: Chapter 52

I opened my eyes with a soft yawn. I blinked a few times before trying to sit up. I realised that it was not possible as a head resting on my chest stopped me from moving.

Stone must have moved further down during the night because a portion of his large form was hanging off the bottom of the bed. This allowed him to snuggle his head into the centre of my chest.

He was leaning on his side with his ear pressed up against me like he had fallen asleep listening to my heartbeat.

Staying still where I was because I did not want to wake him, I tilted my head to see his face.

Even in his sleep he still had an intimidating expression plastered on him. I almost let out a laugh at his sleepy scowl. He still looked protective and ready to scare anybody that came near me while unconscious.

I ran one of my fingers along his tensed jaw and then to his lip that was upwards in a grimace. His features softened at the contact, and he almost started to look at peace.

A gentle knock at the door made me pull my hand back. Mrs Lewis stood at the door with a warm smile as she watched the scene before her.

‘He has not slept in four days.’ She walked closer so she could whisper her words ‘He must be exhausted.’

Guilt instantly jabbed at my stomach as I studied his state.

Mrs Lewis quietly told me ‘He would not have had it any other way. He was so worried about you, and he thought that if he blinked then you would disappear.’

It felt like too much. I could feel the weight on my chest, and I did not think it was from the big guy resting there.

‘I was scared too.’ Mrs Lewis admitted ‘You are family. I am so grateful that you came into my son’s life.’

I started my soft attempt at breaking the news to her by using her name for the first time ‘Kelly, I can’t be with him.’

Something twitched against my chest. Not inside but against.

‘Is this about Litora Bello?’ She moved closer and frowned ‘I think you should kick his ass into next week for lying to you, but I know you need to hold onto him.’

‘It is not that. I know that if the accident never happened then I would have got back with him.’ I revealed before I added humorously ‘I would have made him grovel, but I would have taken him back.’

She smiled but it only lasted a second ‘Fighting illegally is not what I wanted for him but I think that is the one time he can let go of that built up anger.’

Her smile was warm and contagious, and I could not help but smile back at her I admitted ‘I would never stand in the way of something that makes Stone happy or even content. Nothing.’

‘He has been hellbent on getting Litora Bello legal and mainstream.’ Mrs Lewis said, ‘No doubt that is all for you.’

‘It would not matter to me if it was not.’ I replied, ‘I would still want him regardless.’

Mrs Lewis sighed ‘We have good jobs. Baron is a lawyer, and I’m a nurse but sometimes that is not enough. You know first-hand how much it costs for even an apartment here.’

I nodded.

‘Stone is the main provider of this family. He always contributes if we are struggling.’ She revealed, ‘He does not let the world see it, but he is a good man.’

‘He is.’ I stated without a doubt ‘I know that. I have always known that.’

‘I know why you are trying to let go.’ Mrs Lewis mentioned I stayed quiet so she spoke again.

‘I met Baron in high school. It was love at first sight. It was perfect and wonderful but when it came to graduation, I called it off. Baron was off to Harvard to get a degree in law, and I was not really going anywhere in my life. So, I let him go because I thought that was what was best for him.’ She told me before continuing ‘He hated that I did it. He fought for me and look how it turned out. I married him and had Brennan and then we adopted Stone. Everything worked out beautifully. I would not change anything.’

Stone was who I looked at when I replied ‘I can’t do this to him. I am holding him back. I can’t drag him down with me.’

The twitch on my chest happened again. However, it was less of a twitch and more of a mini earthquake.

‘You do know that he is not going to let you go.’ She said while sounding sure of herself and fully confident ‘He is not going anywhere.’

I did not answer because I could not. I did not have a response.

Stone decided at that moment to wake up. He got up with ease. Almost like he had been up for a while.

He gently moved his head away from me. I no longer felt buried alive, but I missed him already.

‘You can go home now but you should be on strict bed rest for at least a few days.’ Mrs Lewis spoke up when Stone did not, and she addressed me ‘Your body might be in pain at times, so I put some pills in your bag. They are high dosage so only one at a time. If you experience any headaches or dizzy spells or anything else that seems abnormal, then get yourself back to the hospital.’

I nodded my head at the information before I swung my legs to one side of the bed and pulled myself up. Stone was there instantly and supporting my balance by making me lean on him. He took all my weight onto his.

