Break Me (24 page)

Chapter 26

I stirred as the sounds of beeping and machines surrounded me.

My body felt numb, as if I was lying on a cloud. I heard voices around me, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Were they talking to me?

I tried opening my eyes, but they felt heavy, and I had no energy to fight it.

“Is…Tori…coming…around…”

Words floated around me as the voices continued talking about me. I didn’t know what was going on or where I was. I tried again to open my eyes, but I couldn’t.

My limbs also ignored me when I attempt to move.

“…move…”

Move? I’m trying, but it’s not working
.

Exhaustion took over and I fell back into a dreamless sleep.

***

“Tori?”

I groaned and gasped when a sharp pain stabbed me in the side. What happened to me?

“Shh…don’t move.”

I opened my eyes slowly, blinded by the light. I squinted and the room darkened. Breathing a sigh of relief, I lifted my arm to rub my eyes but it felt like it weighed a ton. “What…what’s…”

“Shhh…you need to take it easy. Lie still.”

“What…” I swallow. My throat felt like a desert, and I licked my lips. Opening my eyes completely, I saw Brett and Keisha standing beside me. “Hi.”

They both smiled, and Keisha wiped under her eyes. “Hi,” they say in unison.

I frowned, looking down at my body, and realized that I was in a bed. “Where am I?” My voice came out gravelly.

“You’re at the hospital,” Brett said, holding a glass of water to my lips.

I sucked on the straw, letting the cool liquid coat my throat. “What happened?”

Brett and Keisha looked at each other. “Maybe you should get some more rest before we go into that.”

“No…please…” Images flashed into my mind. “Oh God, I remember.” I was shot. Jose shot me and beat me and…and touched me. “Jose…” My breathing quickened, and something started beeping faster.

“Hey, calm down. He’s not here.” Brett grabbed hold of my hand. “He won’t hurt you again, and Tori…”

I looked around the room and took deep breaths, trying to calm my beating heart.

“Tori.”

I looked back up at Brett. “God, I am so sorry.”

He was sorry? “For what?”

“I’m sorry for the horrible things I said to you. I’m such an asshole. Will you ever…” he knelt beside my bed, squeezing my hand. “Please forgive me.”

Unshed tears blurred my vision, and a lump formed in my throat. I nodded. “Of course.” My voice was hoarse as I remembered how things had been left with him.

He sighed in relief and stood up, placing a kiss on my forehead.

A nurse in peach-colored scrubs came into my room. “Oh, I see you’re awake.” She had a friendly smile with warm blue eyes, and even though she seemed nice enough, it didn’t help the horrible feeling that continued flowing through me. Besides me being in the hospital, something was off, but I couldn’t figure out what.

Checking my blood pressure, she frowned. Turning to Brett and Keisha, she said, “I don’t want you upsetting her.”

“They didn’t upset me,” I responded for them. My voice still felt raw, and the nurse pushed over my tray, handing me the glass of water. I took another sip, letting the cool water soak my aching throat.

Once the nurse was satisfied, she turned around, and before heading out of the room, she said, “Ten minutes and then Tori needs to rest.”

When the nurse left, I turned back to my friends.

“We tried calling you a couple of times, and I showed up at your apartment, but you didn’t answer. I assumed you were busy or working,” Keisha told me.

“How long have I been here?” The concept of time was all jumbled in my head. I didn’t know if I was coming or going, and it was starting to frustrate me. I needed to get out of there.

“You were brought in two nights ago. We didn’t know how to reach your mother, so I said that I was your sister.” Keisha walked around the bed and stood on my right. “I was so worried.”

“How did you find out I was here?”

She looked at Brett and then back at me, chewing her bottom lip.

My eyes flicked between them both, but neither of them replied.

“Sebastian called me” Brett said a moment later.

My heart thudded against my chest, and a sob escaped my lips.

“Tori, Jose’s disappeared.”

My stomach dropped. Jose disappeared? “Why?”

“I don’t know. Sebastian was furious,” Brett continued.

I took a deep breath. “Jose told me he shot him and that he was dead. Later, before the police came, Sebastian showed up. They fought and…I…don’t remember anything else. I remember talking to him on the phone earlier, before I passed out I guess, but I think my head is playing tricks on me. My memories are all over the place.”

