Page 28

28

JADE

I stormed into the hotel room, throwing my purse down as I paced into the small living area. I heard Chase and Patrick enter behind me, probably terrified of my mental state. They were always looking after me, always watching my every move. I’d seen them looking in my purse, checking my coat pockets for drugs. They didn’t trust me, and I could understand why. Four years in a coma gave them every reason not to trust me.

“Jade,” Chase started.

“He left with her,” I whispered.

“Jade, it was a shock,” he continued. “Why did you go that way?”

I shoved my fingers through my hair, so angry with myself for not going right to the bathroom like I intended. I saw him and it broke my heart. He was kissing her . My husband, the man who was supposed to be in love with me, was kissing someone else. Yes, it had been five years, but why? Why hadn’t he waited?

“Jade…”

“He was kissing her,” I sniffled, wiping my nose. “They looked so happy.”

Chase sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. “If we’d known they were going to be there, we never would have taken you to that restaurant.”

I nodded. I already knew that. “I just… I can’t believe it, you know? He looked so happy.” I slumped down on the couch and pulled my knees up to my chest.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. “When I woke up in that hospital bed, I thought this was my second chance,” I cried. “And then Asher never showed up.” I looked up at them. “Do you know what that was like? To wake up and everyone you know is gone? Four years had passed and…everything was different. I should have died.”

“No, you shouldn’t have,” Chance insisted. “Do you think Asher would want that?”

I huffed out a sardonic laugh. “After the way he looked at me tonight? I’m not so sure.” I wiped the tears tracking down my face and tilted my head back until it rested on the couch. “She’s the complete opposite of me. She’s probably completely normal with no fucked up childhood, no emotional baggage, no nightmares about being whipped and almost raped. I bet she even bakes and cooks for him.”

“I could go over to her place and find out,” Patrick offered. “I’m always up for a home-cooked meal.”

I glared at him. “If you eat her food, I will murder you.”

“Right, so, not quite as innocent as you’re portraying yourself.”

“I never said I was innocent. God, why her?”

“If not her, it would be someone else,” Chase answered. “It’s been five years, Jade. He thought you were dead.”

I had no one to blame but myself. I’d already lost my whole life, but now I lost my husband, too. What was I going to do now? What if he didn’t want to see me again?

“Why wouldn’t he even talk to me?”

“I would imagine the shock of seeing a dead person had something to do with it,” Patrick said. “I was a little surprised when you turned up. Almost did a header, myself.”

“Would you shut up?” Chase snapped.

“What? I’m just saying the guy has the right to be a little conflicted about how he feels.”

“We’re here for Jade,” Chase argued.

“Hey, I’m just here for the entertainment. And so far, you’re doing a great job, kid,” he grinned, sitting down in my armchair and kicking up his heels. “Let’s see what fun we can have tomorrow.”

I couldn’t even be mad at Patrick. He was always the one keeping a smile on my face back when Asher first married me. He teased me, guarded me, watched my every move, even took a bullet for me. I knew he meant the best. It was just his way.

Groaning, I rubbed my hands up and down my face to brush away the anger and frustration of the night. I wasn’t going to solve anything by crying on the couch. I needed a plan.

“I need some sleep.”

“Sure, but no pills,” Patrick said playfully. “And no drinking toilet water. No matter what they say, it doesn’t really have magical properties.”

“Patrick, you’re so disgusting.”

“I am, but you learn to live with me. Now, let’s get to it.”

I rolled my eyes as I followed him into the bedroom and allowed him to go through all my things just like he did when I got here. It didn’t matter that I’d been with him every waking minute of the day aside from bathroom breaks. He wasn’t leaving unless he knew for certain there were no pills anywhere in sight. It was one of the stipulations they had for bringing me to see Asher.

“Bathroom’s clear,” Chase said, flipping off the light as he walked out.

“So’s the bedroom,” Patrick announced.

“Well, I’m glad you’ve cleared the rooms.”

“Do you want us to order you some food?”

Chase’s offer was nice, but I wasn’t sure I could eat a thing. “No.”

“I’ll order something anyway. Bad habits and all.”

God forbid I fall back into any of my old ways. “Fine.”

I strode over to the bed and grabbed my toiletries. What I needed was a hot shower to wash away the complete heartbreak I felt crushing me. In the past, I had crutches to turn to, but now I had nothing. After a year of therapy, I had to learn to cope on my own. There were no pills, no alcohol, but most of all, no Asher.

That was the hardest one to deal with. He was what kept me going in the center. The thought of seeing him again, letting him know I was whole and ready to be his wife, was what pushed me through those hard days. What was going to push me through tonight?

I dressed in some comfy clothes after getting out of the shower and wrapped my hair in a towel, then headed out to the living area to check on the food.

I gasped in surprise when I found Patrick lounging on my couch in way too little clothing. “What are you doing?”

“Getting comfortable.”

“For what?”

He flipped to another channel, but didn’t bother looking at me. “For bed.”

“You have your own room.”

“Yeah, but Chase was being a girl about the whole thing. He was worried you were gonna go all crazy girl on him. It was either him or me. I figured you’d want me over him.”

“I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Uh-huh,” he muttered, completely ignoring me.

“Can you at least put some pants on?”

“I’m afraid pants are really uncomfortable to sleep in.”

“Patrick!” I snapped, hoping to grab his attention, but he barely glanced my way.

“Did you need something?”

I walked over to the chair and flopped down, feeling the world crashing down on me.

Patrick sat up, sighing heavily. “Is this one of those times you need to talk?”

“Why? Are you going to give me a shoulder to cry on?”

“I could. I don’t know if it’s very good, but I could try.”

I stared at the wall, running through that kiss over and over in my head as I chewed my thumbnail. The smile on his face, the look of shock when he saw me, the way he stormed out without even saying two words to me.

“It’ll be okay, Jade. He’ll come around,” Patrick said softly, trying to cheer me up.

“Will it?” I swiped at the tears already spilling down my cheeks. “He didn’t even want to look at me.”

“He was in shock.”

“But he didn’t look at me with love. He didn’t look at me like he was grateful to find out I was alive.” I rubbed the center of my chest where a deep ache began to form. “What if he doesn’t come around?”

“If you really want him, you’re gonna have to fight for him.”

“Fight for my own husband?” I choked out a laugh. “There was a time when he fought for me. I was the only woman he looked at.”

“Maybe you need to make him see you again.”

I could do that. No, I had to do that. I had no other choice. I didn’t claw my way back from the grave to be left with no one. If I was going to win him back, I was going to have to think like a Buchanan. I’d watched my father fight dirty all my life. As much as I despised his games, I was willing to use his tactics to get my husband back. He was worth the risk.