‘I will go and fill out the paperwork. You are officially free from this horrid room.’ Mrs Lewis expressed before she made her way out of the room.

I waved but my goodbye was short-lived as the woman popped her head back into the room.

‘The only time I want to see you in here again is when you are giving me my grandchildren.’ Mrs Lewis quickly added before she disappeared.

My jaw dropped as she ran away. I did not look up at Stone, but I could feel a small rumble that sounded almost like a chuckle in his chest.

I walked over to the corner of the room where the bag was that Lana had brought with my clothes in it. I started by pulling on a pair of loose-fitting pants then I pulled off the ugly hospital gown and replaced it with a plain black baggy shirt.

Stone lingered behind my body and made sure that I was okay. He left enough room between our bodies however that meant I had space.

When I turned to go was when he decided that all bets were off.  He grabbed my bag and then he grabbed me. He carefully placed his hands on my waist and my legs before positioning me bridal style and clutched against his chest. He made sure my legs and my back were supported.

‘Let me down!’ I squealed.

‘No.’

‘My legs still work perfectly fine.’ I wiggle them as I said so to emphasise my point ‘Put me down! I can walk!’

‘No.’ He grumbled again stubbornly before walking out of the room and setting down the corridor with me in his arms.

Crossing my arms and avoiding the stares of randoms in the hallway, I glared at him ‘You do not need to do this. I am perfectly capable of walking.’

He still did not set me down when we went out the automatic doors and outside into the parking lot.

I avoided his watchful eye when I spoke ‘If it is too much trouble for you to drive me to Lana’s then—’

His death stare burnt holes into my neck, and it left me no choice but to look him in his eyes. The intense dark look left no room for argument.

Stone opened the door to the passenger seat of the black truck before he set me down carefully. He even gave me a deep sound of disapproval when I would not let him do my seatbelt for me.

He shut my door and made his way around the vehicle to his side. He started the engine without another word.

The car ride was silent. I flicked my attention between the passing scenery out of my window and Stone’s hardened expression.

His grip on the steering wheel was so hard that the veins in his arms bulged and his knuckles had turned white.

I could feel the tension simmering in him.

To ease the tension, I spoke up ‘I’m going to pay you back.’

He glanced at me for a few seconds before focusing on the road again ‘For what?’

‘Do not act oblivious.’ I scolded before changing my voice to a softer gentler tone ‘You paid for my apartment. You changed the rent, so all future fees are charged from your account. You paid for my full medical bill. I am paying you back.’

‘No. You are not.’

I ignored his stern voice and continued ‘I will get the money and I will pay you back every cent.’

‘Just a promise that you will never get hurt again is enough payment.’ His voice deepened as he spoke, ‘That is all I can ask for.’

‘I am paying you back. End of discussion.’ I quickly disclosed before asking a question to change the subject even though it was none of my business anymore ‘How much do you make from one fight?’

His answer was short ‘Twenty.’

Knowing that he definitely did not mean twenty dollars, I replied ‘Twenty hundred?’

‘Thousand.’ He said before taking a look at my surprised expression then adding ‘I do not need your money.’

Twenty thousand. Even I would attempt to put up some sort of fight for that amount of money.

‘I do not need your money either. I will pay you back.’ I argued.

He did not reply aloud but I could tell he was not giving up.

‘I did have a job a year ago. It was at this healthy smoothie place. I was terrible at the job. I lasted barely a month.’ I rambled on to fill the silence ‘This woman had ordered a Bloody Mary smoothie, so I chopped a lot of tomatoes for the drink, but I was not paying attention while I done it. Let’s just say it was definitely a very Bloody Mary.’

A small smile made its way onto his face for a split second.

With that in mind, I kept going with trying to use humour to avoid what was really hanging in the air between us ‘So I am not good at anything that has to do with food service. I do not think I would make a very good anything. I am always too busy thinking or in my own little dream world. Maybe I can become a stripper—’

‘What,’ He growled and cut me off “did you just say?’

There was not a single hint of amusement in his face as he sent a glower that was so intense that it sent a shiver down my spine.

Another growl and he emphasised every word of his next sentence ‘That will never fucking happen.’

