Silent No More (16 page)

On the drive back, Nick heads to Knocked Out to
drop his sister off. The way he is gripping the steering wheel I think it’s
going to break any minute now. If that doesn’t happen, his speed is sure to get
us in an accident. I think it’s safe to say he is royally pissed off. He looks
like he wants to smash something. I really hope it’s not the car.

“Nick, maybe you should drop Shannon off first and
come with me to Knocked Out,” Nikki says from the back seat. She has been
staring at the back of Nick’s head while biting her nails for about twenty minutes.

“Drop it, Nikki. I don’t want to hear it,” he says
through clenched teeth. “I’m taking you to Jase, and then Shannon and I are
going home.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she snaps at
him as Nick pulls into the parking lot of the gym. He doesn’t park in a parking
spot, but instead, he pulls up to the front door throwing the gear shift into
park as Jase is descending the stairs.

I open my door and step out, pushing the seat
forward so Nikki can get out. She doesn’t move and sits back, crossing her arms
in front of her. Nick whips his head around to face his sister. “Get out of the
fucking car, Nikki.”

“No, not until I make you see I’m right, and you
know I’m right, Nick. I know what you do when you’re this mad. Do you really
want Shannon to see that side of you?” Does she mean it gets worse than this?
Jase has come to stand next to me by the door.

 “Jason, you need to get your girlfriend out
of my car, now.” Nick has turned back around in his seat, looking
straightforward. He is ignoring his sister. She doesn’t strike me as the type
to be ignored.

“Man, why don’t you and I go work this out? Nikki
can take Shannon home, or fuck, let Shannon take your car and we’ll take you
home later, after you cool off,” Jase tries to reason. He crosses his arms
across his chest, concern displayed on his face. He obviously cares a great
deal for his friend.

Nick and Nikki are staring at each other through
the rearview mirror, neither wanting to give in to the other’s demands. Nick is
the first to break their silence. “Get the fuck out of this God damn car. NOW!”
he yells.

“FINE!” she yells back as she throws her hands in
the air. She leans forward and pulls herself up and out of his car. She takes
Jase’s hand and looks dead at me. “If you need anything…anything at all, please
call me, okay?”

“Get in the car, Shannon,” Nick spits out, still
looking forward ignoring his sister. I nod an okay to her and then descend in
the passenger side seat, pulling the door shut.

Nick floors the accelerator just as I hear the
clicking sound of my seat belt, letting me know I’m secure. I’m not sure if
secure is the right word for what I’m feeling right now. Nick is beyond mad,
and probably shouldn’t be driving. I don’t offer to drive for him. Something
tells me that would not be the right thing to ask at this moment. I’m not
really sure what the right thing to say right now is. This is all pretty new to
me. Last month, my life was pretty drama free.

We ride in silence a little longer until Nick
turns off, heading in the direction of his house. I only live about three miles
from him. “Why aren’t we going to my house?” I ask.

“Trust me; it’s best to go to mine.” He doesn’t
clarify, and there is no calmness in his voice. He looks like he could snap at
any moment. I guess his sister just doesn't want me to see this side of him. I
can understand, but really, if I’m dating the guy, then I need to see every
side of him.

“But the dogs are at my house,” I remind him.

“I know they are and I fed them this morning. They
will fucking live through the night.” He is getting irritated at me. I haven’t
done shit to him and he’s getting irritated at me.

Just great.

His dad pisses him off and he takes it out on me.
I don’t think so. I cross my arms over my chest, but remain silent for the
remainder of the ride.

He pulls into his driveway and stops abruptly.
Exiting the car, he slams the door and heads for his house. He doesn’t wait for
me, but I follow a few paces back. He flings the door open and it hits the
wall. Yeah, I’m sure that made a mark in the wall.

Walking into the kitchen, I see he is pouring a
glass of amber liquid. He tosses it back in one gulp and pours another. He
repeats until he refills his seventh glass. Wow. Really? This is how he’s going
to handle things?

I stand in the entryway watching him. He stands at
the granite island with his palms cupping the edge, staring out the window to the
backyard. I don’t think he is looking at anything in particular. He looks lost
in thought. He continues until he has finished off number seven. When he sits
it back on the counter, he turns his head and stares at me.

