42. Kylie

Chapter forty-two

Kylie

A n annoying and persistent beeping is the first thing I register as I'm dragged back into awareness, but the exhaustion is strong and pulls me back under.

The next time awareness comes, there's still the annoying beeping, but also a quiet conversation taking place close by. I want to open my eyes, but the darkness takes over again.

It isn't until the third time I struggle to wake that I finally succeed in opening my eyes. It's also when the aches and pains slowly make their presence known. Mostly the headache that gets worse from the bright light flowing in from the door. I turn my head away and into the softer light of my room. My heart jumps when I see the outline of a man in a chair who's currently snoring.

Dad.

A calmness settles over me as a familiar hand squeezes mine on the other side of me and I drift back into sleep again.

When I wake the fourth time, the fog is gone, and a scene plays out in my mind as my dad tells a story about my encounter with a goat when I was little. I keep my eyes closed as I listen to him tell about the time my parents took me to a petting zoo where we fed the animals.

"She spotted this smaller goat off to the side that kept trying to come closer to eat, but all the big goats kept pushing in front of him. She was so upset, she begged me to help him. I should have known she wouldn't be happy until she could feed the little guy, but I didn't expect her to crawl in between the wooden boards of the fence to try and get to him. I was leaning over trying to move some of them back when she slipped through—"

"And I was walking back from the vendor with more food when she climbed in. I screamed at Kurt to grab her and mayhem descended."

"You would've thought those goats were starving and hadn't been eating out of people's hands all day long."

"Oh my gosh, I will never forget seeing her in that pink dress running after the small goat who turned and ran from her because he was terrified. All the adult goats turned with her and chased her for the food she had fisted in her little hands."

"I hopped in and ran after them, but it wasn't easy pushing my way past, especially since they were all running in total chaos."

I can envision my dad shaking his head as he says this.

A low rumble of laughter coming from Luca beside me fills me with so much warmth, my lips twitch.

"Kylie?"

I open my eyes to find Luca hovering over me, brows lowered in concern.

"Hi." My voice croaks.

Luca's eyes close briefly. He leans down and places a light kiss on my forehead. "How are you feeling?"

I frown, suddenly realizing where I'm at. "What happened?"

My parents move closer to my bed, both looking as concerned as Luca.

"Pumpkin, do you not remember?" My dad asks, searching my face. Luca brings my gaze back to his when he cups my cheek.

I frown, trying to think back, and remember a hand covering my mouth. I focus back on Luca with a gasp.

"It's okay, you're safe now. So is Talia." He reassures me.

"Talia?" I scrunch my brows, when an image of her on the floor flashes through my mind .

"Yes. She was released yesterday and stopped in to check on you. Her boyfriend picked her up, but before she left, she asked that you contact her when you feel up to it. She's worried about you."

I clear my throat and glance at my parents again. Mom has a hand covering her mouth and her eyes are laced with concern. Dad's jaw is clenched and he hasn't taken his eyes off the bandages around my wrists. He's trying to hide it, but I know him well. He blames himself for what happened. Another flash of memory blindsides me and fear slices through me. I snap my gaze back to Luca. "I-he …" I swallow, not knowing how to ask.

"We found you before anything could happen to either of you. I swear it." Luca's face is hard at that declaration.

"I don't remember much. Just flashes." I swallow again. My mouth feels as if it's full of cotton. "How can you be sure?" The snippets in my head are alarming. I have to know he didn't do what he said he would in one of my more lucid moments. "He said …"

Luca smooths the hair on my forehead as he continues to reassure me. "Gio and Rafael stopped him before he could. Your mom," he nods toward her, "saved the day. She remembered seeing the guy in your apartment building, so we were able to locate you quickly." He swallows before continuing, "He was recording. The police reviewed the footage. Gio and Rafael got to you in time."

My body is locked tight, but after hearing that, I relax into the bed. "Okay." I look down and then over at my mom. "Can I have some water?"

Mom rushes to fill a cup for me. Luca uses the remote and raises the bed, then sits beside me and puts his arm behind my shoulders to help me sit up before Mom hands me the cup.

"Thank you." I take the cup and drink the whole thing.

"How are you feeling, sweetie? The doctor said that as the drugs wear off, your head will ache for a while."

"There is a dull ache, but despite everything, I feel okay." I notice bandages around my wrists and the other subtle aches and pains have made themselves known. Thankfully, it's not too bad. More like how I would feel if I worked out too much.

I hand the cup back to my mom and face Luca again. "Is Talia really okay?"

"Yes, according to her, he drugged her and then cuffed her so she couldn't escape, but otherwise left her alone after that. They checked her blood, and the drug was out of her system."

"When can I go ho—" I cut off home because really it's the last place I want to be right now.