I fiddled with my hands, but my arms caught my attention and I let out a laugh ‘I guess I can not be one. Especially not when I look like I have been in a fight with Edward Scissorhands.’

‘Ella, you could have a million permanent cuts on your skin, and you would still be the most beautiful girl.’ His eyes softened as he took a glance in my direction and affirmed ‘I said what I said because you are mine.’

My head fell back onto the headrest, and I watched the ongoing traffic as I softly asked, ‘Why will you not let me go?’

The frown was prominent in his voice. I could hear how unyielding and how difficult he was going to be about the issue. How immovable he would be and how hard he would fight against it.

‘Like you said. I am your villain.’ He spoke ‘The villain does not just give up and let the one thing that he wants more than anything in the world go. I will not let you go.’

What I wanted to scream was how I never meant anything I said that night of the fight and accident. That I loved him, and I did not want him to leave.

‘In the story, the protagonist usually defeats her villain. Then she gets her Prince Charming and lives happily ever after.’ I countered back as I tried to focus on anything else but the feeling of my heartbreak.

‘You once told me you did not want a Prince Charming.’

I hummed in agreement because I could not deny it. How could I when the only thing I wanted and could only ever want was him?

We approached a set of lights and when the car stopped, Stone rested his arm on the back of my seat before he reached down to the floor at the back of the car and grabbed something.

He then sat back up and set two shoes gently on my lap. They were not just any old random pair of shoes. They were my green converse. The ones I wore to The Fall Ball and the ones that I had threw at him.

‘You are not Cinderella.’ He pointed out in his gravelly voice ‘She did not lose both her shoes.’

Laughing to stop myself from crying, I met his gaze ‘I did not lose them. I threw them at this really large immovable giant that was blocking my path.’

He let out a small husky yet strained laugh.

‘My hit did not hurt him though.’ I added.

Stone rubbed his face with one of his large hands before he sat forward in his seat as the lights turned green ‘Yes it did.’

I knew that he did not mean physically. The shoes bounced off him like a trampoline.

My shoes were left on the promenade when I threw them and when he got arrested. I bit my lip to contain my shaky smile as I ran my hand over one of the green converses. He must have gone back for them. That was the only explanation there was for him having them.

I had to ask anyway ‘You went back for my shoes?’

‘I got out the police station about an hour after I was arrested. I drove to the apartment, and you were not there. I did not think you would go back to the dance, so I went to the beach. Your shoes were there, and you were not. It was about midnight when I—’ He stopped and took a deep breath before he went to continue ‘I got the call.’

My hand started to shake as I forced myself to look down at my lap and not at him. I had cried enough the past few days and I had to remain strong.

If I did what I wanted to do which was to crawl onto his lap and reassure him that I was okay and that I was here, then that would only make it harder to leave.

‘Rumpelstiltskin is also what I called you.’ I told him ‘He did not get what he wanted in the end. He loses to the girl.’

‘Not without a fight.’ He pointed out before tapping the steering wheel almost impatiently ‘So what do you say?’

I felt my nose twitch as I tilted my head ‘What?’

‘We have done this before.’ He spoke briefly ‘Three days.’

‘I have three days to guess something again?’ I asked in confusion before I said ‘I already know your first name.’

‘Three days.’ Stone repeated before explaining “Three days for you to come up with a good reason why we should not be together.’

I blinked at him twice before I asked, ‘If I do not by then, what would be the forfeit?’

He smiled but it slowly turned to a smirk. It was my favourite smirk that he used to give me when we bickered. It disappeared so he could adopt a serious expression when he nonchalantly named the forfeit.

‘I want you forever.’ He rasped out.

The heat rose to my cheeks and all I could do was question him ‘You want me forever?’

His head turned and he sent a stern look my way. He looked at me as if it was obvious.

‘So, if I win and give you a solid reason why we should not be together then you will leave me alone?’ I asked while trying to cover up my solemn tone.

Silence.

Stone did not reply.

I asked again ‘If I win then will you walk away?’

Silence again.

A few minutes passed and so did a hundred times of Stone clenching and unclenching his fist which resting it against the steering wheel. His jaw ticked too.

He finally spoke up ‘You do not have a solid reason.’

‘I gave you my reason yesterday.’ I argued before I mentioned, ‘Actually I gave you two.’

