Wanting You Close

Chapter One EVERLEIGH I hear something I can’t quite place. My eyelids are heavy, and I somehow force them open. When I turn my head slightly, Archer comes into view, and a smile touches my lips. Before I can open my mouth to say his name, my brother stands. “Everleigh.” Tyler walks toward me, and Archer joins him. They look like they haven’t slept in days, but relief covers their faces. “Hey. Where am I?” My voice is almost unrecognizable to me. I try to swallow, but my throat is dry. “You’re in the hospital,” Archer states, his voice low. “You got hurt.” I don’t remember what happened, but there’s a dull ache in my lower abdomen. I’m hooked to an IV with a blood pressure cuff. The constant beeping drives me crazy. “How long have I been here?” “Two days. You got stabbed, and the doctors did surgery to stop the bleeding,” Tyler says. My eyes widen in surprise because I don’t recall any of that. By the expression on Archer’s face, there’s more to it. “Wow…” I blink, searching my memory. “Who did it?” Tyler looks at Archer. “We were hoping you’d know,” Archer says. I shake my head. The last thing I remember is partying at the bar for Archer’s birthday, then going home afterward. Archer and I made love and exchanged I love yous. It was one of the greatest moments of my life. As I meet Archer’s intense gaze, I swallow down my emotions because I know I can’t say those words to him right now. Another sharp pain shoots through my body, and I blink hard. I try to reposition myself to get more comfortable. “How do you feel?” Tyler adjusts my pillow, helping me sit up straighter. “Like I’ve been stabbed,” I deadpan. Archer’s face hardens, and his jaw clenches, and I realize how upset he is. It doesn’t help that we can’t talk privately. “The pain isn’t that bad,” I try to reassure them, but I assume I’m on some good painkillers. “The doctors said you’d need to rest for a few weeks,” Archer explains. “The wound needs to heal.” I shake my head. “I don’t have that kind of time. I have to get back to work as soon as possible. I have new inventory arriving next week.” “It’s non-negotiable, Everleigh. You could’ve died.” Tyler glares at me, but his face softens when I narrow my eyes at him. “Don’t worry about the shop. Lexie is taking care of it until you can return.” “Thank God,” I whisper. I trust her to run things. This bed feels like it’s stuffed with rocks, and I can’t get situated with all the wires and tenderness in my stomach. “When can I go home?” “Could be a couple more days,” Archer tells me. “You need to recover from the surgery, and they want to make sure the wound starts healing. It was scary for a bit in the beginning.” I blink at Archer, wishing I could pull him in and kiss his lips. “We were all so f*****g worried about you, Ev,” Tyler croaks out. I can tell he’s holding back his emotions. “Do you recall anything from that day?” Archer asks. “I remember the party…” I say, glancing at him, then at Tyler. He doesn’t need to know the details of Archer f*****g my brains out the night before. Tyler speaks up. “So you don’t remember anything from that day or who was at the door?” I shake my head. “No. I’m drawing a blank.” “Damn.” He blows out a breath, then glances at Archer. “I gave the detective the license plates and a brief description of the woman, but I didn’t recognize her,” Archer admits. “Better than nothing,” I say, wishing he were closer to me. “Are Gemma and Katie here?” Tyler grins. “Yeah, they literally talked to you for an hour straight after surgery. They were here this morning but left about an hour ago to check on the kids. I’m going to text them and let them know you’re awake. They’ll be relieved.” I clear my throat. “Is there any way you can get me some water? Maybe let a doctor or nurse know that I’m awake? I have some questions.” “Absolutely.” Tyler nods and walks out. As soon as the door closes, Archer takes my hand and kneels beside the bed. “Everleigh,” he whispers, his voice hoarse with worry as he studies my face. “I’ve never been so f*****g scared in my life. I thought…” “Kiss me.” Archer doesn’t waste any time pressing his soft lips against mine. I fist his shirt, wishing I could pull him onto the bed with me, but our alone time is limited. “I love you,” I say when we pull apart. “I love you too, baby. The thought of losing you had me ready to burn down the world without an ounce of regret.” I lift a brow. “I kinda like the thought of that. Avenging my death and all.” He shakes his head with a grin. “Making jokes at a time like this is one of your better qualities.” “Will you tell me exactly what happened? I didn’t want to ask in