"The doctor said as soon as you wake, they'll check your vitals. If everything looks okay, you can go home. Maybe this afternoon, since it's early enough."

"Good. I'm a bit tired, but I'd prefer to get out of here."

"Honey, why don't you come home with us—"

"No. I'm sorry, Mrs. Davis, but Kylie will come home with me." Luca moves his gaze to mine, softening. "Gio is also staying with us. You may be the only thing that will keep him home to rest for a few days."

Lowering my eyebrows in confusion, Luca answers my questioning gaze. "He got shot in the arm when he busted the door down." My eyes go wide, but Luca quickly soothes me. "He's okay. They dug a bullet out of his muscle, but the doctor assured me he just needs to baby the arm until it heals."

"You said Gio and Rafael got to us in time. Is Rafael hurt?"

"No. He's not hurt. Do you remember him carrying you out of the apartment?"

I look away, trying to focus on my memories, but I only remember Luca pulling me from his arms. "No. I just remember you."

A knock at the door has all our eyes swinging to find the doctor standing there. "How are you feeling, Miss Davis?" He moves into the room and comes to the side of my bed to view the monitors.

"I'm okay. A bit achy, but fine."

"Good. Good." He says distractedly as he looks over my chart.

"Luca said I can go home today?" I ask.

Finally, he looks up, giving me his full attention. "Let me do a quick assessment and we'll see." He pulls out his light and checks my pupils before moving his attention to the monitors. "Everything looks good. You should be able to go home as long as you have someone with you for the next twenty-four hours."

"She will." Luca takes my hand to entwine our fingers.

"I'll get the paperwork started for your release. Just make sure you follow up with your doctor in a few days." After he nods at Luca and my parents, he leaves the room.

My dad has been mostly quiet and when I glance at him, he's staring down at the floor.

"Dad?"

He snaps his head up, misery clear in his gaze. I extend my hand and wait for him to place his in mine. The minute he does, his face crumbles.

"Dad. I'm okay."

"I'm so sorry, Kylie. It's my fault he took you." Tears stream down his face. I've never seen my dad cry, even after receiving his diagnosis. He never cried.

"No. It's not your fault." My own tears spill down my face.

"Pumpkin, it is. I arrested him years ago, and he took you to get revenge. If I hadn't—"

"Stop." I say firmly. "He's at fault. I don't ever want to hear you blame yourself again. You taught me better than that. Like me blaming myself for getting hit by a boyfriend because I made him angry. Remember that?" I glare at him, only to show him how serious I am about this. He doesn't need this now when he's finally free of cancer.

Dad squeezes my hand before bending to kiss my forehead. "You've always been a smart girl. I hear what you're saying."

I search his gaze and see he needs more convincing. "Hear it and believe it."

He huffs out a laugh, shaking his head. "Okay, pumpkin. Okay."

"Love you."

He cups my cheek, wiping my tears away with his thumb. "I love you too."

A nurse comes in, interrupting the moment. I shove my worry for my dad to the back of my mind, knowing I will need to check in on him soon .

It took a couple of hours before the paperwork was completed and now my dad's pushing me in a wheelchair to the pickup zone where Luca pulls up in his Escalade. While he throws it in park and jumps out to round the front of the car, I stand with my mom hovering beside me.

Smiling, I pull her in for a hug and whisper in her ear. "Watch over Dad. I don't want him stressing about this."

Mom pulls back enough to kiss me on the cheek before whispering, "I will, honey. He'll be fine. It may take some time, though." She pulls back to cup my cheeks and gives me a watery smile. "Let Luca pamper you. He needs it as much as you do." She lets me go and Dad takes her place. I wrap my arms around his waist and lean my head on his chest.

Dad takes a deep breath and squeezes me before pulling back.

"Mr. and Mrs. Davis. Why don't you come for dinner tomorrow night? I'm sure you'll need to see for yourself how she's doing and besides, I'd like for you to get to know Joseph, her bodyguard. You'll feel better knowing he's looking after her." Luca extends his hand to my dad, who hesitates for only a second before clasping it.

"Bodyguard?" I tilt my head at Luca, who releases my dad's hand.

"Driver, bodyguard. Same thing." He shrugs and smiles.

I roll my eyes, but wince at the brief pain of doing so before bringing my attention back to my parents. Mom has a huge smile of her own, clearly entertained by our banter. She winks at me before switching her attention to Luca.

"We'd love to. And please, call us Kathy and Kurt." Mom steps into Luca to hug him, catching him off guard. His eyes move to my dad's with a frown.

I want to laugh at his discomfort, but don't dare.

Mom finally lets him go, then reaches back for Dad's hand. "Kylie, text me the address and a time to come. Love you." She blows me a kiss.

Finished with our goodbyes, Luca helps me into the Escalade. He doesn't get more than one block from the hospital before I fall back to sleep with his hand resting on my thigh.