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Chapter Twenty-Five

GREYSON

The first thing I’m aware of is the incessant beeping to my left. The second is the throbbing pain that radiates through my skull. I don’t have to open my eyes to know where I am. If the sound of the heart monitor didn’t give it away, the crisp smell of antiseptic does.

I wiggle my toes, assessing every sensation and movement up my legs and down my arms to my fingers. Aside from the pounding in my head, there’s a stiffness in my neck, and my back subtly aches. Overall, not horrible when comparing this to the last time I woke up in a hospital.

My eyes snap open at the thought, immediately searching the room, only to find I’m alone. The damn machine announces my racing heart out loud and I try to stay calm. Looking around the room, I search for any sign that Stella has been here.

Only to find nothing but hospital-regulated things.

Bile builds in my throat at the realization that Stella isn’t here. My past experiences creep up. The voices at the back of my mind taunt me with the reminder of how she never stepped foot into my last hospital room.

Why would she be here now?

Shaking my head, I remind myself that she wasn’t there back then because of my mother. She wouldn’t leave me like that for a second time.

Still, logic and insecurity do not mix.

I sit up, biting back a groan when pain zaps from my temple and down my jaw. Resting on my arm so I’m half pushed up, I’m reaching for the remote to call for a nurse when the door opens.

Disappointment almost overpowers my relief of seeing Dean. He’s at least a familiar face who wouldn’t try to pull a fast one or scheme against me while I’m stuck in a hospital bed, so I should be grateful that he’s the one here.

He’s busy looking over his shoulder while taking a tentative step into my room. Quickly, he spares me a quick glance and does a double take.

“Oh, cool, you’re awake.” Dean lingers in the doorway, eyes bouncing between me and whatever is in the hallway.

“Just woke up,” I grumble and try to calm my racing heart. “Probably need a doc.”

Dean nods, but I can tell he didn’t process the words.

“Yeah, man, listen. I know you’re probably not feeling too hot and all that. I mean, that hit was fucking brutal to watch, but uh…” He pauses, and it only makes my anxiety spike.

“What’s going on?”

“Some fancy-looking lady is out here in the hallway yelling at Stella and saying she’s gonna call the cops.”

Ignoring the pain that threatens to knock me on my ass, I force my legs to move. The wires connecting me to the monitor tug me back, so I start ripping at them. Alarms begin sounding off and Dean finally moves from the doorway.

“Shit, man, you’re gonna hurt yourself,” he says, coming to the side of the bed and holding out a hand as if he’s going to stop me.

“I need to get to Stella,” I demand, ripping the final cord off.

“Okay, but like, you could also tell me what to do and I’ll send Stella in.”

I ignore him and push to my feet with a pained grunt. The room spins, but before I fall forward, Dean is beside me.

“Need to get to her,” I say in a breathless rasp and Dean finally nods. He wraps an arm around my back, forcing my arm around his shoulder and helping me to the door.

The door flies open, two nurses halting in surprise when they find me and Dean.

“Mr. Moreno, you should be in bed,” one of the ladies says, but I ignore her and continue past them.

“Yeah, tried telling him that. He’s a determined mother fluffer,” Dean calls out, helping me walk into the hallway.

It’s easy to find them. The gathering crowd of concerned nurses and two approaching security guards are practically a flashing neon sign.

That and my mom’s shriek for someone to remove the crazy woman.

My mom’s back is to me as she points and shouts insane accusations. Stella’s eyes find mine over her shoulder and I can see the way her shoulders drop in relief.

“The only person who needs to leave”—I interrupt my mom’s threats—“is you.”

My mom whirls around. A mix of surprise, fear, and something a little wild flash across her face.

“Oh, sweetie, you need to be resting. Don’t worry, I’m taking care of everything.”

“Yeah, that’s exactly why I’m not in bed,” I say. Pulling my arm from Dean, I force myself to stand on my own. Even as I do, I still feel him lingering at my back. “I told you to leave.”

“You were hurt.” She waves a hand in dismissal. “This is where I belong.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I am your family. She has no right to be here!” she shouts back.

“Stella means more to me than you ever have. That woman supported my every dream when we were teenagers, and had you given her the chance, you would have learned that she makes me the best version of myself. Your idea of family means nothing to me. Stella is my family, and I will pick her every time.”

I turn to the closest security guard. “My mother is the one who needs to be removed. She is not welcome here and is a threat to my own health as well as my girlfriend’s.”

He nods and closes in on my mother, who swats him away.

“This is nonsense.” She steps toward me, her eyes wide and crazed.

Holy shit, my mother is actually insane.

“Don’t let her get into your head, Greyson. She’s just a whore trying to drive a wedge between us!”

My jaw clenches and it takes everything I have not to lash out at her.

“No, Mom, pretty sure you did this all on your own.”

I dip my chin toward the security guard and immediately limp around my mother to Stella. Pausing beside the security guard, I don’t take my eyes off Stella as I address my mother one last time.

“If you ever call her a whore, or speak ill of her in any way again, I will make your life even more miserable than it’s about to be.” I take my eyes off Stella for a brief second and scan the audience of nosey nurses and staff. “Where’s Dad?”

“I don’t know.” My mom huffs from behind me. “He stormed off after we left the arena.”

“Well, that makes this even easier.” I grin and address the security guard next to her. “Please have her removed.”

Stella rushes forward and wraps her arms around me but not in a hug.

“You need to be back in bed,” she says, guiding us past the security as they corral my mom toward the elevators.

The nurses from earlier are there in a heartbeat, taking over for Stella and helping me back into my room. I clutch Stella’s hand the entire time, refusing to let her out of my sight for a single second.

One of the nurses tries to separate us as I lie back in bed, but I cling to her tighter.

Stella steps up beside the bed, ignoring the scowl from the nurse, and gently brushes my hair from my face.

“I need to get out of the way so they can look you over,” she says gently with a small smile on her lips. I shake my head.

“I don’t think I can let you go,” I whisper, not bothering to try to cover the crack in my voice or the fear that mingles with my words.

Stella’s blue eyes shine with understanding tears as she brings my hand to her lips and kisses my knuckles.

“Letting me go doesn’t mean I’m going to leave you. We just need to let them do their job.”

She’s right. I know she is.

“You’ll stay with me, though?” I can’t even bring myself to care if I sound desperate or insecure. There’s no possible way I will be able to sit back and let anyone help me if Stella isn’t in my sight.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she promises and bends down to give me a kiss that would definitely set off the heart monitor if it were still attached to me.

Someone clears their throat, and Stella is the one who breaks the kiss with a smile that takes my breath away.

I finally let her hand go, but never once do I take my eyes off Stella.