front of Tyler.” “It wouldn’t have mattered. I already told him everything because I felt like he needed to know the truth.” Archer gently sits on the edge of the bed and brushes the hair off my face. “Everything, everything?” I ask with raised brows. “I didn’t tell him about us.” I smirk. “I’m not sure you’d be alive right now otherwise. Okay, well, can you give me a play-by-play on exactly what happened?” “We were in bed when the doorbell rang. You said you scheduled a breakfast order, so you got up to answer it. I followed you out to go use the bathroom, but then I heard a woman say, ‘What do you have that I don’t have?’ and I knew it wasn’t the delivery. When I walked over to ask what was going on, the woman came at you, and I caught you just as you were falling to the floor. I didn’t even realize she stabbed you until I saw the blood. She ran and drove off in the same black Escalade that’d been following us. I quickly grabbed my phone and called 911.” “So you saw her face?” “Yeah, but I didn’t recognize her. She had short red hair and dressed like she had money. The look on her face was f*****g frightening like she was cracked out and had nothing to lose.” “The only person I know who looks like that is Eric’s wife.” “That’s what Tyler said too,” he tells me. “We gave her name to the police as well.” I squeeze his hand tight. “I’m glad you were there with me. If you wouldn’t have been, I might’ve…” I stop myself from finishing. “I don’t want to think about it.” “I don’t either.” He leans over and brushes his lips across mine again. Just as he pulls away, the door to my room swings open. When I see Lexie’s bright smile, my face lights up. She rushes forward, so Archer steps back to give her space. “Thank God! Do you know how worried I’ve been?” I chuckle as she gives me a gentle hug. “I can only imagine. How have things been at work?” “I’m holding down the fort. Dana and Heidi have been a big help. You don’t need to worry.” I let out a relieved breath. “Thank you so much. I really owe you.” She waggles her brows. “I’ll send you my wish list.” “Don’t make me laugh,” I say, holding my stomach. “Sorry. But seriously, I’m happy to help in any way I can. How are you feeling after surgery?” “Like I need to track this woman down and return the favor,” I remark. Lexie looks intrigued. “Oh, so you know it was a woman? Any other pieces to the puzzle?” “Not really. I can’t remember s**t, which is very frustrating.” Archer randomly makes eye contact with me. Each time I meet his gaze, electricity streams from the pit of my stomach. “I wonder if it’s someone who’s been lusting over Archer’s pictures and his six-pack.” She glances at him, then back at me with a raised brow. “Considering there have been some crazy women coming in and asking way too many personal questions about him. It’s gotten around town that you two are roommates, so perhaps, this was an act of jealousy.” She uses air quotes because she knows more than she should about our situation. I think about it. “It’s actually not out of the realm of possibilities. A lot of women left comments, sent messages, called the store, and even came in and asked about it, so maybe?” Though I’m still leaning toward Natasha, I can’t help but wonder. “I wish I could remember. From what Archer said, it sounds like I knew her. So if that’s the case, it could’ve been a customer I’m familiar with.” “Whoever it is, I have an a*s to beat for nearly killing my favorite boss ever,” Lexie says. I chuckle, appreciating her protectiveness. Next, she updates me with sales numbers. I inform her about the shipments arriving soon and anything else that comes to mind. About ten minutes later, Tyler returns with a pitcher of water and a doctor. “Glad to see you’re awake. I’m Dr. Landon.” She holds out her hand, and I take it before she continues. “Your brother said you were awake and had some questions.” She smiles, showing off her pearly white teeth. “Yes,” I say, sitting up straighter. “A rundown of events would be great.” “Of course. You had lost a lot of blood, so we immediately took you into surgery to stop the bleeding. You were at risk for a hematoma, which means there was blood in places it shouldn’t be. Because of the location of the wound and the sutures, you’ll be sore and need to rest. That means no work and no heavy lifting. Taking it easy is the key to a full recovery.” I make a face, and she notices. “Your brother already warned me that you don’t tend to take breaks, but it’s doctor's orders. If you push yourself too hard, you could end up with complications, which would extend your healing time even further,” she informs me in a stern