Only You (Stevens Book 12)

Chapter 2

Three days later, Los Angeles, California.

Sam Evers walked into the Los Angeles hospital and strode down the hall toward his destination, Mave Stevens' room. An arm reached out and stopped him before he got too close.

"I'm sorry, sir. This is a private area," the security guard said.

Sam was in no mood to play, having just flown across the country directly after finishing back-to-back surgeries. He was exhausted and in no mood to be told what he couldn't do.

He had checked his messages right after surgery only to hear from Bryce that Mave had been kidnapped, rescued, was in the hospital receiving treatment, and asking for him.

"It's alright. He's with us," Bryce's deep English accented voice said with authority.

The guard dropped his arm and nodded. "Good, he doesn't look like he'll go without a fight."

Sam ignored his comment and joined Bryce. "How is she? I got here as soon as I could."

Bryce took him over to a quiet corner and looked around him. It was late, and the hallway was empty except for the security guard.

As Bryce turned to look at Sam, he noticed that Bryce looked weary, as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Mave's biggest risk right now is infection from her wounds." Bryce looked Sam dead in the eye as he said his next words. "Her kidnapper liked knives."

Sam closed his eyes and cleared his mind of what that meant. If his mind went too far down the path of Mave being in danger or being hurt, he would break, and that wasn't what she needed.

"We don't know much about what happened yet. She's heavily sedated and barely knows what's going on around her. The doctors want her body to have time to heal." Bryce crossed his arms. "She's been asking for you, so I thought it best I call. I'm not sure that she would want you to see her like she is, but she obviously wants you near, and I'm all about giving her whatever she needs."

"Where is everyone else?" Sam asked, convinced that the hospital would be swarming with Stevenses.

"I sent them back to the hotel when I was notified that your plane landed. They don't know that I texted you. I love my family, but I think the drama surrounding your arrival would be..."

"Distracting." Sam supplied the word that Bryce was too polite to say aloud.

"Something like that. Mave deserves as much privacy as she can get right now." Bryce pointed to a closed door. "She's through there." Then, with a nod, he turned and walked away.

Sam bowed his head and took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever lay on the other side of the door. If Mave was awake, she would need him to be strong.

The room was dim and quiet. The only sound was the beeping of the heart rate monitor.

Sam wished there were still patient charts attached to the end of beds so he could see what was going on with Mave. But, as he took in her small, damaged body, he realized that he probably didn't want to know the details. He forced his eyes to her pale face and noticed her red hair, as he always did, where it was a vibrant flame against the stark white of the pillowcase. There was a long slash on her left cheek, and from what he could see, her legs and arms were covered with wounds as well.

He closed his eyes, cursing her silently for wanting to be famous, for choosing her career over him. He had never begrudged her that, but he did now. He did not doubt that her fame was what had gotten her kidnapped and tortured.

Her eyes fluttered open. They had a glazed look to them. "Sammy?" she asked. Then she started to cry. "No," her voice was hoarse, "I don't want you to see me like this. You won't want me!"

"I'll always want you, my love, but don't get upset. This is only a dream." Sam did his best to keep his voice steady and soft. Telling her what he knew she wanted to hear.

Mave gave him a long appraisal, and he was sure she would disagree that he was a dream as he had suggested. "I thought of you, Sammy. You kept me alive."

It took Sam a moment to respond, not expecting to hear those words. "I'm glad you thought of me. I was with you then, just as I'm with you now."

"You won't want me now," Mave repeated as she rocked her head back and forth on the pillow.

"Why won't I want you?" Sam asked, not daring to move, even though what he wanted most was to take her in his arms. But if he touched her, she would know he was real.

"Because I'm damaged goods. I'm broken and scarred." Mave started to weep, but Sam stood firm.

"I love all of you, Mave. For better and worse, just as we promised, in sickness and in health." Sam reminded her of the unofficial vows they had exchanged as teenagers.

"We were kids. You don't mean that now." She shook her head again.

"I meant it then, and I mean it now. I'll wait for you. When you're ready, come to me."

Sam knew it was the way it would have to be. She had chosen to leave him time and again over the last fifteen years, and he knew the only way they could ever make a relationship work was if she chose him above all else.

"You promise you'll wait?" Mave looked desperate, and once again, Sam had to stand firm. Mave didn't want him to see her like this. She wanted to be strong when they finally met again. She wanted to do it on her own terms and in her own way. He knew that better than anyone.

There was also the hurt part of Sam, who wanted Mave to chase him and prove that he was important to her above all else. He had always been sure she would come after him in the end, but now, with her confidence in shreds, maybe that wasn't possible.

Still, their souls were connected and always had been.

"I'll wait. I've waited this long, haven't I?" Sam gave her a tender smile.

Mave nodded, watching him. Devouring him with her eyes as if she was a starving woman and he was the only thing that could keep her alive.

"Go to sleep, my love. Rest, heal, and I'll see you when you're ready."

Mave closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

Sam stood still, watching her, wanting to take away her pain. After a few more minutes, he turned and quietly left the room.

Bryce stood from where he had been sitting in the hallway and walked toward him.

"I was never here. She thinks I was a dream, and that's how it needs to be. You were right. She doesn't want me to see her this way." Sam's voice broke, and he cleared his throat. He only wanted to hold her and keep her safe, but he knew her family would do it just as well as he would.

"Are you sure? She's been asking for you?" Bryce crossed his arms, and Sam recognized that this was just as hard on him, but in a different way.

"She's seen me. I told her what she needed to hear." Sam looked over his shoulder at the door, wanting to rush back to her side. "You'll keep me updated?"

Bryce nodded. "Every day," he promised.

Sam nodded and turned to leave, but he had to express what he felt to someone. He didn't know how much Bryce or any of the Stevens family knew about his and Mave's relationship, but he knew Bryce would be discreet. 

"I want to stay. I want to hold Mave and comfort her, but...she needs to be in control of something, and when she chooses to see me is something that she can control." Sam looked back at the door to her room. "It doesn't make much sense, does it?"

"You have to follow your gut," Bryce conceded. "You understand her better than most of us. You always have." It was an admission of a very observant man, if nothing else. 

"Tell her I'm calling you regularly to check on her and that I've asked her to call me when she's feeling up to it."

Bryce nodded in understanding, and Sam nodded back before turning and leaving the love of his life behind without a backward glance.

The only thing worse had been when she had left him behind for the first time all those years ago.