Renewed (Awakened #2) (20 page)

“Yes?” I peeled my eyes off Annabelle and looked at Melissa.

“I think we should get you back to your room. Your family wants to see you, and I also think you should get some rest before going home tomorrow.”

I nodded in agreement and gently pulled my hand away from Annabelle. I gripped my hands in my lap as I heard her unlock my wheelchair. “I love you, my sweet baby,” I whispered, hoping she could hear me.

Melissa wheeled me back to my room and helped me into my bed, covering me back up. I was exhausted already. Stefan came in shortly after her and sat down on the couch across the room.

“Why do you insist on defying on me?” he asked, his head hung low between his arms, which rested on his legs.

“I’m not trying to,” I whispered. The air between us was thick, and I hated it.

“I want you home, safe and where I can keep an eye on you. George, can get in here, Jennifer. It doesn’t take much.” He lifted his head and looked at me. His caramel eyes were sad.

“That’s why you have Charles.”

“He can only do so much, Jennifer. I don’t understand what the big deal is.”

 
“The big deal is that I want to stay here where Annabelle is.” I raised my voice.

“Not an option. End of discussion, Jennifer.” He stood to his feet. “And when I find George, I may not kill him, but he’ll wish he was dead.”

“Stefan!” I protested.

“You don’t get it.” He put his fingers up to his temple, rubbing it. “He tried to kill you! He wants you dead. He wants my daughter dead. You knew I was like this when you married me. You knew I wanted the control,
needed
the control, and I’ve given up so much control for you! I’ve tried to be everything you could ever want me, but I’m scared that one day I’ll come home and you’ll be gone because you’ve realized I am as fucked up as they come.” He was pacing now, pouring his heart out in this hospital room.

“I’ve done so much for you, so much to make sure you are taken care of, including keeping you in this little safe bubble. You just don’t get it! You don’t think about me, me Jennifer. I have a heart! And it aches,
aches
for you. When I saw your body lying here, lifeless...I thought I’d failed you, failed our daughter, failed myself. The thought of you not coming back to me was too much to handle, Jennifer.

“I don’t care if you choose to hate me. I am finding that bastard and I am making him pay.” He turned and walked towards the door. He opened it, then looked back at me. “I love you, Jennifer, more than my soul allows sometimes. I will
never
sit back and watch you lie motionless on a hospital bed ever again.”

He walked out of the door and shut it quietly behind him.

I knew my dad deserved whatever he had coming to him, but something inside of me continued to hold out hope that he would change; that he would accept things and move on. I wanted...needed that acceptance from him. Why couldn’t I have that? Why couldn’t I be good enough? I hated what he made me, what he did to me, and sometimes I hated the reflection the stared back at me.

“Knock
knock
.”

“Come in.” I smiled when I saw it was Sam, Judy, and Sabrina. I had missed them.

“Oh, honey. I’m so glad you two are okay.” Judy took me in a tight hug.

“Scared us!” Sam said, hugging me next.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Sabrina hugged me last.

“Have you seen Annabelle?” I asked them.

“Yes. She looks so much like you. She is just precious,” Judy gushed.

“I never knew my heart could love someone so tiny, so much.”

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Sabrina agreed.

We spent the next thirty minutes catching up. I told them what I remembered from the accident and how I felt about my father. Judy and Sabrina agreed with me, but Sam was on Stefan’s side. I wasn’t surprised; I knew she would feel that way. I loved having them around; it made me feel like I belonged to a family.

After they said their goodbyes, I started to close my eyes, when the door opened again. Melissa was standing in the doorway with a small cup in her hands.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you, but it’s time for your medicine before bed.” She gave me the two white pills and I took a drink from my straw, allowing the cold water to flood my mouth.

“Thank you,” I said, setting my cup down next to my bed.

She smiled as she walked to the door, turned off the light and left the room. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. The door opened again, allowing the light from the outside to stream in, then quietly closed,

I felt his hot touch under the covers start at my foot, burning a hot path up my leg, my thigh, stopping momentarily at my inner thigh. He continued on his path, up my stomach, stopping as my nipple stood at attention for him.

“Even now, your body still wants me,” he whispered in a deep, sexy, husky voice.

“My body ignores my brain,” I whispered back, trying to match his sexy tone.

“Call it what you will.” His fingers stopped at my lips as he bent down to my ear. “You’re still sexy as hell when you’re mad.” He leaned up and looked at me, his eyes filled with passion that even I could see in the dark.

He captured my mouth with his, taking my face in his hands. His tongue twirled around my own tongue and I moaned into his mouth, running my fingers through his hair. The scruff on his chin brushed my face as he passionately moved his tongue around mine.

He pulled his lips away as he slowly opened his eyes. He looked right through me to my soul. “Resisting you for six weeks is going to drive me mad.”

