me under again.

"I've been here the whole time since you got admitted three days ago," he tells me, sniffing back tears. "I thought I was going to lose you, Jasper."

I gape at him. "Three days? Lose me?" I question, extremely puzzled as my head is a complete blur.

"Yeah, you overdosed on rat poison laced pills and almost died. Don't you remember?"

"No, I…don't…" I stammer, shaking my head.

"It's ok, Jasp. You're okay now," he reassures me, squeezing my hand again and pressing a soft kiss to my forehead, causing a deep sigh to escape me.

"What? Pills?" I question shaking my head, trying to connect the dots.

"You bought pills from Blaise."

"Oh, shit. I…did," I remark, a memory crashing into my head from supper a few days ago when I confronted Blaise because I was missing Reece. I only have myself to blame. I'd never even thought about touching other drugs except weed before and never will after this. But I was at breaking point and that seemed like the only way out.

I look to Reece again. "It's ok Jasper. You're not in trouble."

"Really? I'm not going to get a fine for buying?"

"No, it's all handled," Reece replies with a wicked smirk.

I smile back. "What'd you do, baby?"

He leans in close and whispers gruffly, "I killed him for you, baby."

That sends a jolt of lust through me, and I kiss him again, murmuring against his lips, "I love you, Reece. Thank you."

He breaks the kiss, and whispers with his forehead to mine, "I'd kill anyone for you, baby."

He sits up, and glances around at our parents. He gives my father a nod, which causes him to round the bed and take my hand.

He exhales a deep breath. "We're sorry Jasper. Our feud should never have concerned you. And we've been selfish in not listening to you about your choice of love."

"Reece has been here by your bedside the whole time, and it was because of him that you're still with us. We cannot go on like this, feuding when it does our families no justice."

I sigh, not fully prepared to be accepting of my father's words.

"What are you saying, father?"

"We're drawing a line in it. The feud between the Capullo's and Montserrat's ends today."

I smile, glancing at Reece who nods, and pulls me close for a kiss as I sit up in the bed.

He then stands, and tips his head up to my father. "And your blessing still stands, right, Mr Capullo?"

My father extends a hand to Reece which he shakes firmly. "Yes Reece, you have my blessing to be with Jasper. You've shown me the unconditional love you have for my son, and I have witnessed the happiness you give each other."

I can't help but let out a squeal, nearly leaping off the bed to launch myself at my father to hug him.

"Thank you, father."

Breaking the hug, he smiles at me genuinely. "You do not need to thank me, son. I need to apologise for not seeing the real you."

"Never too late to see the light, father."

"Yes," he acknowledges, kissing my forehead. "We should be going now. Reece will arrange your discharge and we'll see you at home."

I nod, before accepting kisses from my mother, and Reece's parents before they leave the room.

"Thank fuck they're gone," I say with a laugh as Reece sits on the end of my bed.

"Yeah, you doing ok?"

"That was a lot right? I'm awake, yeah?"

"Yeah, baby. You're not dreaming. It's really over."

"That's amazing, Ree. Thank you for smoothing things over with my family. I love you more than words could ever say."

He kisses me, and reaches down under the sheets, causing his hand to brush over the front of the itchy hospital gown.

He chuckles, taunting me, "Your dick is hard, pretty boy."

My cheeks colour, and I grab his wrist to stop him from stroking my length through the fabric. "Stop, Ree."

He gives me his wicked smirk. "You don't want me to make you come all over this hospital gown?"

I shake my head. "No, I want you to take me home, and fuck me all night."

He kisses me. "Then let's get you out of here, baby, so I can make you come until you beg me to stop."

Eagerly I press the call button behind me, and it's a flurry of activity with doctors and nurses coming in and fussing over me. I respond to the questions, awaiting the news that I can leave which comes quicker than expected.

Reece helps me dress into a hoodie that smells like him and some grey sweats. I shove my feet into sneakers and he takes my hand to lead me out. At the nurses station I sign some discharge papers, and Reece again takes my hand as we exit the hospital. The sunlight is bright but the warm rays feel amazing. I take a moment to revel in it, tugging up the sleeves of the hoodie.

"Ready to go home, baby?"

"More than ever. And hopefully soon my home will be with you."

"You never know what's around the corner, pretty boy."

He leads me to an unfamiliar car, and getting in I ask, "What happened to your Bugatti? Weren't you getting the gunshots fixed?"

He huffs as he slides in the driver's seat, buckling his seatbelt whilst I do the same.

"Your cousin caused me to total it into a fireball mess."

"Oh, Ree, I'm so sorry. But at least you're alive," I respond, taking his hand and squeezing it as he shifts through to first gear to drive away from the hospital. I can tell he doesn't want to discuss it more right now, and I'm not in the right headspace to hear it. I'm sure my parents would've told me if Tidus had died. The pain of that would've been written all over my mother's face.

We drive in silence the entire way back to my parents house, and the moment we're inside I drag Reece to my room. I've missed him so much, and I'm planning on spending the rest of the night showing him just how much.