Fire and Silk

Chapter Thirty Four

"Get busy living or get busy dying." — Stephen King.

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THE bright lights caused my eyes to blur and blink rapidity to get used to the light; the white ceiling and uncomfortable bed underneath me i had to assume i was in the hospital. I look to my right to see a few machines, my arms were attached too and to my left i couldn't help but smile as my heart fills with so much gratefulness to see he was still here; i had caught the end of some sort of confession he had made. I was in and out of consciousness and listened in to what he was saying. I smile remembering a few of the words he had said, 'i love you so much and i hope to spend the rest of my life with you but if you ever don't feel the same about me i'll still make it my mission to protect you from afar whilst watching you live a full life without me -whilst also trying not to kill your future husband' I take a deep breath and look back up to the ceiling; i wanted to wake Matt up but he looked so tired and peaceful; someone enters the room and i make eye contact with a short blonde asian woman, she walks over to me and smiles.

"You're awake," she whispers looking over at Matt, "I'll have you know he has been a very difficult man to work with, he's very protective i'm glad he's finally asleep."

I chuckle quietly, "Yeah sorry about him."

She smiles, "Well Mrs Price, i'll come back later i just wanted to see if you were awake yet. I'll send someone in to check your bandage and surgery area," she says reading from my clipboard my eyebrows furrow at what she calls me, "Lunch will be around in an hour make sure you eat please."

"Will do thank you," I answer, she writes off a few things on the board and puts it back into the slot at the end of my bed before walking away. I hear Matt grumble next to me and i quickly close my eyes to pretend i was still asleep; i hear him move and his hand leaves mine for a moment before he picks it back up with a sigh.

"I was hoping you'd be awake by now," his sleepy voice melts my heart, "Please wake up baby."

"Sorry Mrs Price is unavailable at the moment," I respond slowly opening my eyes, "I'm sure Miss Myers will be nice enough to answer your message."

"You're awake," a smile appears on his face and his eyes brighten; he stands from his bed and pushes it to the wall before bending down and leaving gentle kisses along my jaw, "Thank fucking god."

"Did you have us get married while i was unconscious? You know you could of just asked i would of said yes," I tell him; he laughs and kisses me on my lips gently for a moment. I melt into the kiss enjoying the fact that i can still have him with me, that i was still alive to kiss this gorgeous man.

He pulls away, "I had to lie so they would talk to me about your condition."

"I gathered as much," I said to him, "Kind of has a nice ring though, Zoe Price."

He chuckles, "One day maybe after you graduate."

I hadn't spoken to him about what i was thinking in the back of the van after Tobey and Justin kidnapped me; i had a lot to think about on the journey. If i make it out alive i wanted to defer from collage for the year to put myself into the work my father left behind for me, focus on my relationships with everyone that worked for him that now works for me. As well as focus on my relationship with Matt without him being my professor, it's not like i didn't have a place to stay and i know Penny had also been considering it as Zac has offered to take her traveling so i would miss out on a year with her if she left.

"I wanna speak to you about graduation," I tell him my plan and he nods along listening intently.

"So you plan on living at the safe house?" He asks, i nod in response, "You could live with me? I know it's soon and i understand but you can have your own office, it would be easier for me to teach you how to run the business. Plus i know you're safe and not at a house where you were just kidnapped from."