What The Heart Needs - The Heart #3 (Complete)

Chapter 9 - Part 1

I turned to Aiden. He mirrored my relief and I hugged him.

Relief was an understatement. It was a new lease on life and she would get to do all the things she had wanted.

When Aiden released me I murmured a thanks. No matter what had happened between us he had always been supportive and that much I appreciated.

But the wait wasn't over. I wanted to see her before I headed home to get some shut eye and a shower. I yawned. It had been a long day.

Aiden kept his distance after that. And it was probably for the best.

Everyone went in to see Lacey briefly. It was one of the hardest moments. To see someone I loved lying unresponsive in a hospital bed with machines breathing for her was difficult to take in. Even though I kept assuring myself that she was fine it was still difficult to see her like that and not allow it to shake my steady world.

I was tired and emotionally exhausted when I came out of her room. Aiden pushed off the wall outside her room.

"Do you want a lift home?" he asked.

I nodded. I was too tired to question his motives or my own. Maybe it was the fact I needed to get out of there, the pristine white walls and stale coffee to allow myself to feel more human and allow myself to hope.

I said my goodbyes to everyone and headed out the hospital with Aiden.

It was dark outside and I had no idea what time it was.

In the car on the way to my house I leaned my head against the window and closed my eyes.

**********

"Reece." The voice sounded so familiar.

Aiden. I opened my eyes. I frowned taking in the surroundings and trying to figure out what had happened.

"You fell asleep."

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "Sorry," I murmured.

It was still dark outside. We were parked outside my house.

I should have just said thanks and gotten out of the car but I didn't.

"You okay?" he asked.

"She just looked so vulnerable." My voice shook.

"The main thing is she survived. She's strong, she will recover. She will live happily ever after with Adonis."

I needed to hear that so badly. I nodded. He had a way of saying exactly what I needed. I was fearful of what my mind would conjure up when I was on my own. What if something had gone wrong and we didn't know it yet? What if she didn't wake up?

"I should go." I said the words but made no move to get out of his car.

Maybe I hoped he would tell me to but he kept silent. But the truth was I felt connected with him in a way that I couldn't explain. His presence kept me from thinking the worst when it came to Lacey. I wasn't ready be alone with my thoughts.

"Reece." It was the way he said it that made me look at him. His eyes held mine.

"I can't be by myself right now."

He rubbed his forehead. "Then stay with me."

I looked down at my clothes. I had to change. Questions would be raised if I showed up at the hospital in the same clothes I had worn the night before.

"I just need to grab a change of clothes."

"I'll wait."

I got into the house silent without waking up my parents and snuck up to my room to shove some clothes into a duffel bag. I left a note stuck to the door of the fridge to say I would be back later.

Quietly, I left locking the door behind me.

I got into Aiden's car and threw my bag into the backseat.

The drive to Aiden's didn't take long and he parked in the driveway.

He grabbed my bag from the backseat while I got out. I followed him inside his house and upstairs to his room.

Once inside he closed the door and put my bag on the floor.

"Will you parents mind me being here?" I asked, softly. Not wanting him to get into trouble.

He shook his head.

"But I'm sure Max wont be happy about this."

I flinched like he had struck me.

My first reaction was to leave. I grabbed my bag. "I'll leave." But I never got far.

He pulled me back to him. My back against his chest. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

But it was true. I closed my eyes and felt the guilt sweep over me again.