I clicked the text message.
{tm}Please answer. Im worried about you and Mom passed out during dinner. I think she hasnt been eating properly. Call me!{tx}
That had been ten minutes ago. I jumped up from the couch and started to dial his number when the front door swung open and Woods came running inside. His eyes locked on mine and he stopped and let out a deep breath. "Thank God. Shit, baby, you scared me. "
I dropped my phone and walked over to him. "Im so sorry. I just woke up. I fell asleep on the couch. Hows your mother?"
Woods pulled me against him and wrapped his arms around me. "She was too weak to stand up so I called an ambulance. Angelina kept saying it could be a stroke. She rode in the ambulance with Mom so I could come back here and check on you. "
I pushed at his chest. "Go! Go to the hospital. No, wait, let me get my shoes, Im going too. "
"Are you sure? If youre tired I dont want to drag you to the hospital. We could be there all night. "
I slipped my feet into a pair of tennis shoes and ran my hands through my hair. "I want to be with you. "
Woods smiled and held out his hand for me. "Good. I wont be able to focus if Im worried about you here alone. If you need to sleep, I can always hold you. "
I tried not to think about the fact that Angelina was helping him take care of his mother. He had been able to leave her knowing she would be there beside his mother. What was I good for? He had to worry about me. I was weak and needy. I was one more thing for him to stress over. I wasnt any help at all.
"Stop frowning. Shes gonna be okay. The paramedics said theres a good chance her potassium is low. They dont think its a stroke but they said due to her heart rate we needed to admit her and let doctors check her out. "
I nodded as he laced his fingers through mine. "Lets go," I told him.
I was going to find a way to be helpful. He needed someone to lean on right now and I was going to be that someone.
"Did you sleep okay without me here?" he asked as we stepped outside.
"Yes. I slept great," I lied, because telling him the truth would only have upset him.
Page 5
Woods
Della had finally given in and curled up against me. Shed been asleep within minutes. It was after three in the morning and they had Mom in a room under observation. Angelina was in the room with her. It was better that way.
I wasnt stupid. I knew Angelina wasnt helping my mother out of the goodness of her heart. She had no goodness in her heart. She was doing it to get to me. It wasnt like my mother needed a live-in nurse. Just a friend, and Angelina was being her friend.
Della didnt seem to mind. I had been watching to make sure it didnt get to her. The moment it seemed like Della was upset about Angelinas still being in our lives in this capacity, I would end all connection with my mom until Angelina left. She would eventually leave anyway when she realized I didnt want her and nothing she did was going to change that. Della owned me. She always would.
Della started to whimper in her sleep. I pulled her into my lap, brushed her hair back off her face, and whispered in her ear. That always calmed her. She rarely had bad dreams anymore. I normally saw them coming on and stopped them before they could take over.
"I have you, Im right here. Youre in my arms and nothing can touch you, Della. Nothing, baby. I wont let it," I assured her as her breathing returned to normal and her body eased back into a peaceful sleep. Smiling, I pressed a kiss to the side of her hair. I liked knowing I could fight off her fear. It was a powerful drug to know all she needed was me.
"Doesnt that get exhausting? Shes like a helpless, needy child. " Angelinas icy voice annoyed me. I didnt look up at her. Id rather have kept my focus on the woman in my arms.
"Hows Mom?" I asked her.
"Shes sleeping. She hasnt been eating well. I knew that but I cant force her to eat. Im not a damn nurse. If you came to visit her more often shed eat more. She misses you. "
My mother had never missed me. She was my fathers puppet. She wanted me around if he did. When she thought I was going to marry Angelina she wanted me around.
"Youre choosing her over your mother and its disappointing, Woods. "
I lifted my eyes from Dellas peaceful face. "No. My mother is choosing her wants over mine. I will not live my life the way she wants me to. I will love who the fuck I wanna love. She doesnt control that," I replied in a cold voice.
"You have the Kerrington Club to run, Woods. You need someone who can stand by you and help you. You have to take care of not only the club but her. Shes a weight on you, not a help. You cant be a successful businessman with a burden like her," she said, pointing at Della.
