Chapter 32 – Ki

 

I’ve been home for a few days now, and it is so nice to be back in my bed. The constant noise from the hospital was starting to drive me crazy while I was there: the beeping of the machines, the sounds of other patients in pain, the constant poking and prodding. Every single time I’d fall asleep, someone would come into my room to check this or that, or to change my IV bags, or to give me more medication. Then, I would be up for a while, and the whole thing would start again. I left the hospital completely exhausted. Unfortunately, I had my own nurse at home, disguised as my best friend.

“Out of my room!” I yelled at Alexa while pointing at the door.

“You need to take your pills, Ki.”

“I can do it on my own.”

This has been the problem ever since they released me from the hospital. I had to have surgery on my shoulder to dislodge the bullet and to repair torn ligaments and tendons. I’d been lucky, though I’m not naïve to realize that this is common place in my father’s lifestyle.

When they released me, Alexa wouldn’t even let me get up off the hospital bed to move to the wheelchair they insisted I be discharged in. I understood it was policy, but I felt ridiculous being wheeled around when I was able-bodied.

Then, she had Prescot bring us home, which I wouldn’t complain about. I did complain, loudly, when Alexa wouldn’t let me use my keys to open the door . . . with my good hand. She helped me to bed, which I really didn’t need, and used way too many pillows to help me get comfortable. No lie, she stuffed every single pillow in our home around and under my body, and then made Prescot run out to the store to get a few more. I frantically begged him to stay, but he smirked and left.

Alexa filled me in on what happened once I was awake after surgery. She received a visit from the police late that night, asking if she knew me. She said her heart broke because those types of visits rarely held good news. They escorted her to the hospital, where she learned about the shoot-out and the nature of my injuries. I was already in surgery at the time, and she was able to talk with Prescot. He answered her questions, and she nearly attacked my father when she saw him.

Alexa and Prescot stayed by my side while I healed in the hospital, and Alexa took notes on my care and what to do at home. She brought my otter to the hospital, along with smuggling in food from my favorite vendor. She cried when she thought I was sleeping, and I truly understood just how important I was to her.

Of course, I knew her heart was in the right place. She brought me my favorite foods and snacks, made sure there was a charger within reach of my bed and couch. She made sure there wasn’t a thing I needed while I was healing.

However, enough was enough. I’m independent, and I want to work my way back to being able to do things for myself. Sure, I snapped at her a few times over the last couple of days. But I think I was justified. I mean, I didn’t need her running on my heels every time I had to go to the bathroom, or her try to brush my teeth for me.

“I understand you got shot, but that was a week ago, so you better work on that attitude, missy.”

“I got shot, Lex! I can be grumpy if I want to.”

She pointed at me while tossing my pills on the bed. “One more day. You’re allowed to bitch for one more day.”

She stormed out of my room, and I lay back against my pillow.

“Best friends,” Prescot mumbled from his pillow.

“Yes, we are, but probably not for long.”

He put his arm around my waist. “Take the pill.”

“They make me feel funny.”

“It’ll help you sleep, Ki.”

I gently rolled onto my left side, the one without the bandage on it. His blue eyes were soft and kind, probably because he took a pain pill also.

“I can sleep without it.”

“Stubborn,” he said closing his eyes and rubbing his hand on my side.

“Molly’s here!” Alexa yelled from the other side of my door.

“Christ,” Prescot muttered.

“Don’t move,” I said kissing his hand. “You’re so comfortable.”

He pulled my hand to his lips. “I won’t.”

Prescot and Molly talked about hearings and clients, and I watched his mind work. I watched his eyes blink. I watched his lips move when he spoke. I counted the freckles on his face. Eleven. Eleven small freckles, barely visible.

Alexa snuck in and took a pill out of the bottle and wiggled it in my face. I took it and swallowed it with the water she handed me. She pinched my cheeks with her other hand and said, “Good little girl.”

“Lex,” I said through pinched cheeks.

“Fine. I’ll go,” she whispered and disappeared.

By the time Molly left, my pain pill had kicked in, and I felt light as a feather.

