My Broken Soldier (Love Conquers Life Book 2) (7 page)

“Soon. First we have to get the okay from your doctor, and I think we need a few more sessions before you go. You need to have more consistent nights without nightmares before I let you out.”

***

I’ve had four nights of restful sleep in the hospital, and I’m feeling great! I tried to convince the staff to let me use the hospital’s physical therapy area as part of my treatment, but they wouldn’t let me. They said that area is for PT patients only. I need to get back to working out. That’s helped a lot since I’ve been home.

“Good morning!” I hear from the door as my doctor walks in to check me over. I haven’t had a stomach ache in two days, and I’m eating normal foods again.

After he does his check-up, he says, “You’re doing great. If the counselor gives the okay, I can release you tomorrow.”

“Seriously?”

He laughs. “I’m dead serious, but listen, son. You need to take care of yourself. I’m not a vet, but I’ve seen a lot of traumas come through these doors. You have good people around you who really care. Take care of yourself, and if you need more help, seek it. You’re a hero. Don’t make yourself a victim.”

“Thanks, doc.”

He shakes my hand and tells me he’ll see me soon.

About ten minutes later, Dr. Cardoza walks in and says, “Hey. So, I heard that it’s up to me whether you break out of this place or not.”

“Yup, and I’m really hoping you’ll set me free.”

He laughs. “How’d you sleep last night?”

“I slept fine. Still no nightmares.”

“Okay. I’m going to make a deal with you. I’m going to release you, but you need to see me once a week for a little while longer. I feel like we need to work on your stress management so you don’t relapse.”

I started to panic slightly at the word relapse. “What if I do relapse? What if I leave here and they come back?”

“Relax. First of all, I don’t think they will. I think you’ve made great progress. We’ve talked about your nightmares and how to handle the drinking. As I told you before, I don’t really think drinking is an issue for you, but if you start to feel like it is, talk to me about it.”

I take a deep breath and nod my head, taking in everything he’s saying to me.

“Are you going to do as we discussed about giving Patty my number?”

“Yeah, I think it’s a great idea. I’m also going to add you to the list of people who are allowed up to my place without question, so if there ever is an emergency you’ll be let in.”

“If that’s what you want.”

“I do. I feel better knowing that someone other than my parents can get to me if need be. I don’t plan on ever doing that again, but it’s like a security thing.”

He sticks out his hand to me and, with laughter in his voice, says, “I’ll see you next week, and if you don’t show, I’ll go to your house and hunt you down.”

“Thanks, Doctor Cardoza. Sorry I was a dick in the beginning.”

He laughs again and says, “You all are, but I know I’m not the enemy. Now, let me go sign your paperwork so you can get out of here.”

I snag my phone and quickly send a text to my father.

Carter: Can you bring my Jeep to the hospital? I’m being discharged today or tomorrow.

Dad: Way to go son! I will have it there soon.

Carter: Thanks for everything Dad!

Chapter 7

Patty

I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve heard from Carter. The only word I’ve received from him was the text message he sent me saying he was working on it and thanking me for not giving up. It makes me so happy to know that he’s getting the help he needs to be healthy again and that he still wants to be a part of my life. I miss him and his muscular body and his hazel eyes. The bright gleam in them was gone the last time I saw him. It was like his light was out and he was a ghost of a man. He wasn’t the Carter I fell in love with. That vision has haunted my nightmares, but I have to admit it helps to know that he’s doing something to get better, even if I don’t know how they’re helping him or when I’ll see him again.

I’ve spent a lot of time here thinking about us and all the things we’ve done together in the short time we’ve known each other. When we met for the first time at that fundraiser and he rescued me from Ben, we clicked right away. It was like we’d known known each other for years. I don’t know if it’s because our parents are such good friends, but we seriously just work together.

I’ve been trying to come up with a plan for what to do if I don’t hear from him soon. I’ve contemplated going back on my word and visiting him in the hospital, or maybe I should text Derek and ask him to check in with Carter for me, but I really want Carter to know that I miss him and love him. I wonder if he’ll respond if I text him again.

I’ve also spent a lot of time working on my book. I sent a few more chapters to my agent, Joan, and I only have about three more to write and the book will be done. Getting such a large chunk of the book from me made Joan quite happy. I’m hoping she’ll be satisfied for a little while because I need some time while I’m here to sit and relax.

Bella came last week to visit, and that helped me relax a bit too. She brought the usual facial creams, and we watched movies and ate junk food while she filled me on what little Derek would tell her about how Carter is doing. He really hasn’t told her much more than I already knew. She told me he was in the hospital getting counseling and working on building his strength up from the binge he was on, the one where he hadn’t eaten for a few days and just kept filling his stomach with scotch.

