“I wish,” I moan.
“Blake, the pain you felt this time was more intense than the other times, right?”
I reluctantly nod my head.
He doesn’t reply, he just starts working on my right leg, telling me to relax. It’s easier said than done after what happened with my left leg. I’m waiting for the pain to rush through me. It does but nowhere near as painful as it did in my other leg.
“Let’s hit the weights before I send you home. Might as well get a full work out, even though you look like you’ve done double already.”
“Geez thanks.” I groan, rolling back into the wheelchair.
“You okay?” he asks, frowning.
“Peachy.”
“Blake, when the pain took over, could you feel my hands?”
I contemplate what Mitch is asking, but at the time I was in too much pain to even think about it. Now though I think and realize that maybe I did feel something more.
My eyes snap up to his. “Thought so.” He smirks and heads off onto the main floor of the gym as I follow behind at a slower pace. I’ve had pins and needles before, but nothing like what I felt today. The pain was incredible, and yes, I still felt his fingers digging into my thigh muscles.
Coming to a stop beside the free weights, I glance down at my legs. I flex my fingers and lay the palm of my hand on my thighs. I swallow hard when I register the touch on my left one. I can feel something on the right but not as strongly.
“Violet needs to get ahold of your doctor. They’ll probably want you in for more tests.”
I nod then snap my gaze to Mitch. “I don’t want to get her hopes up.”
“If you think she only wants you if you walk again, then you don’t have eyes in that thick head of yours.”
Slowly, I add, “I know. She made me promise to believe her, and to not hide the fact that I’m getting some sensation back.”
He nods. “At the end of the day, Violet is your physical therapist. She’s the one I have to defer to when I notice a difference in you. I kept quiet before because you asked me to, but I can’t with what just happened in there. You were in serious pain. You and Violet need to have a chat with your doctor and discuss your options moving forward.”
Groaning, I drop my head and sigh. “Well, I did tell her I wouldn’t hide anything again.”
“Forget about the hot babe for now.”
I scowl as he grins.
“Weights,” he comments, his eyes shifting toward the doors.
My eyes follow and my fists clench together when Deacon spots us and struts over. If anything, I want to be able to stand so I can smash my fist into his smug face. He knows that I want to as well. I think my anger toward the asshole frightens Violet. His eyes follow her while his face fills with anger whenever he sees us around town. The way his eyes undress her, embarrassing her, kills me. The fact is we can’t do a damn thing about him because he really hasn’t done anything wrong, in the laws eyes.
“And where is the lovely Violet today? She decided to leave your miserable ass to fend for yourself?” he sneers.
“It’s none of your damn business where my girlfriend is,” I snap and gloat when he blinks in surprise.
“Deacon,” Mitch says, “Your friend is waiting, and we’ve got work to do.” He refers to me.
“It won’t last,” he hisses. “Not when I can offer her so much more than you.”
Fucking bastard!
That comment hits me like no other words can.
“Blake has one thing no other man has, Violet’s heart. I think that trumps everything,” Mitch shouts. “Either work over there or leave the gym, Deacon. I’m not putting up with any more of your shit in my place.”
No more words are exchanged, but over and over in my head is the fact that Mitch said I have Violet’s heart. Is that true? I grunt as he loads the weights, but I know he’s spoken the truth, because she has mine.