That lost look turns to heat and lust. His eyes
are a darker shade of blue than the normal flames I love so much. They are
sinister, but not in a scary way. It’s like he has his eyes on a prize and will
stop at nothing to possess it. I’m pretty sure that prize is currently me. I
know exactly what those eyes are telling me and it’s almost a welcome. I know
Nick can take my mind off the last few painful hours. I don’t want to think
about the past and I certainly don’t want to think about his father. I want him
to take my thoughts away, or at least redirect them.

He pushes himself off the counter and walks up in
front of me. He’s looking down at me, staring into my eyes. I’m of course
looking up at him. Grabbing me by the waist, he backs me up against a wall.
He’s so close I can smell the alcohol on his breath.

Without moving his hand from my waist, he starts
yanking my white silk button-up shirt out from my skirt. He moves both hands up
to the top of my shirt and rips it open. He looks like a hungry wolf about to
take his prey apart.

After he pushes the shirt off my shoulders, I move
my hands to hold onto his hips. I won’t lie. This is fucking hot right now. I
know in the back of my mind I should stop this. He isn’t in the right state of
mind, and could take things too far. My mind needs to shut the hell up and
enjoy the ride, because my vagina has other plans. She wants every bit of what
this man is about to give her.

I go to lift his shirt off and he stops my hands.
He shakes his head in a “no” gesture and I drop my hands to my sides. He runs
his right hand up my bare skin until he reaches my hair. He grabs a handful and
fists it in his hand, yanking forcefully, pulling my head back slightly. With
his other hand, he runs it up my lower back until he reaches my bra. He
unclasps it and pulls it from my arms, throwing it to the floor. He brings his
free hand to my hip and presses himself into me. I feel how hard he is, but he
doesn’t rush things.

He’s cupping my hip hard and I’ll probably have a bruise
tomorrow, but the way this girl is pooling with moisture down below, frankly, I
don’t care right now. He pulls my head, smashing his lips into mine. He’s
seeking entrance, and I part my lips, letting him devour my mouth.

Releasing my hair, he runs his hand down my body
until he reaches the hem of my skirt. Grabbing the bottom, be pushes it up
until it’s bunched around my waist. He leaves it there, and with both hands,
moves to my panties where he rips them off in a matter of a few seconds. He
parts my legs and enters me with two fingers. I release his bottom lip I had
been softly biting and gasp.

“I like how wet you get for me, Shannon. Has
anyone else ever made you feel the way I do?” he asks.

I can only shake
 
my head from left to right. He removes
his fingers and brings them to my mouth. “Taste how hot I make you,” he says,
while pushing his fingers into my mouth. I suck them dry. With hooded eyes and
a sinister grin, he could be a demon and I’d do anything he told me to right
now. Consequences be damned. I want him as badly as he wants me. No one has
ever made me feel the way he does. Safe. Wanted. Good. Bad. Beautiful. Sinful.
Content…Whole.

“Who owns you? Who owns this?” he asks as he’s
cupping my vagina roughly. Did he just use the word “own” while referring to
me? Oh fuck! I don’t care what he said as long as he doesn’t stop making me
feel this way.

“Answer me, Shannon,” he shouts, putting those
same two fingers back inside me. Oh God.

“You do…Oh, God!” I’ll say anything he wants to
hear at this point, as long as he doesn’t stop loving me like this. Whoa. Love?
Where did that come from?

“Baby, this has nothing to do with God. This is
all me, and you are all mine.” He removes his fingers and hoists me up,
wrapping my legs around his waist. His hand is back in my hair, fisting and
yanking my head back. I’m pressed against the wall and he’s kissing, biting,
and sucking my neck, down to my shoulder and down to my breasts.

I don’t hear him when unzips his pants, but when he
lowers me a few inches, I feel all of him as he slams inside of me. Fuck! He
doesn’t give me chance to adjust as he pulls out and slams forcefully back
inside. As much as it fucking hurts, it hurts fucking good.

He takes a step backward as he is exiting me, and
when he enters again, my back is slammed into the wall behind me. Yeah, that
didn’t feel exceptionally good, but the heat running through me before makes up
for it. I know when I wake up, I’m going to have several battle wounds.

He continues his exiting, stepping back and then
entering, slamming me into the wall a few more times. Somehow, I’m still
managing to build to an explosive climax. I feel myself nearing the end as I
feel him start to pulse inside of me. The waves start to pour over me and I
hear him grunt. I know he’s coming with me. He slams into me harder this last
time; I’m shuddering in his arms.

