Page 51 of Lucas (The Valeur Billionaires #2)

Chapter Thirty-Five

LUCAS

F uck.

I groan as the loud beep pounds in my head.

“Lucas?”

I blink, but my eyes refuse to open. The voices sound muffled as if there’s cotton stuffed in my ears.

“He’s waking up.”

I’m trying to, damn it. Why won’t my eyes cooperate?

“Lucas,” a soft voice says, clearer this time.

Someone squeezes my hand, the pressure grounding me.

I make another effort and crack my eyes open to narrow slits. I want to shield them from the blinding light, but I can’t lift my arm.

What’s wrong with me? Fear floods through my veins, and that annoying beep intensifies faster now.

“It’s okay, Lucas. You’re alright,” another voice soothes.

I don’t feel alright. My body won’t respond. I can’t speak. Everything hurts.

“The light,” I rasp, the words coming out more like a growl.

“What’s he trying to say? He needs water!”

Someone brings a cup to my lips, and I take a sip, finding the cool liquid to be a balm for my desert-dry throat.

“The light,” I say again, coughing and trying to enunciate more clearly this time.

“I think the light is bothering him. Can we dim it?”

Yes. Exactly. Turn off the fucking light.

The brightness recedes, and I open my eyes a bit more, blinking to clear the haze.

“Cora?” I recognize my sister’s fair hair and her blurry features slowly coming into focus.

“You scared us, Lucas,” she says, her voice thick with unshed tears.

“Where am I?” I groan as I try to turn my head, discovering my neck aches like hell.

Dad. Liam. Logan. Cora. They’re all here. Where’s Ava?

“The hospital,” Dad says, his face lined with worry.

I close my eyes, unable to deal with him right now.

“Ava?” I whisper, my heart in my throat.

“I’m here.” She steps forward into my field of vision, beautiful even though her face is pinched with concern and exhaustion.

I sigh in relief as she takes my hand, curling my fingers around hers. “You’re here.” Nothing else matters if she’s here. She hasn’t left me.

Yet. She hasn’t left you yet.

“Always,” she says, bringing my hand to her lips .

“Am I dying?”

“Not yet, bro.” Liam grins.

“So, I’m going to die?” I ask, only half joking.

“Not that either.”

“Must have gotten pretty banged up if you’re all here.” I wince as I shift, pain lancing through my ribs. “Fuck. Why are you all here? What happened to me?”

“Looks like you got off easy.” Logan appears, hovering over me. “Lots of bruising, dislocated shoulder, a few cracked ribs. Your helmet saved your life.”

“We found you in a ditch by the road. You crashed your bike,” Cora adds, her hand tightening on mine.

“I didn’t crash,” I protest, the memory surfacing through the fog in my brain.

“Yes, you did. You don’t remember?” She leans closer, studying my face. “We found you with your bike.”

“I remember. I remember everything, and I didn’t crash. Someone hit me.”

“What?” Logan straightens, his eyes narrowing. “Who?”

“I don’t know who. They came up behind me. I thought they were going to pass me. I was riding on the shoulder like always, and the car just slammed into me. Sent me flying into the ditch. I didn’t see the driver, and I don’t remember anything after the impact.”

“Someone ran you down?” Ava’s fingers clench around mine, her face paling.

I swallow hard. “Yes.”

“And they just left you there?” Cora looks aghast, her hand flying to her mouth. “Who does that? You could have died out there if we hadn’t found you in time! ”

“Why were you even out riding at that hour?” Dad interjects, his brow furrowed.

“I thought Ava had left me. I wanted to find her.” The words rasp in my dry throat.

“You thought I left? On a bike?” Ava’s eyes narrow, a flicker of hurt in their green depths. “Why? That doesn’t make sense.”

“Because your bike was gone, and after what happened...” My voice trails off. I thought she was leaving me. Maybe she still plans to and is just waiting because I’m in the hospital. God, I hope not. I hope she’ll give me a chance to explain.

“I didn’t take my bike.” She shakes her head, confusion creasing her brow.

I stare at her, my addled brain struggling to process. “I was so sure your bike wasn’t there.” Almost sure. Maybe I missed it?

“I tried to call you.” I blow out a breath as the memory returns. How scared I was when she didn’t pick up.

Fuck. I glance at Ava, then at the others.

“My battery was dead. When I got home, you weren’t there…”

The nurse comes in then, smiling at me. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I got hit by a car,” I deadpan.

“I can increase your pain meds,” she offers, already reaching for the IV.

I shake my head, then wince at the sharp stab of agony. “No. I want to stay lucid.”