‘Not good enough.’

Shaking my head, I retaliated with ‘Yes they were. They are good enough.’

‘I heard you.’

Tilting my head again in confusion, I questioned ‘What?’

‘I heard you this morning.’ He let out in a small gnarl ‘I heard what you said.’

He had heard me with Mrs Lewis.

‘Then I have gave you three reasons.’ I let out a sigh.

‘They were bullshit.’ He told me with a scowl.

I argued ‘No. They were not.’

‘I would bet any money that you will not come up with a good excuse.’ He grumbled determinedly ‘None that I will not be able to fight against.’

‘If you are so confident about that then why make the time duration only three days?’ I challenged.

His hand moved and planted itself on my thigh as he confessed hoarsely ‘Because I can not go longer without you.’

I let his hand stay firmly on my thigh. Even against my better judgement and the logical side of me.

‘The past few days have the worst thing I could of ever fucking imagined.’ He admitted with gritted teeth ‘The next three will be hard but bearable because I know that I will have you by the end of them. Three days without you in my arms is all I can put up with.’

‘I-I do not think we are good for each other.’ I let out a small cry.

He stilled before he stole another glance. He appeared lost and desperate.

‘Ella.’ He let out like it was a curse of fate ‘I know that you are a too good for me. I have known it from the start. I have always known it.’

I was about to protest but his deep voice cut me off.

‘I know that you deserve so much fucking better than me. I wish that I could give that to you but I am too fucking selfish.’ He expressed to me ‘I need you and promise that I will be better for you. I will do anything.’

‘It is not that.’ I released weakly.

What I meant to say was that I thought he was too good for me. That he deserved better.

Swallowing down the part of me that wanted to call it quits now and just surrender myself to him, I replied ‘I have never backed down from a challenge with you before. Three days and I will come with a reason then it will be over. We will be over.’

Racking my brain for reasons why we could not be together that he could not argue against was harder than I expected. We sat in silence for the next twenty minutes while I thought about it harder.

I did not want to admit to him that I was scared of losing someone else. That it floated around in my mind the idea that he might wake up and decide that he wants something better than me.

‘I want the three days to start tomorrow. The hospital is not a clear place to think, and I need at least a day to think.’ I lamely came out with.

His mouth went up in a small smile at my excuse.

‘Fine.’ He agreed after a few minutes of hesitancy ‘You have until midnight on Friday.’

Friday was going to be an eventful day. Halloween and my birthday. It was also from what I had learned a big event for Litora Bello. It would also be the day that I lost Stone.

We pulled up to Lana’s house. He stopped the engine, and I took my seatbelt off. He did too which made me stop in my tracks.

I grabbed my bag from the back of his truck and avoided looking at him ‘I guess I will see you.’

‘You are hurt.’ He grumbled determinedly ‘I am carrying you inside.’

Turning to face the Armstrong’s house so he could not see that I was on the verge of tears, I pleaded ‘It is ten metres away. I can manage. Please just let me go.’

His voice deepened as he spoke ‘Medusa. Come home.’

‘It is not mine though, is it?’ I asked before pointing out ‘You are paying for it so it is yours.’

Stone shook his head ‘It is yours until you decide it is ours.’

I opened the door, and I stepped out. I wiped my eyes when I was not facing him. I then turned back and lingered at the truck door.

‘Thank you.’ I quietly let out.

‘I can’t do this. Fuck.’ He cursed before he punched the steering wheel ‘What do you want me to do? What do you expect me to do?’

‘I guess we do what everyone else does.’ I replied in a timid tone and held back a sniffle ‘We move on.’

‘So, you expect me to act like you are not my whole world?’ He raised his voice as he ran his hand through his hair and made his muscles bulge out ‘You expect me to act like I would not kill to put a smile on your face?’

I could not muster up a reply.

He leaned across the console so he was closer when he spoke indefatigably ‘I will be back for you. Do not doubt that.’

It slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it “Bye Lurch.’

Stone’s obsidian eyes widened infinitesimally before he smiled ‘You called me Lurch.’

I did not say anything more. I just focused on trying to pull myself away from the truck and away from him.

‘I am keeping you forever.’ He promised like it was inescapable ‘Nothing is going to stop that. There is nothing you can do about it.’