She filled me in on her and Derrick’s dating situation. From what she said, things are going well between them. They’ve been seeing more of each other, and she let it slip that she and Derrick are going together to the Thanksgiving dinner Carter and I are hosting. I smile when I think of her little slip until I realize I’m not sure that the dinner will even be possible. Thanksgiving is in a week and a half, and I haven’t even spoken to Carter, let alone fixed things with him.

I hope that he’ll call me and come home soon. If I don’t hear from him this weekend, then I’m going back to the house and I’ll text him to let him know I’m there instead of here. It’s killed me to not send him another message, but I told him when I left the hospital that he needed to come see me when he was ready, and I need to stand my ground on that.

The clock chimes, telling me that it’s now six o’clock. I stroll into the kitchen to heat up my leftover pasta from the other night. I’ve developed a routine of going through my Facebook newsfeed while I eat. There really isn’t much else to do up here by myself. I notice a reminder that I have a blog post I need to put up for an author friend of mine. We often support each other with blog posts about new releases or online cover reveal parties. I type up the blog post, inserting her buy links as well as some pictures she’s sent me in her media kit. Once I’m satisfied with the way it looks, I hit the submit button and the post goes live. I close the top of my laptop and take the last few bites of my dinner.

I’m about to get up to rinse my plate and place it in the dishwasher when there’s a pounding on the door. I scream, and before I can respond the door flies open. Ben and one of his friends come plowing through the door.

“What the hell are you doing?” I scream as I back away from them.

“I’m here to show you that you’re mine and only mine,” Ben says as he walks toward me. His words are slightly slurred, like he’s been drinking, but you probably wouldn’t catch it if you didn’t know him. He’s a mess too. His khaki pants are wrinkled, and his shirt looks like he spilled something on it.

“Ben, I haven’t been yours for a long time now. I don’t know what my mother promised you, but there is no way we are getting back together.”

“Oh but we are, sweetie. I love you, and when I want something, I get it.”

“You do not love me. You hit me, and if you loved me, you wouldn’t have done that.”

“I didn’t mean it,” he screams with a thunderous roar as he starts to pant. “I didn’t mean it,” he says again, calmer, but his voice cracks slightly. I think this guy has totally lost it, and I’m stuck in the middle of nowhere with him.

“Okay, you didn’t mean it. How about we sit on the couch and talk about it.” I need to calm him down because he is really scaring me.
“How did you find out I was here?” I ask in a calm voice, like we talk every day.

He laughs. “Your mother will tell me anything I want to know. She owes me, and her debt won’t be paid until you’re mine.”

I usher him to sit so we can talk about the situation. His friend closes the door, leaving himself out in the cold. I can’t imagine he will last long out there.

“Why don’t you tell me why you want me back?”

He laughs. “Isn’t it obvious, sweetie? It’s because you’re beautiful and no one has taken care of me the way you did.”

“I’m sure there is another beautiful girl out there to take care of you. What about the girl you were at the dance with? What was her name?”

He bursts out into a fit of laughter. “That was Olivia!” He sneers. “She was there with me to set up Carter so that the two of you would break up. That has to have been one of your mother’s best plans yet.”

“So, my mother
was
involved in trying to break Carter and I up,” I say under my breath, but Ben hears me.

“Yeah, I told her she was running out of time and that she had to figure out how to get us back together soon or I’d be going to her hubby with her dirty little secret.”

My eyes shoot up to meet his. “What dirty little secret?” I ask him, totally confused.

“Nice try, sweetie, but that will stay with me for now. I won’t even tell the woman I love. All you need to know is that you need to be with me or I’m going to tell her husband what I know and then he’ll leave her.”

“I don’t care if he leaves her. I’m tired of her messing with my life. If she kept her life together, she wouldn’t be messing with mine. Tell the world if you want,” I say without a care for what it’ll do to her. Maybe, if my stepfather leaves her and puts her out on the streets with nothing, it’ll teach her a lesson.

He slides closer to me on the couch, and when he does, I try to back away but I’m already at the arm. I have nowhere else to go.

“Ben, please don’t do this.”

I start to stand, but he pulls me back down.

“Where do you think you’re going?” He grabs hold of my wrist.

“Don’t do this! You can walk away, and I won’t say a word to anyone.”

“Don’t do what, sweetie? Show you how much I love you and want to be with you.”

He brushes his fingers across my cheek, and I beg him to stop. I’m starting to pant with panic because I really don’t want him to hurt me. He leans in to kiss me, and as he does the door slams open one more time. We both jump, looking toward it. I’m relieved when we find Carter standing there, panting, probably from fighting off Ben’s friend. To be honest, the guy never had a chance.