“Alright. Everyone out, please. I need to check on the patient.” She makes a shooing motion with her hands .

They all grumble but comply, chairs scraping as they file out. Then blissful quiet.

“What’s the damage?” I ask once we’re alone.

“Broken ribs and some nasty road rash. Your helmet saved you. You’re very lucky there was no internal damage.” She checks my vitals with brisk efficiency.

“When can I go home?” I ask, impatient to be out of this sterile room, this narrow bed. I need to talk to Ava, need to make this right.

“Home?” She looks surprised. “You just woke up after being unconscious for hours. We need to complete your scans and?—”

“I’m fine. I want to go home,” I say, struggling to sit up straighter.

She nods, pursing her lips. “I’ll see what I can do to expedite the results. We may release you in a few days if everything checks out.”

She finishes her exam and leaves, letting the others back in.

“Can I have a minute alone with my wife?” I request, my eyes locking on Ava’s. It looks like she’s been crying, her lashes spiky and damp.

Dad shoots me a displeased look, but I don’t care. I don’t care about anything except fixing this with Ava. I need to explain what happened. I need to know she’s not planning to leave me.

I wait until they close the door, the latch clicking with finality.

“Ava, I’m so sorry. That damn photo got leaked, and I couldn’t reach you. I thought you’d be home at that hour, so I drove there. Your bike was missing, or I thought it was, so I went after you. I need to explain?—”

“You don’t need to explain anything,” she says, her voice quivering.

“I do because that picture... I have no idea when it’s from. I don’t even remember that woman. I think it must be from years ago. I swear. I would never do that to you. You know that, right?” I search her face, desperation clawing at my throat.

“Yes.” She nods, her eyes luminous with unshed tears. “I know.”

The weight lifts from my chest, letting me breathe again.

“Of course. You’re under contract. I wouldn’t think for a second you’d do something like that and risk Valeur. I mean, if you get caught cheating, you lose the company,” she says.

“No.” I try to shake my head, but it hurts like a bitch.

“It has nothing to do with the company or the contract. I love you more than my life, Ava. You can have the company. I don’t fucking care.

I can’t believe I’m saying those words, but you’ve taken that place in my heart. I care about you. Only you.”

Tears spill over, tracking down her pale cheeks. “I was so worried when I couldn’t find you at home. I went out looking for you, and then Cora and Liam joined. And when we found you in that ditch... I thought...” Her voice breaks on a sob.

“I’m okay, baby. I’m here. You were worried about me?” Wonder suffuses me, warming me from the inside out.

She nods, wiping at her face with a shaking hand.

“Why were you worried about me?”

“What do you mean?” She frowns .

“Why were you worried about me?” I repeat, holding her gaze.

“Because I love you. I love you, Lucas, and I thought I’d lost you.” She’s crying now, tears streaming down her face. “I thought I’d never get to tell you. That I was too late.”

I tug on her arm, pulling her to me, crushing her lips to mine.

My hand wraps around the nape of her neck to hold her close, pressed against me as I devour her mouth, savoring her taste.

My tongue delves inside, stroking hers, and I swallow her gasp.

I kiss her like there’s no tomorrow, no yesterday.

Only now. Only us and the love between us.

“Don’t cry,” I murmur between kisses, tasting the salt of her tears on my lips. “I never want you to cry again.”

“I’m telling you I love you,” she hiccups, “and you’re telling me not to cry?”

My heart swells, the monitor beside me beeping. I glance at it and laugh. “Worth getting hurt and ending up here to hear you say those words. I can’t believe you love me.” I release her, and she straightens, swiping at her damp cheeks.

“I need to tell you something. Now, before… I’m not sure you’ll feel that way after.” She bites her lip, averting her gaze.

“Nothing will change the fact that I’m in love with you, Ava,” I say it with utter certainty, willing her to believe me.

“My dad did something with the company finances. I think maybe he defrauded Valeur, too, back then. I’ve been trying to figure out what he did with the money for a while now, but he didn’t leave any loose ends. I’m sorry.” She hangs her head, her shoulders slumping.

God. She didn’t know. She truly didn’t know. My heart hammers against my ribs. “Ava. ”

She doesn’t look up, her hair falling forward to hide her face.

“Look at me, Ava.” I wait until her amazing green eyes lock with mine, a single tear slipping down her cheek. I brush it away with my thumb. “I know he’s been embezzling. Why do you think this whole rivalry started between Valeur and Gant? I’ve always known.”

“You knew?” She gapes at me, shock registering on her delicate features.

“Of course. He swindled us and almost took down our entire company with him. Luckily, Dad recovered from the blow and rebuilt.”