I held her closer to my chest. I could do anything if I had Della. Anything.
"What youre not understanding---what my mother is not understanding---is I cant live without Della. I cant breathe. I cant fucking concentrate. I need her. Just her. I can do anything if I have her with me. So take your snide comments and beliefs and leave me the hell alone. I know what I need and it will never be you. Did you hear that? Is it sinking in this time? It. Will. Never. Be. You. "
Angelina opened her mouth and snapped it closed again. The bright red color on her face said Id gotten through. She was furious. Good. About damn time. I didnt watch her leave. I dropped my gaze back down to Della. Just looking at her calmed me.
When the doctor came out four hours later to tell me that Mom was fine and wanted to see me, Della woke up and rubbed her eyes. I watched as the doctor looked her over appreciatively. I didnt like it when men looked at her like that but it was pointless to get mad. She was beautiful and sexy as hell. I just had to remind myself she was mine.
"Go on in and see her. Im going to find some coffee," she said in a sleepy voice. "Ill get you some too. "
I pressed a kiss to her lips because I needed to taste her and I wanted the doctor to see exactly who she belonged to. She immediately responded by wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me back.
"I love you," I said against her lips as I ended the kiss.
"I love you," she replied, then stood up.
She walked off in the short cut-off sweatpants she was wearing and one of my hoodies. Shed come with me in a tank top last night and gotten cold in the waiting room. I had gotten her a hoodie out of my truck.
"Is the woman in the room with your mom your sister?" the doctor asked. I glanced over at him. He was too young to be a doctor, wasnt he?
"No," I replied, and walked past him toward my mothers room.
Angelina was sitting in the chair beside her bed looking at a magazine. She had stayed all night. Ev
en after Id said what I had. Either she was crazy or she really did like my mom.
"Hey, Mom," I said as I closed the door behind me.
"Hello," she replied. "Angelina said you stayed all night. You didnt have to do that. "
I walked over and bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Yeah I did," I replied.
"Did you send the girl home?" The distaste in her voice wasnt missed.
"She went to get coffee," I replied. I wasnt going to fight with her over Della. "You need to eat more, Mom. "
She sighed. "I know, but I just dont have an appetite anymore. I miss him. "
He was an ass. He tried to control me and he lied to me. He also hurt Della and she knew about it. Forgiving those things was hard. The fact hed hurt Della made it almost impossible. I couldnt say anything. I had nothing to say.
"I need to get to work. When they discharge you, call me and Ill come get you. " Getting out of there was best. She was my mother and I loved her, but there was so much between us that needed to be forgiven. I couldnt stay there.
"Ill take her home. You go work. Youre going to be exhausted since you didnt sleep all night. " Angelina sounded so sincere. I didnt trust that.
"Okay, well, call if you need me," I said to my mother, and then turned and left the room.
Della stood outside the door holding two coffees. The concern in her eyes was the most sincere thing Id seen that morning.
"Is she okay?" Della asked as she handed me a cup of bad hospital coffee.
"Yeah. Shes fine. Lets go," I replied.
"Why dont I leave and you stay here? Shes your mom. " Della started to say more but I shook my head and stopped her.
"Shes fine. She needs to eat more. I want to leave with you. "
Della let out a weary sigh, then nodded her head. "Okay. If thats what you want. "
Page 6
Della
The bonfire lit up the dark beach. I stood watching everyone drink, dance, and laugh. Woods had left to deal with an issue with the staff. He was looking for someone to take over his old job but he hadnt found anyone yet. Right now he was doing everything himself and I could see he was growing weary.
I glanced over at the group of Woodss friends and I knew I was welcome. Bethy was laughing loudly and I was pretty sure she was drunk. But I needed time to think. I wasnt in the mood to pretend like my heart wasnt heavy. Woods had been on the phone with Angelina today when Id walked into his office. Theyd been talking about his mom and it had been friendly. She was taking a lot off him and I wanted to like her. To be thankful to her. I just couldnt.