“Thanks for staying with me even though Alexa is a pain in the ass.” He kissed my hand again. “Your words, Prescot. I love to hear your words.”

I watched him watch me, laying in silence. Not speaking. We could do that; read each other’s mind.

“You can have them,” he finally said.

I leaned in and kissed him on the lips. “Soon, I can have all of you.”

“Ki.” My name rolled softly of his lips, and I kissed him again. “You tempt me.”

“I love to tempt you, Mr. Bale.”

He growled and I put my head back on my pillow and closed my eyes. “I really do love to tempt you.” Prescot held my hand and gently placed kisses on it as I fell asleep.

 

###

 

“Donovan,” I said as he walked through my door with two bodyguards.

“Ki.” He smiled and came to sit on the rocking chair next to the couch. Alexa had bought it since I’ve been lying on the couch more than I usually do. It was an old, ugly orange rocking chair from the sixties I’m sure, but she replaced the cushion and said it was super comfortable now. It didn’t match anything we had, but nothing really matched in our apartment. We didn’t need fancy things, nor could we afford it.

“What did the doctor say?” I asked, cutting right to the point.

“I’m fine, Ki. Don’t worry.”

“The surgery?”

“We have to wait for you to heal.”

“Like a month?”

“If you’re healed by then.”

“I’m sure we can do it by then.”

He nodded, adverted his eyes, and crossed a leg. He was worried. He looked out the front window, and I followed. There were small little specs of rain falling on the window. “I love the smell of rain,” he disclosed, and I looked back him and smiled.

“I do also, used to play in the rain all the time when I was a kid.”

“So did I!” Alexa announced, sitting next to me on the couch. “Love it when the rain washed the pain away.”

We both looked at her and she glanced at us. “What?”

Alexa had it worse than me; at least my parents weren’t addicts. My mom wasn’t a bad mom, she just lived her life for my father, not me.

“How’s your shoulder?” my father asked.

“Fine.”

“Just keep resting.”

“As boring as it is, I am.”

Alexa stood and said, “Trust me; she’s resting all the time.”

“She won’t let me do anything but rest.”

She smirked. “I’m grabbing a water, want something?”

“No, thanks.”

“I should go,” my father said, standing. He put his hand out to mine, and I gave him a squeeze because it hurt to hug someone. “Thanks, Ki.”

“Keep me posted; let me know if there’s a change.”

He nodded and let himself out. After the door had shut, Alexa locked up and came back to the couch with a bottle of water. “What do you want to do?”

“I want to work and have lots of sex with Prescot.”

“You aren’t supposed to do either.”

“I know, and it sucks. I can only watch so many movies.”

“You need the break and rest, Ki. Let your body heal so you can then heal your dad.”

I laid my head on the back of the couch and closed my eyes. It hurt my shoulder a little, but not too much; there was improvement, and I couldn’t baby it. I had to move around to keep the muscles from healing the wrong way.

“Is Prescot coming over later?”

“Yes; that okay?”

“I don’t care. You’re in that honeymoon phase where everything is fun and perfect.”

“I guess.”

“The beginning is always the best part.”

“It’s all you do.”

She lightly smacked my leg. “So what? At least I don’t get hurt this way. Or hurt someone else.”

“You aren’t your mother, Lex; you won’t disappoint anyone.”

“Just because I haven’t let you down yet, doesn’t mean I won’t.”

“If I could kick your ass right now, I would.”

“I hardly doubt that. Remember we quit kickboxing class.”

“We should do that again,” I reminded her, lifting my head up. “When I’m healed from my shoulder and bone marrow procedure.” I slid to the end of the couch and stood, holding my arm against my chest.

“Get some rest now before he comes over.”

“I’ll even take my pill.”

“Really!?” she squealed. “I’ll go get it.”

I used the restroom, took the pill, and then crawled into bed. Lex sat next to me and ran her fingers through my hair. “We need to get your highlights touched up.”

“Someday.”

“They still look great.”

“I agree.”

They had grown out, but my hair is usually in a ponytail, so I barely noticed. But Alexa, she would. I fell asleep with her running her hand through my hair and woke up to Prescot kissing my cheek.