“Get the fuck off my woman,” he screams as he waits to see what Ben is going to do next. I can’t believe he’s chosen this moment to show up. I’ve been waiting all this time for him, and he manages to get here as Ben is about to attack me.

“She isn’t yours anymore. She broke up with you because you’re a loser.”

He looks at me. Sarcastically, he says, “Did I miss something? Did we break up?”

I giggle. “No, we never broke up, honey.”

Ben turns to me with his hand held to hit me, but before he can, Carter grabs his arm, bends it behind him, and takes him to the floor. Ben screams like a lunatic, and his face is beet red. It’s quite funny.

The local police come walking through the door. They take Ben from Carter and bring him out to the waiting car with his goon.

“Can you tell me what happened, ma’am?” the second officer asks me.

“I was finishing up dinner when he came bursting through my door. My boyfriend happened to get here in time to stop him from forcing himself on me,” I say to the officer. I stand from the couch and run to Carter’s side. He wraps his arms around me and holds me tight.

“Who is this man to you, ma’am?”

“He’s my ex-boyfriend who can’t seem to understand the
ex
part,”

The officer turns to Carter and says, “Good job taking him down and protecting her. We’ll be in touch if we need anything more from either of you.”

“Thank you, officer,” I say to him as he moves toward the door.

The first officer takes some pictures of the damage he caused by kicking in the door. He tells us he already has Ben and his friend’s fingerprints from the door, so they’ll match them up and charge them with breaking and entering as well as attempted rape.

We stand at the door with the officers until they’re done. When they leave, Carter closes the door behind them, using the deadbolt to keep it closed for now.

I jump into Carter’s arm. He squeezes me tight, and I say, “I’ve missed you so much, Carter. Thank you for coming to my rescue.”

He kisses the top of my head. “I’ve missed you too, but I needed to stay away long enough to know I wouldn’t hurt you again. I know I have a lot to explain and to make up for, and I hope you’ll allow me the opportunity to do it.”

I squeeze him tight as I nod my head. He pulls away and lifts my chin so I can look into his eyes. “I’ll fix the door in the morning.”

I nod. “How did you know I needed you?”

“I didn’t. I happened to be coming here, and when I pulled up I saw the car and the guy standing on your front porch. I called the cops and then took down the guy. You know the rest,” he says, lowering his lips to mine. When our lips meet, I feel a jolt of electricity shoot through me.

He pulls away and says, “Please tell me I can make love to you. You have no idea how much I need to touch you and show you what you mean to me.”

I bite my lip, and I can feel myself blushing. The heat creeps up my neck and face. I nod and smile shyly because I can hear the need in his voice.

“We have a lot to talk about, and I promise you, sweetie, we will, but for now I want to feel you and hold you close while we rest together. Is that okay?”

I pull him toward my room because I also want to show him how happy I am that he’s with me, that he rescued me from that loser. He grins at me as I approach the foot of my bed. Pulling me to him, he wraps his arms around me and holds me. Then he lifts my chin and leans down to kiss me as he looks into my eyes.

I lick his lips, letting him know I want more, and he opens to me. Our tongues meet, tangling together, making up for lost time. His hand goes to the back of my neck as he pulls me close. We both moan into each other’s mouths. I can feel his cock hardening, and the juices are flowing between my legs.

My hand glides up his back as I press my body to his. He feels thinner, and I don’t like it. I start to yank his shirt out of his pants. We pull apart, taking turns removing one another’s shirts. Once they’re gone, we start kissing again. He unclips my bra and slips my straps down my arms. I let it fall to the floor, and we press our bodies together so we’re skin on skin. The feeling is absolutely amazing.

The air is chilly, but so much warmth is pouring from us that I no longer feel the chill. He scoops me up and places me on the bed. Then he kicks off his shoes and climbs on top of me.

He looks into my eyes with so much concern. “Am I going too fast? I don’t want you to regret this.”

“I want you, Carter. Show me that we’re going to be okay.”

“I know. I want you too, but do we need to talk first, because I want you to know that I’m better now and I want to fix things with you. I promise you we will be okay.”

I smile at him. “I’m so glad to hear you’re better. And you’re right, we have a lot to talk about, but we can talk in the morning. Right now I really want you to make love to me.”

He looks down at me. “I can do that,” he says, lowering his lips to mine in a very passionate kiss. I can feel the love he’s pouring into the kiss, and it makes me moan.

His hand slides up my stomach to my breast. He massages it and then pinches my nipple, rolling it between his two fingers. He kisses his way along my jawline to my earlobe, nibbling it before he kisses his way down my neck. He continues down to my breast, licking, kissing, and sucking as he goes. When he gets to my nipple, he sucks it into his mouth, rolling his tongue over it. He kisses his way to my other nipple showing it equal attention.