“Aghhh,” I scream, but not because of the pleasure
raining down on me. I’ve just felt something crush into my back and it hurt
like hell. What the fuck was that? It’s still poking me in my ribs and I need
Nick to release me. I push at his shoulders. He removes himself from inside me
and releases my legs from around his waist. He takes a step back and I almost
fall to the floor. I’m in so much pain. I don’t know what just happened. He
turns and heads for his bedroom and I’m left bending over to the floor. I don’t
think he realizes the pain I’m in. He’s just walked away.

I sit on the floor on my hands and knees for
several minutes trying to catch my breath. It isn’t easy to breathe. I feel
like I’ve been kicked in the ribs, and with every breath, there is pain. So much,
pain that I don’t want to breathe, but not breathing isn’t an option. The lights
are off so I can’t see what Nick slammed me into. I know he didn’t do it on
purpose. We were both caught in a moment of lust, desire and passion, but
fucking hell, did it have to end with me on the floor hurting and Nick nowhere
to be found?

I finally stand up. The pain is still there when I
make it to Nick’s bedroom. The lights are off, but there is a little light from
the window shining in. Nick is lying in bed asleep. Perfect. When I need you,
you can’t help me.

“What the fuck!” I hear Nick’s voice and I open my
eyes as he is walking back into his bedroom. I look over to the table next to
the bed to see what time it is. It’s a few minutes past 6am. Too early for me.

“Babe, who broke the stereo control panel on the
wall?” he asks as I bring my attention back to the man standing in the doorway.
He is dressed in a black suit wearing a red shirt underneath. He looks like
himself again, pulled together, in control and sexier than sin. In that moment,
everything from last night comes back to me. The hot sex and the pain….God damn
the pain. Mother fucking shit, I hurt.

I’m lying in the bed on my stomach with the covers
pulled over me. “You did, or w
−
we did,” I say while wincing from the sharp pain
on the right side of my back where my ribs are located. God, I don’t want to
move, but I have to get to work. I have been neglecting my job for far too long
since moving into my house. Nick is looking at his hands, front and back like
he’s expecting to find cuts and bruises He looks back at me with a confused
look on his face as I’m getting up. FUCK me that hurt.

“Huh, how…Shannon, what the fuck happened to your
back?” He’s clutching the doorframe and staring at me as I look back at him
over my shoulder. Apparently, there is a mark. Go figure. As much as this hurts,
there would be a fucking mark. Damn, I bet he’s going to flip worse than when I
had a bruised shoulder.

He marches in the room, straight to me. I’m
sitting on the edge of the bed when he pulls me up in front of him and turns me
so he can see my back. He’s staring and then he looks at the door where he just
came from. I think it’s dawning on him what happened.

“Oh fucking Christ, no.” He closes his eyes
briefly, but when they reopen, there is so much pain reflecting back at me that
it hurts my heart. I know he technically did this, but it wasn’t on purpose.

“I’m
−
su
−
sure it’s not
−
as bad as
it looks,” I force out. I didn’t get that sentence out too well. The pain is
getting a little worse the more I talk. I just want to lie back down. Perhaps
going into work isn’t a good idea.

“Oh, God, what did I fucking do? No. No no no. Why
aren’t you breathing normally? What the fuck did I do?” He’s running his hands
through his hair and he can’t stop staring at my back. He’s blaming himself,
and I haven’t really explained.

“Nick stop. Th
−
this isn’t
−
your fault.” I try to tell him. He isn’t buying
it. It was just a freak accident that happened. No one is to blame; although it
might help me feel a little better if I had someone to cuss right now. This
shit really hurts.

“The hell it isn’t. Look at yourself. You have a
bruise the size of my head, and there’s dried blood from scrape marks. You
can’t even fucking breathe. I’m taking you the hospital.” He gets up, walks to
his dresser drawer and opens the one with my clothes in it.

“I don’t need to
−
ahhh
−
go to the hospital.” I probably do, but I hate it
when he gets all demanding like this.

“Yes, you do, and you’re going. You could have a
cracked or broken rib. Oh God, baby, I’m so fucking sorry.” He walks back over to
me with my clothes. He helps put everything on me, even my socks and tennis
shoes.