“Alexa said you’d been sleeping for three hours.”

“Really?”

I slowly sat up, and the stiffness confirmed the long nap.

“Can we talk?”

“Crap,” I muttered. “Is this a dream?”

He shook his head and I knew he was breaking up with me. But why? We’ve spent every day together when he wasn’t at work or therapy. He looked at me like I’m his world and his kisses held promises of what’s to come. I laid back down. “Nothing good comes from that saying, Prescot.”

“I’m not good with my words, Ki.”

“Just say it, get it over with.”

He was silent. Longer than normal. My stomach was in knots, and I already felt the tears waking up. I sat up and faced him. “I want your words, Prescot; regardless of how much it’s going to hurt.”

“I love you, Ki.” I was completely caught off guard. This man who was three times my size, covered with doves and olive branches, loved me.

“Lost?”

“I never told Vicki that I loved her.”

“But you married her.”

“My mother was horrible to me, never understood me, and treated me like shit, but she was all I had. For some reason, when she passed, I had a midlife crisis. I met Vicki during that midlife crisis, and one night while we were drunk she suggested we get married. I had a prenup done at the firm I worked at a few days later, and then we flew to Vegas and got married. Within two weeks I knew I had made a mistake, and I felt bad for leading her on, so I tried to make it work. I tried to be romantic, but she was only interested in money, and things. She bought lots of things. Things we didn’t need.”

He gave me all his words, making me fall in love with him even more.

“I went back to work at the firm and realized how much I hated it. It was all a bunch of games and nonsense, so I decided to go out on my own and I brought a few clients with me. A few months later, more people found out and more came. That’s when I started hiring associates and other staff members. Thomas, a former classmate of mine, approached me about becoming a partner. After a few weeks of working together, I made him a partner. Vicki hated everything about me quitting and starting my own firm. She thought it was less money, but it wasn’t. I set up a separate account so she wouldn’t bleed me dry.”

There was something undeniably sexy about how open and honest Prescot was being with me. I couldn’t help myself and I threw myself at him and slammed my lips to his. I kissed him hard as the tears rolled down my cheeks. I had one hand behind his head, forcing him to keep our lips locked. I was ready to move on, with him.

My heart now belonged to Prescot Bale.

I scooted as close as I could on his lap, moving against him. I trailed my fingers up and down the back of his neck as his lips gently moved down the side of my neck, resting on my collarbone. He nibbled and licked before moving back up my neck and lightly sucking my earlobe into his mouth. He growled in my ear as I rocked slowly against his growing cock. He braced me, sliding his hand just to the top of my ass, and pulled me against him faster. My eyes rolled and I moaned softly in his ear. So gently, he slid my tank top off my body, sliding his hands up to cup my bare breasts. His thumbs rubbed soft circles around my nipples before he took my mouth again. He sucked and nibbled on my bottom lip as he pinched my nipples, eliciting a louder moan from me. I tugged on his shirt, and he tore it off. I couldn’t stop moving against his hard-on, and by the way he pressed me harder against him, it didn’t seem like he was ready for me to stop either. With a grin on my lips, I slid off his lap, pulling his shorts off with me. I was gentle, cautious about any pain he may still have in his legs before I settled in between his knees. His hard cock stood at attention and I locked my eyes on his. His breathing was ragged when I slid my lips over his tip, sliding all the way down my throat. I could have sucked on him for hours, and from the rhythm I held, and the loud breaths and moans coming from Prescot, I knew he was close. This was all for him.

I released him from my mouth and leaned back. His eyes burned my skin as he tracked my moves like a predator. I ran my good hand down in between my breasts, and slowly down my stomach, before settling on the waistband of my shorts. He drew in a deep breath and tried to reach for me. I grinned and slid my shorts off, letting my fingers linger where he wanted me the most. Slowly, I sat on him, guiding him inside of me. I sighed in his ear and began moving slowly up and down. His warm hands moved all over my bare back as I rode him, answering his demand for slow and gentle, and I licked and sucked his neck before settling on his jawline.

“I love you too, Prescot.”