Elle’s father took a minute before he nodded.
Nero rose back up. “Good. Now understand, I know you’re still her father and I’m not going to come between Elle and her family, so you and I might as well start to get along.” Nero held out his hand.
Elle’s father stared at Nero’s hand before he finally shook it. “Elle better not get hurt again because of you.”
“She won’t,” Nero said matter-of-factly. He went to walk off before he remembered to add something. “Oh, and Josh, he started to get picked on while on the bus. I handled it, but you better not turn your head the other way again. You do, and I’m sure Elle won’t mind Josh living with us for a while.”
Satisfied, Nero finally walked off.
* * *
Beep…Beep…Beep…
Elle heard the annoying noise and wondered what it was along with the sterile, old smell in her nose. She lazily opened her eyes, but only one managed to actually open. She could see a fluorescent, white room and her father in the corner, sleeping in his wheelchair. Elle realized she was in the hospital.
What happened? Elle couldn’t remember. The last thing she did remember doing was splashing some water on her face.
She felt the soreness of her belly and the throbbing in her head, along with her clearly-swollen eye. She closed her eyes to try to remember what possibly could have happened. Sink…? I was rammed into the sink.
Elle looked back at her father. “Dad?” Her voice was hoarse.
She watched him quickly wake up and roll to her bed.
“Elle, you’re awake. How do you feel?”
“Sore. How long have I been asleep?” Elle didn’t even want to ask what had happened. She at least knew someone at school had tried to hurt her. Tried? They did.
“A day.” He took his hand in hers. “Why didn’t you tell us, Elle?”
Elle tried to smile. “Tell you what?”
Her father squeezed her hand. “Elle, I know. You don’t have to pretend. The doctor showed me the scans and x-rays. Luckily, I’m in a wheelchair; otherwise, I think they would have thought I was hitting you all these years. Don’t worry; your mom just thinks you pissed someone off.”
Elle looked away from her father. “It started right after your accident. I didn’t want to add more to your plate. Then, I’d kept it to myself for so long I didn’t know how to tell you.”
He squeezed her hand tighter. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice. I should have cared enough to see it.”
Elle looked back at him. “It’s not your fault. I was a good liar, and I should have told you the truth.”
“No, Elle, it’s on me.”
Elle smiled at her father. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Elle-bell.” He cleared his throat. “You have someone out there who has been waiting to see you.”
“Chloe. Is she all right?” Elle hoped Chloe had made it out okay.
“She’s fine. She’s at school right now. Nero’s here. He hasn’t left since you got here.”
Elle’s eyes drifted down to the bed. “Oh. Tell him I’m fine, and he can go home.”
“You don’t want to see him?” he asked curiously.
Elle shook her head.
“He’s been out there a long time, Elle.”
“I didn’t think you liked him very much.” She watched her father think a moment before he spoke.
“I didn’t, and I still don’t, but when the hospital asked me if you had insurance, and I told them no, they asked me to fill out some paperwork to figure out a payment method. After I filled it out and took it up to the desk, they told me never mind, that it was already taken care of. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, I don’t know what kind of care they would be giving you right now if it wasn’t for him, and now I know he wants you taken care of.” Her father cleared his throat again. “Now, do you still not want to see him?”
Elle shook her head again, afraid if she talked she would end up crying.
“Okay, I’ll go tell the nurses you woke up.” He gave her hand another squeeze before he rolled off.
Elle slammed her eye shut when her father left the room. Her switch was now broken and she could feel again. It still hurts.
Elle didn’t want him to see her like this, broken. I don’t want him to be with me just because I’m broken.
Elle thought about the paper Nero had written, still not knowing how to feel about it. He still lied to me. His father’s a killer. They’re all killers. And Nero’s in the fucking mafia.
Elle took a deep breath. No, stay away from him.
The doctor came in to examine her, telling her she had a scalp laceration and another concussion, meaning she had gotten a few more stitches to add to her collection. She had taken a kick to the eye, but it would heal; she just got a pretty, black eye to match her stitches. Lastly, she had some stomach bruising, but again, the doctor said it would all heal. She was extremely lucky not to have broken anything or have a serious injury. They told her they would keep her in the ICU for the night to monitor her since she had been unconscious for a little over twenty-four hours, and then she would be moved to a regular room until she was discharged.
Thank God.
Chapter Forty-Five
The Boogieman
Elle was sleeping when she felt the bed sink in beside her. She slowly opened her one good eye and saw the silhouette of a man she had never met before. When her eye adjusted to the now-dim hospital lights, she focused on his face. Him!
Elle opened her mouth to scream, but his hand covered it.
“Shh, I’m not going to hurt you.” His voice was deep and non-emotional.
Elle took a breath and even though her hair stood up, terrified at looking at his blue-green eyes, she nodded.
He slowly uncovered her mouth. “I’m Nero’s brother, Lucca. It’s good to meet you, finally.”
Elle swallowed the lump in her throat. “How did you get in here?” It was the middle of the night, and only authorized friends and family could even come back to see her during visiting hours.