Page 115 of Beauty & Chaos

“Yes. Ouch. Fuck, no.” I remember what the nurse said and push the button to get more painkillers.

Over the next few hours, a bunch of doctors and nurses come in and out of the room. My parents return, and Jasmine messages.

Travis doesn’t leave.

Dad, who originally looked like he wanted to kill him, has started warming to him. Especially once he learned Travis had been paying for personal security for me.

“You can go home tomorrow,” the doctor tells me. “You will need help.”

“She can come home with me,” Travis says.

“She can come home with us,” Dad says.

I smile, and Mom glances at Travis with her own private smile. Then back at me.

They all look at me.

“We can decide tomorrow.” I tell them.

A little later, Maddox and his wife Kyra show up with a change of clothes and some toiletries. She’s nice—he’s as broody as Travis—and I wish I wasn’t stuck in a hospital bed.

“When you are well, we can go out for dinner.” Kyra rubs my good arm. “Get better. Travis will look after you.”

When he returns from his shower, he lowers into the chair and starts scrolling.

“Trav.”

He looks up.

“This is silly. You can go home. It’s one more night.”

“Someone tried to kill you Brook.” He glares.

“And you have two guards outside the door.” I nod at it.

“I’m not leaving.”

Letting out a sigh, I close my eyes and drift off.

When I wake later than evening, he’s snoozing in the chair, looking like a little boy. Despite the tattoos, despite the black sweatpants that do not hide as many sins as they should.

He’s so damn sexy, and adorable.

I remember his complaining about my use of that word while in the Alps.

My heart skips a beat, and I know I’m done for.

We have so much to learn about one another, but for some insane reason, we’ve fallen in love. And that seems to be that. I don’t think I’m going to have much choice in the matter anyway.

I smile to myself, imagining this man as the person I spend my life with. Is it possible?

Can I trust him?

I can spend my life wondering or being scared, or I can take a risk. And I think I might want to do it with Travis Warner.

His eyes flicker open and land on me. Unfolding his body, Travis stands and stretches.

I reach out my hand, and his eyes flare momentarily, then settle as he comes over and sits on the bed.