“Tori, I don’t know how to tell you this but…”

I looked at Keisha. She grabbed my hand and squeezed.

Brett took a deep breath. “When he called me, he was freaking out. I’ve never heard him so upset.”

Tears leaked from my eyes, and I squeezed my eyelids shut as Keisha rubbed my hand. I opened my eyes and motioned for him to continue. I know I needed to hear this even if I didn’t like the outcome.

“He told me he was going after Jose,” he said quietly.

“I know. That’s why he showed up. He saved me from getting shot the first time. I remember now. But…that…that didn’t last long…though.” I winced at the pain in my side.

I turned back to my friends. “Have you heard from Sebastian?” My voice cracked.

Keisha and Brett looked between each other and then back at me, but they didn’t answer.

“What?” My heart raced against my chest, threatening to burst if I didn’t get answers soon.

Keisha’s eyes glazed over. “You…” Her voice cracked. “You don’t remember?”

The images from the night played on a loop in my head, but I couldn’t remember everything. “I…I remember bits and pieces, but not all of it.”

“Tori.” Keisha pushed past Brett and grabbed both of my hands.

I looked up into her big green eyes. Sadness and sympathy soared through them. “Keisha, what’s going on?”

Tears rolled down her cheeks, making a lump form in my throat.

“Tell me. Please,” I begged.

“Sebastian was shot, Tori.”

I gasped, clapping a hand over my mouth.

“You don’t remember?” Keisha asked me.

I tried to, but I couldn’t. “No. But he’s fine right? Where is he? I need to see him.”

Keisha’s shoulders shook.

“Keisha.”

She shook her head.

“No…” Tears rolled down my cheeks.

“I’m so sorry.” Keisha’s eyes were glossy as she looked at me with sympathy.

“After I spoke with Sebastian, he ended up here but he didn’t make it. I’m so fucking sorry, baby girl.” Brett explained, running a hand over my head.

“Don’t, please don’t…please. Don’t tell me he…oh…I can’t. He was…he was alive when…” Sebastian couldn’t be dead. He just couldn’t. He was the strongest person I knew. Tough and rugged, infuriating, but he was mine.
Mine
. No, I wouldn’t believe it. I couldn’t.

“He didn’t make it, Tori.” She sobbed.

A wail escaped my lips.

“Tori.” Brett bent down, wrapping his arms around me.

“I…”
Oh God. Sebastian.
He was gone. He left me. He actually left me.

“I’m so sorry, baby girl.” Brett ran his hand over my head.

“No. I can’t handle…” I couldn’t breathe. It felt like someone was sitting on my chest. “Sebastian.”

The sounds of my screams bounced off the walls, sobs taking over my body. I felt the mattress lower as Keisha lay on the bed beside me, wrapping her arms around me. Sebastian was gone. I would never see him again. Never feel his touch again or hear his deep voice. He wouldn’t make me laugh again. He had left me. Jose was still out there, and Sebastian fucking left me.

Brett headed out a moment later, saying something about needing some air. Keisha continued to hold me as I cried myself to sleep.

Chapter 27

A couple of days later, I was sitting on the edge of the hospital bed with my hands in my lap. It was time for me to go home, but I felt hollow, empty. I didn’t want to go home. I didn’t want to go anywhere. I wanted Sebastian. Fresh tears welled in my eyes, and I angrily wiped them away.

I was so fucking sick of crying, and I was mad at him. I knew it wasn’t his fault, but I was furious that he had left me. Yes, it was irrational of me to feel that way, but at the moment, I couldn’t control it.

“Oh God.” I rested my head in my hands as my shoulders shook.

“Hey, Tori. You can’t get yourself worked up like this.”

I looked up into the gentle eyes of my nurse. “I…I can’t deal…”

“Listen.” Her eyes softened. “There is someone I want you to talk to.”

She gave me a card and I nodded. “Thank you. I don’t know if I will, but thanks.”

Beth smiled in understanding. “If you need anything though, you can always call me as well. I…”

I looked up as her breath caught.

“I kind of know what you’re going through.”

I searched her deep blue eyes and swallowed past the lump in my throat. “I might take you up on that offer. Thank you, Beth,” I said quietly.

She smiled and gave me a light hug. I hugged her back as Keisha walked into the room.

“Hey.” She smiled lightly.

Beth left a moment later, and I turned to Keisha, sitting back on the bed. “Hi.”

