Beth Tate suddenly materialized as if out of thin air. She held up her hands. “No pictures, please. Show a little respect.”
I stood with Dizzy and War as the paramedics loaded Lace into the back of the ambulance.
“I’m her brother.” Dizzy jumped in the moment Shane’s partner clipped the stretcher into place. At the same time, War and I both reached for the handle to climb inside.
“Sorry, guys.” Shane’s partner shook his head. “Only one’s allowed in the back. We’re taking her over to Celebration Health. You can meet us there.”
Shane slammed the ambulance doors shut, and I’d felt like my heart had stopped as we watched the ambulance drive away.
Suddenly, the automatic ICU doors whooshed open.
“The breathing tube is out.” Dizzy gave us a strained smile. “The doctors say she’s gonna be ok. She’s awake. They’re moving her to a private room on the sixth floor.”
I let out a pent up sigh. Finally, I could see her. Talk to her. Touch her.
“She’s asking for you,” Dizzy announced.
“But War,” he continued. “I gotta warn you, she’s totally coherent. She knows all about the Morris deal and she’s pissed.”
Dizzy shot me an apologetic look before he moved off with him. I shoved my hands into my pockets, fingers clenched around the pack of cigarettes that I couldn’t smoke in the hospital. But I wasn’t about to go outside, not until I saw her.
I pressed my lips tight together.
I stood alone in the empty ICU waiting area that was cold and quiet except for the television droning in the background. I eliminated any other options. I didn’t want to upset her, but we had to talk. I was past done with letting War run the show. His method of “taking care of her” had almost gotten her killed. No way was I going to let them pick right back up where they’d left off.
I strode purposefully to the bank of elevators, raking my hand impatiently through my hair as I waited for it. Fortunately, it was fast. When I reached the sixth floor, the nurses lifted their eyes and threw speculative glances my way. I was quite a sight I’m sure as I clomped past the nursing station like Black Sabbath’s vengeful iron man in my heavy boots and leather pants. I found Dizzy waiting out in the hall outside her room.
“Hold up, Bryan. She’s still talking to War.”
The door was open and I peered over Dizzy’s shoulder. Looking extremely pale and fragile, Lace lay in the hospital bed with an IV pole beside her and her blond hair spread out around her face like a puddle of melted gold.
She didn’t see me. She was totally focused on War. One of her hands was in his. My eyes narrowed to jealous slits as I watched War sift a strand of her hair through his fingers. Lace’s lids drifted closed. Every single muscle in my body tensed. That was my cue. I should have left before it got worse.
“No.” Lace’s voice was as raspy as a two pack a day smoker. “But I will.” I watched a tear slide down her cheek and roll into her hair. “Dizzy said you know everything…about Bryan and me.”
Whatever War said in response was too low for me to hear.
“I’m sorry, War.” She nodded. “I’ve made a mess of it all. But I’m alive and for some reason God’s giving me a second chance. I’m going to take that chance and I’m going to do better. I’m tired of the roller coaster I’ve been on. I’m tired of all the lies, especially the ones I’ve been telling myself. I really thought I could quit whenever I decided. I realize now that’s not true.” She closed her eyes. “I had a really long conversation with the hospital social worker before I left the ICU. She asked if the overdose was a suicide attempt.”
“Was it, Lacey?” War asked softly.
“No, of course not.” She shook her head. “Though she helped me see that in a way that’s what I’ve been doing all along with the drugs. The end result is still the same. I know that self-medication is not the answer. I’ve got to face my problems.”
“It’s all my fault,” War admitted his voice deepened. “You being here. I should never have given you the drugs in the first place. I never imagined something like this would happen.”
“Neither of us did.” She reached a hand up and touched War’s face.
“I love you, Lacey.”
“I love you, too, War.”
War leaned his head into her hand. Her declaration sliced through the stitches of hope that had been holding my heart together this past twenty four hours. Rubbing my hand against my chest, I turned away. A dark shroud descended on my thoughts. I forced my feet to move down the hall as my heart turned to stone.
27
“A part of me will always love you.” I slid my hand away from War’s face. Our gazes tangled together for one long last moment. “You’ve been a huge part of my life for so long, Warren Jinkins. But I don’t feel like I really know you anymore.” My fingers twisted in the hospital sheet and I forced myself not to soften, though the regret that was so evident in his familiar features had me wavering. I stared down at the IV in my hand for a couple of monitor beeps before I continued. A clean break was the best for all of us. “You’ve changed, Warren, and not for the better. You’re not the guy I fell in love with.” If I hadn’t been so desperate, so drugged out I probably would have realized that sooner. “That guy didn’t keep secrets from me.”
He frowned. “Lace.” My name sounded like a plea on his lips.
“When were you planning to tell me about the Morris deal?”
“Nothing has been finalized,” he said defensively. “I was just putting out feelers. We’ve all talked about how totally undervalued we are by Black Cat.”
“That’s not what I heard from the others.” My eyes burned. I forced my heart to harden. “It’s really scary to me how quickly you would leave those loyal to you behind.”
“It’s not like that, Lacey.” A tiny flicker of something I hoped was shame flashed in his eyes.
“Bullshit. It’s exactly like that,” I cut in letting go of my anger. “I don’t know how you can stand there and look me in the eye and say that.”
“Because you don’t know everything.” I could see a muscle in his jaw twitching from the tight hold he had on himself. “You need to give me a chance to explain before you push me away. Don’t make the same mistake you did after the offer from RCA. Just like back then, it was
“That’s ancient history.” So many mistakes by both of us that couldn’t be undone. “Tell me how this time is any different. Now’s your chance. I’m listening.”
He didn’t speak, so I continued. “I’ll tell you then. This time it’s worse. This time there are three people you’re screwing over. There’s only one person you’re really looking out for, War, and that’s yourself.”
“That’s not true. I was looking out for you and Bryan, too.”
I shook my head. He didn’t get it. “War, you go off and do these things, like with RCA and Morris, you make these monumental decisions that will have a drastic effect on people’s lives, and yet you don’t stop to ask for or even to consider their opinion. That’s not normal behavior. That’s manipulative and self-serving.”
“Oh, so now after your near death experience, you’re an expert on psychology.” His face twisted with cruelty. “You accusing me of being manipulative. That’s a little hypocritical, don’t you think, considering you were screwing around on me with my best friend?”
I sucked in a sharp breath. The monitor beeped faster with my increased heart rate. “War.” This time my voice was plaintive.
