Another voice joins the conversation, “Do you think she’s related to Dr. Ilkay?”
“I don’t know, call and ask.”
“Right, take her to room five.” I jerk up, feeling sick to my stomach, I lean to the side and throw up on the floor.
“Shit,” the first voice shouts. Then we move again and enter a room.
Hands help me into another bed. They push an IV needle into my arm and tell me to rest, the doctor is coming. I close my eyes, but the tears keep rolling out.
“What the fuck happened?” A very familiar voice makes its way into my muddled brain and I open my eyes. Ilkay!
My brother rushes into the room, followed by some startled nurses.
“Ilkay!” I shout needing him to fix this pain. The dam walls break and the tears stream down my cheeks now like Victoria Falls.
“What the fuck?” My brother takes me into his arms and I cry two and a quarter liters soaking his doctor’s jacket, while he strokes my hair to calm me down. I pull apart against his brotherly chest, sobbing in pain.
“Administer 4 mg of Ativan,” he says over my head. I grab hold of his shirt and hold on tight. Right now he’s my lifeline and I’m not letting go.
“Mel, they need to clean you up, okay, baby? I’ll be right here with you, okay,” he says, his voice soft and calm. I nod.
A nurse cleans all the cuts on my bare feet and the scrapes on my hands and knees. I wonder when and how I got hurt like that. Ilkay is standing close to my bed, talking on the phone.
As soon as they’re finished bandaging me up, he takes me into his arms again.
“What happened?” he asks softly, leaning his head on top of mine.
“Damion … Damion … cheated …” I stop cause it’s too difficult to say it out loud, but he got the message. I push my brother away and lean forward just in time to miss his body while throwing up on the floor again. Ilkay stands there with a frown, just looking at me with his usual worried face. A nurse comes to clean the floor and she puts a bowl next to my bed. I apologize and close my eyes, lying against the pillow.
I slowly open my eyes, I must have fallen asleep. I shut them tight and open them again, trying to focus more clearly. Somebody is holding onto my hand and I turn my head to see who it is. My head hurts, but not as much as my heart.
“Hi, Sorella, how are you feeling?” Alejandro squeezes my hand lightly and I give him a faint smile, the best I can muster up right at this moment.
I squeeze my eyes shut and when I speak, I don’t recognize my own voice. It’s cold. Absent of all emotion. Like my heart. “I’ll survive.”
“Don’t take this wrong, but you look like shit.” He smiles at me as just he can and I’m glad he’s here. The queasy feeling in my tummy makes me grab the container next to my bed and I vomit a few times until there’s nothing left in my tummy.
“You sure you’re alright?” Nope. Don’t think I’ll ever be alright again. I nod.
Kiara pops her head around the door with a big ass smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.
“I come bearing gifts,” she says cheerfully holding up a bag with the Inferno logo on I just know it’s food, and my tummy rumbles. But I don’t have an appetite. She also drops a bag with clean clothes on the table.
“Please tell me it’s burgers,” Alejandro raps and she nods. She takes out a burger, fries, and milkshake for each of us.
“Thanks, but I’m not hungry,” I say weakly. They both stare at me in worried shock.
“So, care to tell me what made you sprint barefoot down the road in the dark?” She takes a bite and looks sternly at me as if I’m to blame for the state I’m in.
I put my hands on my lap and tears well in my eyes, my body feeling cold, while I explain to them about the pornographic photos and erotic texts from Chloe. I also mention that Damion’s mood suddenly changed … he was distant and drunk the whole time he was away. They both stare at me as if I just told them that I saw a pig with wings. I sniff and wipe away my tears.
“I was so stupid. I knew what kind of guy he is, but I still fell in love with him. And I trusted him.” My voice is low and soft with unshed tears. Tears that start to stream again. I wail. Hard.
“Fratello dannatamente egoista (Damn selfish brother),” Alejandro hisses. “Enough is enough.”
He gets onto the bed and folds me into his strong arms. I cry loudly against his chest.
“Fucker!” a heartbreaking voice shouts from the door. I lift my head. It’s him. The consummate playboy. He stands in the doorway, all sexy with his wet hair.
He glares at us, desperation in his eyes, not saying a word, but his face is all cracked up with anger and grief. I shake my head at him, heartache swimming in my eyes.
My heart explodes again with one sad sob. He steps forward, my pain etched on his face, but then with one last glare at Alejandro, he turns around and flees. I feel the sting of rejection as it rips through my body.
I break down. Completely. Fighting against the overwhelming pain. Fisting my anger and sorrow against Alejandro’s chest.
“Doctor,” Kiara shouts. “Ilkay!”
My brother comes and injects me. My eyes droop, swaying me into the darkness.
Date = 18 December
Place = Montana (Big Sky)
POV – Damion
I sit off-center at the top of the ski slope, my board haphazardly stuck into the snow next to my helmet, and stare contemplatively at the heart-stopping view in front of me – sharp, majestic snow-covered peaks coil in a full circle perspective around me.
It’s like being on top of the world – in sharp contrast to the bottom-of-the-earth, I’m feeling.
I suck in some pine-scented air, loving the way it pains to breathe at this altitude.
I remember my first time out here. Logan and I were freshmen and oh so eager to prove ourselves to the bigger boys. So, when the twins dared us to race down this slope – we didn’t think twice – not knowing it was a black diamond. And even if he had, I didn’t even know back then what a black diamond meant.
We tried our best, but could not keep up with them, but we didn’t mind. We were just glad to finish with our bodies still intact. We were so proud. Filled with the rush of over-induced adrenaline.
Until Mel swung a little finger under our noses.
Covering multiple layers of clothes, her down jacket was this ruby-pink color, her helmet minion yellow. I almost needed sunglasses to look at her against all the virgin white snow, but like always I could not take my eyes off her. She wore some silly boots, brilliant pink as pink can be, with huge white tassels – each looking like a fluffy bunny tail.