“How are you doing?”

I cleared my throat and took some deep breaths. “I…I don’t know yet.”

She nodded and sat beside me, grabbing my hand. “Tori, I don’t even…” Unshed tears filled her eyes.

“Keisha.”

“I’m not going to begin to understand what you went through, but just please know that I am here for you now.”

I nodded. “I know. Thank you.”

She let go of my hand and folded hers in her lap, looking around the room.

“I spoke to my mom.”

Her head turned back to mine. “Oh?”

I sighed. “Yeah, I think I’m going to move back home for a bit.”

She let out a deep breath. “Good. I actually was going to suggest that.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I was also going to offer for you to move in with me, but then I remembered…” The thought of Jose finding me was left unsaid.

“I know. Listen, I have something to tell you. I don’t know if Brett did already…”

“I know Sebastian showed up at my place while you spent the night there.”

“Oh…I’m…” I chewed my bottom lip, trying to not cry at the mention of his name.

“It’s fine, Tori. I’m not mad. I knew he showed up anyway.”

My eyes widened and my cheeks heated.

She chuckled. “You guys weren’t very quiet.”

I laughed, tears filling my eyes, and then fresh cries replaced my laughter. I missed him so much. The feel of him touching me, his deep smooth voice telling me how much he wanted me, him losing control… Would I ever get over the pain of losing Sebastian?

“Oh ,Tori. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m such an ass.” She quickly wrapped her arms around me, and I sobbed into the crook of her neck.

“No, it’s not your fault.” I hiccupped.

Keisha held onto my shoulders and looked down at me. “I’m going to take some time off of work and come stay with you for a bit. Think your mom would mind?”

I wiped under my eyes. “No, not at all.”

The phone rang a second later, and I jumped, heart beating against my chest. Looking at the call display, I answered the phone. “Hello, Brett.”

Keisha continued packing up my things and I rose from the bed, wincing.

“Are you okay?”

“Oh yeah, just peachy.” I rolled my eyes and sniffed, fighting back fresh tears. Let’s see how many times we could get Tori to cry in a day.

“I am sorry about everything, Tori.”

I sighed. “It’s not your fault. Stop apologizing for something you didn’t do.”

“Well, I should have protected you.”

I frowned. “What are you talking…”

“I’m taking you home to your mom’s. Keisha is going too?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, I’ll be there in ten minutes.” He hung up and I huffed, slamming my phone down on the table in frustration.

Keisha turned to me. “What?”

“Nothing, I’m just…God, I’m sick of fucking crying,” I yelled as tears leaked from my eyes and travelled down my cheeks.

She quickly walked to me and grabbed me before I fell to my knees. “Shhh…it’s okay. Let it out. It’ll take some time for you to not cry so much.”

“I just want the pain to stop. I can’t deal with this.”

“Shh…it doesn’t happen that quickly, darling. I’m so sorry. If I could take some of the pain for you, I would.”

I cried in her arms as she rocked us back and forth. “I’m so sorry.”

“What for?”

“For crying all over your shirt.”

She lightly chuckled. “You can cry all over my shirt for as long as you need.”

I laughed and then sniffed. “I think I’m going to have to stock up on tissues.”

I stood on wobbly legs, and my breath hitched as pain poked me in the side. It wasn’t anything too major, but it still throbbed.

“Did the nurse give you anything for the pain?”

“Uh…yeah.” I quickly looked away and ran my hands down my face.

“Tori.”

“What?” I turned back to Keisha and her eyebrows rose, suspicion written on her face.

My phone rang again, and I grumbled, picking it up. “Brett, seriously, you didn’t have to hang up on me.”

“Sorry,
cochina
. It isn’t Brett.”

I gasped, fingers of fear gripping my spine. “Jose.”

“Fuck.” Keisha swore and went to her purse, grabbed her phone.

“Just because you’re leaving the city doesn’t mean I won’t find you again.”

My stomach dropped. “Fuck you, Jose, and don’t you ever fuck…”

A deep chuckle came through the phone. “Oh,
cochina
, I’ve always loved your candid language, but you really haven’t fucking learned anything about me at all, have you?”

I gulped and leaned against the wall, sliding to the floor. “Please, just leave me alone. You got what you wanted. Sebastian is…” I swallowed. “He’s dead.”