“Please stop saying you’re sorry. If it makes you
feel better, the sex was hot.” I’m trying to lighten the mood, or his mood
rather by telling him the truth. It was so fucking hot…up until the moment the
pain started.

“No, it doesn’t. Fuck. Wrap your arms around me.
I’m going to carry you to the car,” he says as he wraps one arm around my waist,
and with the other he lifts my legs off the ground.

He carries me out the door, but doesn’t bother
locking it up after we exit. He deposits me in the passenger’s seat and goes around
the car to get in the driver’s seat.

Before he cranks the car, he pulls his cell phone
out of his suit jacket and presses a button to call someone. The person answers
rather quickly on the other end.

“I won’t be in today. I have two meetings this
morning. Handle them.” I can’t hear the other end of the conversation.

“That’s none of your God damn business, Teresa.
Just handle the fucking meetings.” He hangs up not waiting for a response. I
assume that was Teresa Matthews, his VP.

“Nick, I can drive myself
−
to the doctor. You don’t have to miss work because
of me.” I take a deep needed breath that hurts like fucking hell. Shit. “I’ll
be fine,” I reassure him as he starts the ignition.

“Yes, I do,” he says as he takes my left hand,
bringing it to his lips. Closing his eyes, he kisses the back of my hand
softly. He places my hand back onto my lap and puts the car in reverse.

The drive to the hospital is longer than I
thought. Morning traffic is a bitch. It takes forty-five minutes to get there.
To my horror, he brings me to Huntington Memorial. Great. At least I know Luke
won’t be here this early, but I could still run into someone I know, like my ex
best friend, who’s a nurse. I still can’t bring myself to talk to her. I know
in my head I should. If anything, just to have closure. Allison and I will
never be friends again, but I at least need to have it out with her so that it
can finally be over. But right now isn’t the time.

Nick exits the car and comes around on my side as
I’m opening the door and pulling myself out. He doesn’t ask, just simply lifts
me into his arms and carries me inside. I let him, even though I can walk. My
legs aren’t broken or bruised. I realize he needs this from me, so I keep my
mouth shut.

He sits me on a cold chair and goes to the
registration desk to sign me in. I’m glad he picked out jeans, but I wish I had
thought to bring a sweater. Hospitals are always cold. I look around and there
is only one other person in the waiting room. I view that as a good sign. I
remember Luke used to bitch a lot when the waiting room was full and he didn’t
get a break between patients.

Apparently, he got enough breaks to get involved
with my best friend. In hindsight, I guess she really spent more time with him
than I did. Still, it stings when I think of what she did.

Nick walks back and takes a seat beside me. He
laces his left fingers with my right ones. He looks pained and angry at the
same time. His body is stiff and he’s taking deep slow breaths like he’s trying
to calm himself down. I imagine he is pretty pissed at himself.

“You know I would never intentionally hurt you,
right?” he asks, but doesn’t look at me. He is looking straight ahead, out the
front door, although, I doubt he is really looking at anything in particular.

“Yes, Nick. I know you would never hurt me on
purpose,” I tell him as I lightly squeeze his hand. He brings my hand up to his
lips and kisses it tenderly before releasing it. Sitting up, he rests his
elbows on his knees and places his head in the palms of his hands. He’s taking
all of this pretty bad. 

“Stop beating yourself up over this,” I tell him.
My breathing isn’t getting any easier, but I push through the pain. I don’t
want him to think it’s worse than it is. I know I’m the one in pain and he is
the one that caused it, but he’s being way too hard on himself. It really was
simply an accident.

“I can’t,” he says as he lifts his head from his
hands. Before I can tell him he’s is being ridiculous, my name is called. Nick
stands up first, grabbing my hand back to pull me up out of my seat. We both
follow the lady through a set of double doors.

“I have to make a phone call,” Nick tells me as
I’m about to enter a small room where all my vitals will be taken. I nod my
head, letting him know I heard him. He walks away from the door and down the
hall.

“Please take a seat, Miss Taylor,” an older blonde
nurse instructs me. Her hair is pulled back into a tight bun, and she is
already holding a thermometer in her hand. I take it from her and place it in
my mouth. I hate it when nurses try to hold it in people's mouths for them. It
makes me feel like a kid, and I don’t like it. After a few seconds, it beeps
and I hand it back to her.

“Please tell me what brought you in this morning?”
She looks up from the small computer she is standing at. I haven’t thought this
out yet. What do I tell her? I know this is going to look bad. Abuse is
probably going to be her immediate thought, even though it’s far from the
truth.

