What the actual fuck.
“Butterfly,” I choked out.
“I need to go home.” She bit her lip, her eyes still spilling with tears.
Seeing her in anguish killed me.
“Yes. I’ll make it happen. You can heal at our house. We’ll get a private nurse—”
“No, Ty. I want to be with my parents. All of this is too much. Too fast.”
“We’re building our life together, we’re finally—”
“No, Ty.”
“No, what?”
“We aren’t.”
“We are,” I insisted.
“No. My life is ruined. I just can’t—” Her eyes fluttered and then closed. The painkiller dose was kicking in. Soon her breathing evened out.
Her words broke my heart anew.
I had ruined her life.
But I couldn’t leave her.
It was the first time I could really take in the extent of her injuries. Her shoulder was bound, her arm in a cast. Her ribs were broken. I couldn’t see, but I knew that her knees were covered with road rash. She was hurt because of me. Because of Sienna, a person who, with deliberate calculation, set out to crush the only woman who I’d ever love. And the band paid her for the privilege.
For the life of me, I couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that Sienna filmed herself giving me a blowjob and kept the video for years. She was just waiting for the right time to use it. Using the band. Destroying Zoey. Obliterating me.
At least it made sense why Zoey had freaked the fuck out and ran. If I’d seen some guy doing that to her? Murder. I’d be in jail right now.
How could I expect she’d stay with me after that? I knew what I needed to do, but it took me over two hours of sitting with her before I could leave. Breathing her in. Staring at her beautiful body. Memorizing each detail of her perfect face.
Finally, I leaned over and kissed her eyes, nose, and lips. “I love you, Z. I’ll never stop loving you.”
As I closed the door behind me, the Pearsons were waiting. I motioned for them to join me and crossed the hallway to the waiting area. Then I confessed. Leaving nothing out. By the time I’d finished they knew my entire life story. My upbringing. The band. What Zoey meant to me. How I’d spun out of control for years and lost myself in the rock star lifestyle. How I let our publicists use me to promote the band. Finally, I filled them in on what Sienna had done.
Then I explained how I’d make things right. How Zoey’s life meant more to me than mine. I would cover all of her rehab and medical costs. I’d clear her name. She’d be set up for life. My greatest gift would be to leave her alone. For eight years, all I had ever done was cause her pain. She deserved better.
I knew that I was on the right track when her parents agreed that it was for the best. My sweet Zoey deserved a life that wouldn’t include me fucking it up any more than I already had.
Chapter 33
ZOEY
Three weeks later
After what seemed like forever of being in a drug-induced cloud, I was determined not to take any more painkillers. Or at least to get off the ones that were fucking with my head. My memories of the time since the accident were floaty. Vague snippets of being in the hospital. Flashes of Ty sitting by my bedside. Flittering memories of the private jet that took me and my parents back to Seattle. Confusion about being in my childhood bedroom and not at Ty’s.
The memory that was as clear as day would always come raging back. Visuals I never wanted to see again. Followed by me running out of the hotel like a lunatic. Then nothing. I had no recollection of the accident that fucked up my shoulder. No decent memories of anything that happened since, only the bits and pieces that seemed more like movie clips of someone else’s life.
Thanks to some crazy sports-medicine sorcery, my shoulder was feeling much better already. I’d started intense rehab a couple of days prior. With consistent, hard work I’d be as good as new when my cast came off in another two weeks. The scabs on my knees were still a bit gnarly in places, but the itching had stopped. All in all, even though I had a ways to go, I was so grateful to have such a great medical team.
“Hey, sweet girl.” Mom stood in the doorway to my bedroom with a cup of coffee.
“Hi.”
“Time to get up.” Mom moved toward my bed.
Yawning, I flung the covers off and sat up. More yawning. The drugs had really done a number on me. Swinging my feet over the edge of the bed, I tentatively inched my toes to the floor. I still had to keep my arm in a sling while I slept, so I had to use my good hand for support to stand.
“I’m up!” I smoothed my long T-shirt down.
“Good job, honey. How’s your head, feeling a little clearer?” Mom pulled out some leggings and a fresh T-shirt from my suitcase. “Ready for a shower?”
“I do feel more like myself today, and yes I need a shower stat.” I shuffled over to my mom, each step felt like a challenge.
Once my body was clean, I felt even better. My mind was actually clearing up. It was time to get answers. For instance, where was Ty? My folks had been very vague about providing me with information. Each time I’d bring it up, they’d divert my attention, which wasn’t hard to do with all of the painkillers I had been on. I wasn’t only in a drug-induced bubble but a knowledge bubble too. I barely knew what day it was, other than overhearing my dad saying we’d missed Thanksgiving.
When I made it to the living room, I found my parents both looking at mom’s laptop. She shut it immediately when I came into view.
“What were you watching?”
“Nothing,” my folks said in unison,
