HOLDEN
Ihear a squeal and nod to myself. Roman and Sophie are home. Sophie squeals again, and I hear Roman say something in Italian, something sharp. I chew my bottom lip as I glance at the time.
I could join in with whatever they’re about to do, or I could go visit Miles …, and that should probably take priority, considering I haven’t seen him since we all went to make sure he was alive.
Packing up a few things, I head over to the hospital. I can have some time with Sophie when I get back. I chew my bottom lip while waiting in the car in front of the hospital. I hate hospitals. I hate the intense white lights that don’t leave anything hidden. I hate the way people seem to clock you if you don’t fit in.
But Miles is worth it. I shake off my lingering paranoia and head inside. I whisper Miles’ name at the check-in desk, and the woman looks me over slowly, the corner of her mouth turning up as she gives me the room number.
I pace in the elevator until the doors finally open. I slide out before they part all the way. I hate elevators, enclosed spaces where I have no control. When I get to Miles’ room, I hear a female voice speaking.
“Mr. Langston, please understand.”
“Sasha, right?”
Fuck. I walk in, and Sasha looks over at me. She swallows and takes a step back. I don’t usually make appearances, so I don’t blame her for her confusion and surprise, but considering I’m right in the middle of the issue, I’m sure she wants to share with Miles. I’m interrupting this moment, and I’m twice as frustrated.
Sasha bites her lip. “Do you want to tell him?”
“Tell me what,” Miles demands. “First, you give me half sentences in front of my wife, and then you gave me a cryptic email saying you were fired because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now you’re telling me Sophia is what?”
But Sasha doesn’t look away from me. She crosses her arms over her chest and arches an eyebrow. “If I’m going down, so are all of you. So again, do you want to tell him, or should I?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I growl.
She takes another step back from whatever my face is saying, but Miles sits up and glowers at both of us. “One of you had better tell me before this heart monitor starts to scream.”
“Your best friends are fucking your daughter,” Sasha says, despite the tremor to her voice.
What a vindictive bitch. Because Gunner and Roman won’t fuck her, she has to take her pissy attitude out on Sophie? Sure, throw me under the bus, Roman, Nick, and Gunner too, but Sophie deserves better than this.
I hear Miles shift in bed and look over at him while easily blocking Sasha’s quick exit. Miles looks at me carefully. “Excuse me.”
“I’m not misreading things. I saw her and Roman doing … things, and then she kissed just about everyone else.” Sasha continues. “I saw it, and if I thought that would get me fired, I would have taken pictures.”
“That’s not why you were fired,” I growl.
Sasha shoots me an angry look that withers as soon as she takes in my expression. She swallows hard. “Well, I think it was.”
“You know it’s not. Nick went over that with you.”
“Nick, who I also saw kissing Sophia.” Sasha’s voice shakes.
“So the computer logs we have showing you on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube during work hours is what?” I ask, taking a step towards her. “The complaints we have from guests and prospective employees are what? The fact that you canceled meetings without telling Gunner shows what?”
She takes another step back and glances at Miles. “They’re sleeping with your daughter!”
“Get out of my room.” He snarls at her. “Now.”
“But.”
“Now!”
His voice is so loud; I have no doubt everyone on the floor heard him. Sasha yips then skitters away like a little chihuahua. She really thought this would get her job back? Ridiculous. The messenger doesn’t get better treatment by opening a can of worms, especially considering she did it for her own benefit.
Miles adjusts in his bed again, takes a slow breath, then clears his throat. “Close the door, Holden.”
I do as he asks, with no question or hesitation. He rubs his forehead. “Please tell me that the bitch is making things up. That she’s lying right to my face.”