“Six weeks?” I felt the disappointment drip through me.

“Yes.” He pulled his hand off me, my body still hot with his touch. “You need to rest”

“Annabelle is beautiful, Stefan.” He walked to the couch, kicked off his shoes, and took his black shirt off, revealing his perfect, God-like body with his tattoos on his arm and his... “Stefan,” I said looking at his right side under his arm.

“Hmm?”

“What’s on your side?”

“What?”

“Your side...a new tattoo?”

He moved closer to me, raising his arm when he got to my bedside. On his side from his hip bone to almost right under his arm was something written in another language. “What does it say?” I wanted to touch it, but I couldn’t...it was still slightly red and obviously brand new.

“It’s in Hebrew. Our love will conquer all.”

“When did you get it?”

“The first night you were in the hospital. I was so scared I was going to lose you.”

“So you went out and got a tattoo?”

“I needed something permanent.” He kissed me on the forehead. “I’ve missed you,” he said, rubbing the place he’d kissed me with the pad of his thumb.

“I’ve missed you too,” I whispered back as he walked over to the couch and draped the blanket across his masculine body. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he whispered back.

Chapter Twenty

Stefan

I ran as fast as I could all the way to Long Publishing. Once I got in, I was panting and trying to push as much air into my lungs as humanly possible. The young blonde sitting at the front desk peered over her computer and looked at me.

“Hey Stefan. I think your dad is in a meeting.”

“I need...to see him...now!” I said, walking towards the elevators. I rode up to the top floor and got off, finding another blonde sitting in the middle of the huge floor. I walked towards my dad’s office door, but the blonde stopped me.

“Honey, your dad said he was in a meeting and unavailable until he told me otherwise.”

“It’s an emergency!” I yelled.

“Okay, okay. Let’s sit you down on the couch and I will page him.” I sat down on the white couch.

“Gloria! You better open that door right now, or you can kiss your job good bye!” We both looked at the voice coming from the elevator— Mom.

“Mrs. Long, your husband-”

“Did I ask what he was doing?” The clicks of her heels were fast approaching my dad’s office door. I sat there in disbelief as she opened the door.

“What is she doing here?” I stood to my feet and walked across the tile floor.

“Mom?” I whispered.

“Carol, you need to leave...like yesterday!” she spit at her, grabbing my hand and squeezing it.

“Your son has made accusations against me!”

“Did I even ask you a question?” she yelled, her whole body lurching forward. “How dare you come into my
husbands
place of business after repeatedly hurting my son! You are a sick freak who needs to get the hell away from my family!”

“Honey, please calm down. Can you come into my office so we can talk about this?” My dad asked, his tone small compared to my mothers.

“There is no talking! Get this woman out before I call security.”

“I can’t believe your believing a kid over me.”

“That kid happens to be my child, Carol. GET OUT!” Her voice echoed throughout the entire floor.

Carol stood to her feet and wiped her hands down her stomach, smoothing out her shirt. “This is absurd.” Her voice was low as she grabbed her purse.

“That poor fuck up for a child deserved every beating and whipping he got,” she spit in my mom’s face as she walked by.

My mom dropped my hand, then brought
her’s
up in a balled fist and punched her in the side of her face, causing Carol to fall to the floor with blood pooling from the inside of her mouth.

“Judy!” I heard my dad shout, running towards us.

My mom bent down toward Carol. “Next time you ever think about touching or talking to my family, remember that friendly reminder you just felt on the side of your face. Next time I won’t be so...nice.”

The cops pulled Carol up and handcuffed her hands behind her back. “Thank you, Mrs. Long. You shouldn’t be hearing from her for a long time.” The cops pulled her off towards the elevator.

My mom turned and kneeled down, taking my head in her hands. “My precious boy,” she whispered. “I am so sorry for the hurt that woman caused you. Your father and I love you very much. You don’t need to worry about her anymore, okay?”

I nodded as my dad put his hand on her shoulder. She rose to her feet, and they kissed. I hoped that one day I could have a love like that.

“Son, I’m sorry I failed you. Do you forgive your mother and I?”

“Yes, Father.”

It wasn’t their fault, it was mine. I should have told them a long time ago, but I was so worried they wouldn’t believe me, and that Carol would get mad and punish me even more.

“Let’s go get something to eat, honey.” My mom placed her hand over my back, walking us towards the elevator.

“Gloria, cancel the rest of my calls and meetings this afternoon. You can also take the rest of the day off. I’m sorry for what happened here.” Gloria nodded; she still looked dazed.

My dad closed his office door and met us at the elevator. “Let’s go eat.”

I never saw Carol again. Not even after my father died, years later. They say everything happens for a reason, and now I can believe that. The haunting memories and nightmares never leave me. They will stay with me forever, but at least I know that Carol will never be able to touch me, or any other child, again.

That gives me hope.