motherly tone. Tyler stands beside her with his arms crossed over his chest and nods in agreement. “Fine. I’m just not sure how I’m going to survive being down for weeks.” Her eyes soften. “I understand, but it’s necessary. You’re very lucky, Everleigh. Just a few inches to the left and it could’ve been a lot worse. Luckily, your roommate was home, and you were able to get to the hospital quickly. I’ve seen people with stab wounds come in too late and not make it out of surgery because of severe blood loss.” The room grows quiet, and I think about the what-ifs. When I meet Archer’s gaze, I know he is too. “Welp, glad that didn’t happen.” I didn’t realize how serious it was. Maybe it’s a good thing I can’t remember because it sounds like it was painful. “I think everyone can agree. Once you’re released, you’ll be on restrictions for at least two weeks. The first ten days are crucial. But it could take months for you to get back to normal.” “Months?” My eyes go wide. “Yes. Your body went through something very traumatic, and strenuous activities need to be avoided.” She says strenuous as if to imply something else. “Well, that sucks. What about wound care?” “Your bandage will need to be changed every four to six hours, depending on the drainage. There’s a continued risk for infection, so you’ll be sent home on an antibiotic.” “And when can I take a shower and go home?” “You can sponge bath today, but no soaking in water for a while. As far as getting discharged, it could possibly be tomorrow or the next day. I want to make sure you’re stable before releasing you. Though the risk is low, there’s a possibility of sepsis, and with your blood pressure a little spiked, I’d feel better watching you a bit longer,” she explains. “Okay. Well. That was a lot to take in at once.” I chuckle lightly, though I’m not joking. “I understand completely. You’ve been through a lot. Do you have any other questions?” “Not that I can think of right now. Thank you so much. I really appreciate all that you’ve done,” I tell her genuinely. “You’re welcome. If you think of anything else, don’t hesitate to call for a nurse. They’ve got my number, and I’m happy to answer any questions you have. I’ll stop in tomorrow.” “Sounds good. Thanks again.” She grins, then leaves. I swallow hard at everything she said, then remember my dog. “Who has Sassy?” “Mimi and Pops,” Tyler says. “I’ve kept them up to date with how you’ve been doing. They’ve been here every day.” “Wow, I hate that I worried them,” I say just as Gemma and Katie rush into the room. They lean over the bed and hug me. When they pull back, Gemma’s wiping her cheeks. “Don’t start that,” I tease because I hate seeing her emotional over me. “We were so upset! It’s not easy seeing you like this.” Gemma frowns. “I was ready to track someone down,” Katie admits. “Especially after everything we’ve all been through these past few years. I was worried to death. My PTSD couldn’t handle it.” My eyes soften. “I know. I’m sorry that I worried you guys.” “We were ready to murder someone,” Gemma admits. Tyler speaks up. “I’ve already gone to prison once, but I’d do it again.” “Same,” Archer adds. “Add my name to that list too,” Gemma says. “Sorry, but I’m not built for prison life.” Katie snorts. “But I’ll provide y’all with an alibi to keep you out of jail.” “Oh my God, you guys. Poor Scarlett. She’d have to come live with me.” “Never mind, I take it back.” Gemma laughs. I look around the room, grateful and happy to be alive. I’m lucky to be surrounded by so many people who love me. With all that being said, once I’m better, I’ll find out who did this. After an hour, my body grows tired, and Katie notices. It wasn’t that long ago when she was in the hospital after being kidnapped. “We’re gonna let you get some rest.” They take their time telling me goodbye before they leave. Then finally, it’s just Archer and me. “You can go if you want,” I tell him, not wanting him to feel forced to stay. “You look exhausted.” “I’m not going anywhere, Everleigh.” My heart flutters. “Thank you.” He adjusts my pillow. “You really do need to get some rest, though.” “Will you lie with me?” A smirk hits his lips. “What do you think the nurse will say when she walks in and sees us?” “She better mind her own damn business,” I say matter-of-factly, patting the space beside me. Archer hesitates but doesn’t make me beg. He gently lies on the mattress and carefully loops his arm around my shoulders. The weight of him feels like home, and I let out a contented sigh. “You’re exactly what I’ve been missing.” He chuckles in my ear, and the warmth of his breath brushes against my neck. “Me too.”