“I need to have my ribs checked out,” I say as I
look up at the woman standing in front of me.

“What is wrong with them?” she asks, typing
something out onto the computer. I assume she’s typing everything I’m telling
her into an electronic patient record.

“They are bruised and I’d like to make sure they
aren’t broken.” She continues to type, not addressing what I have said. She
turns facing me with a tight smile as Nick is walking back into the doorway.
She eyes him, but doesn’t look like she thinks anything negative. I'm not sure
why I assume people will immediately think abuse. Maybe I am wrong.

“Please follow me. I’m going to put you into an
exam room to wait for the doctor.” I immediately stand and follow her out.

Nick grabs my hand again and walks beside me
following the nurse. The room isn’t far. Nick releases my hand as I enter the
room, and I take a seat on the examination table. He comes to stand beside me,
wrapping his arms around my waist and leaning his forehead against the side of me.
I welcome his warm arms around me. I think this room is colder than the waiting
room.

“I should have listened to my sister and this
would not have happened. I’m so sorry, Shannon.” I turn my face and upper body
so I am facing him. I place my hands on his shoulders. My face is barely a few
inches from his. We are eye-to-eye.

“Do you remember anything from last night?” I ask
him as I stare into his intense blue eyes.

“Not a lot. Not hurting you,” he says as he closes
his eyes.

“Well, I do. And what I remember the most, is the
way you made me feel. God, Nick it was…it was great. I’ve never felt more
wanted in my life.” I bring my lips closer to meet his, placing the softest
kiss on his lips. He barely kisses me back before he pulls away.

“Then, I hurt you. Don’t sit there and tell me you
don’t remember that. Where was I when you were in pain?” he asks. His eyebrows
are knitted together. His eyes are full of stress.

“Stop, damn it,” I say back to him.

“No. I can’t believe I
−
”

“Shannon?” Nick is interrupted and we both turn to
look at the door. Nick tightens his grip on my waist. What the hell is he doing
here? This, I do not need.

“Is there another doctor on call this morning?” I
ask through clenched teeth. Luke ignores my question as he enters the room.

“What happened? Are you okay? I saw your name on
the board just now.” He’s looking at me with concern. This is the doctor in him
coming out.

“Do not get any closer to her,” Nick orders
through clenched teeth, once again tightening his hold on my waist. Luke pauses
only for a moment to look at him. I take a quick breath, which causes a sharp
pain. I bite my bottom lip to stifle the cry that wants out of my mouth. Nick’s
hold is a little too tight, so not only do my ribs hurt, but so does my waist.
Nick doesn’t register my pain.

He is giving Luke a death stare.

“What did he do to you?” Luke asks as he looks
back at me and walks closer.

“Nothing compared to what I will do to you if you
step an inch closer to her.” Nick’s voice is full of anger. He looks like he
wants to snap. The veins in his neck are bulging against his tanned skin.

“Don’t make me call security,” Luke responds in
Nick’s direction.

“Lucas!” someone yells behind him. The three of us
turn to the door. It’s Luke’s boss, Dr. Marc Thornton. I remember him
introducing himself to me last year at a Christmas party for his staff. “Go
check on the patient in exam room 4.” Luke hesitates and looks back at me.

“Now.” Dr. Thornton raises his voice. I don’t
remember the man being this stern and assertive. He came off pleasant and nice
during the short conversation I had with him. Luke huffs out a puff of air as
he walks out of the door, and I’m left staring at the tall, lean man with a
light chocolate complexion and deep brown eyes.

“What took you so long?” Nick asks him and I pull
back eyeing Nick with confusion. Dr. Thornton closes the door behind him.

“I was in bed asleep when you called, Nicholas. I
got here as quickly as I could.” He walks further into the room and turns his
head to look at me. “It’s good to see you again, Shannon.” His smile is warm,
but doesn’t reach his eyes. The more I look at him, the more I can see that his
sleep was very much interrupted. He’s Luke’s boss, so I know he is the
attending that normally covers the night shift staff.

“You know Marc?” Nick asks me, and I turn to look
at him.
  
 

“He’s Luke’s boss, so yes we have met,” I answer. I
really wish he would release me; I don’t know how much longer I can ignore the
pain he’s causing by holding me so tight.