The heart monitor came back to life. However, Mark did not. He did not wake up. He did not twitch his fingers or his eyes like he usually did when he slept. He did not roll on his side and complain due to all the lights in his face. His heart was beating no doubt but my brother was frozen. Mind, body, and most likely soul. Why was life so cruel to him?
It has been three days and not only is he still in a coma but now his heart is failing. He needs a transplant and he's been put on a waiting list that is as long as the earth itself. Can't the guy catch a break?
This is all thanks to the bastard that attacked him. That monster did a real number on him. Six fractured ribs. Broken left leg and arm. Head trauma. Sprained neck. Had the bastard not stopped I might have a vegetable for a brother or none at all. They left him for dead. If I ever catch that punk I swear he will not live to make it to a hospital.
"Jared?" Mom rests her hand on my shoulder. "Come on sweetie you gotta get some rest."
"No, I'm not leaving."
"Jared..."
"Mom please."
She hugs me. "Nothing will happen to him if you leave okay... You need to rest."
"Look at him ma, he almost died. I should have been there with him..."
"Jared stop, don't you beat yourself up over this, this wasn't your fault honey."
"I thought I lost him... I thought.."
She places her finger over my lips and pulls me into her arms. "He's still here baby. He's still here"
He is still here. Fighting for his life instead of having me kick his but in league of legends at home. He is still here, trapped in a world he does not know he is in. I do not want him here with broken bones and wires stuck to him. I hate this so damn much.
"He's gonna pull through this, you know he can't leave us unless he beats all of your high scores."
Did I mention how much I love this woman? She always knows what to say. How to help through really tough situations. I may not know who targeted Mark but I will never let it happen again. If I have to handcuff him to my side to keep him safe I will. I smile at mom.
"Go home, baby."
My mom, Jordan, Mark, Jason, Jayda, Shane, Janaé, and Javed. I will do anything for them. It is my job to keep them protected. When anyone crosses the line and hurts any of them I will not let them get away with it.
******"How's Mark doing?"
I let out a long sigh. "He's hanging on."
Shane massages my shoulders. "How are you doing?"
"Feels like I'm responsible."
"Jared, you didn't do this to him."
"I know, but it feels like it was my fault and I'm not just saying it is."
She wraps her arms around me. "I know how protective you are babe but you can't be everywhere at once. You had no idea something like this would ever happen so don't beat yourself up, please."
She sounds just like mom. I know I did not cause it but I cannot doubt the feeling that it is my fault. I felt like I should have been the one there instead of Mark. They might not understand this and think it is just the guilt talking but my gut is telling me otherwise. I have saved Mark from fights before. Those were just jealous boyfriends and ex-boyfriends of the girls he dated. If he got a black eye I knew it was his fault. This is different. There is a big mystery around his attack and I think I am more involved than I know.
Mark has no enemies. He has turned his whole life around since his surgery on new years. Five months of therapy, medication, and counseling, and some evil manic had to go and reverse it all. It does not add up. Mark has behaved he's had to. I just do not understand it, why him?
Shane kisses my neck and squeezes my hands. "Mark's gonna pull through this, stronger than he was before."
She is right. Mark does have this amazing ability to recover like nothing ever happened to him. After his first surgery, he came out stronger and happier. I know he hates his condition but he never once lets it slow him down. I know I have an even more mouthy brother to look forward to when this is all over.
I turn around and kiss her. Her soft lips make all the worrisome things slip away. Shane is my little escape button. Each time I kiss her lips, my only motive is to please her. She takes me to places like cloud nine where no one else ever can. She is my meaning to life and I want her to feel that and more every time we kiss.
The doorbell rings but I am not done with Shane's delightful lips as yet. I fall back on the bed pulling her on top of me. I start pulling her top off but the damn doorbell rings again then twice after that. We finally break apart. I groan and she giggles.
"Shouldn't you get that?"
"I wanna get your clothes off."
She pecks my lips and pulls back. "Go answer the door."
I shake my head. "Come here, they'll leave." I pull her down resuming my affectionate assault on her lips.
Now the rings start coming one after the other. Who the hell does shit like this? I stop and sigh. As annoying as it is I have no intention of leaving this bed at the moment.
"I think they know we're in here." She whispers with a grin.
"Screw 'em." I snake my arms around her hips. "Better yet screw me."
She smiles and rests her hands on my chest. "They sound desperate."
I roll my eyes. "So am I."
She laughs and kisses my cheek. "We'll continue I promise."
"Well, you get it then."
She shakes her head. "Look at my hair I can't go down there."
Women and their hair. My woman and her hair. I roll my eyes and ruffle it some more she squeals smacking my hand away. "Well, neither can my friend here."
She gasps and grinds her hips on me. I suck in a breath. This girl is the death of me. There is no way I am letting her naughty hips get up now. "I think they're gone."
I grab onto her and spin her over until I am on top. "Told ya." I kiss her lips again.
Suddenly the manhandling doorbell ringer starts pounding on the doors. With both their hands no doubt. For my future house, I am installing an electrical door along with the gate and fence. A sock on the door just will not be able to cut it. Shane gets up and runs her hands through her hair. It is still nowhere near the mess I am going to make it into. She heads downstairs.
"Don't let them in!"
A minute later I hear raised voices. Shane and another girl. It does not take much for me to guess who the other one is. I head downstairs expecting to see a heated catfight but I reach the stairs just in time to see Shane as she slams the door in a seething Angelica's face. Haha. I stop in my tracks and stare at her. She turns around letting out an angry sigh. Her eyebrows are furrowed and she has her hands in fists. Damn, she is sexy when she is angry.
She runs her hands through her hair then she spots me and scowls at me. Yikes. I sprint towards her. "She's so sure it's yours."
I groan. "I'm sorry about her."
She huffs and folds her arms. I know how to fix that. I kiss her lips. She purses them and rolls her eyes.
"Babe, she's not important."
I pull her hands away from her chest and pull her into my chest. Holding her for a few minutes... "It's not mine." I finally say then kiss her lips again.
She wraps her arms around my neck and smiles all evidence of anger gone. "Now, where did we leave off."
***
Ohhhhhhh go Shane, go Shane there is nothing like slamming a door in someone's face to get you in the mood.
Poor Mark, why does Jared keep thinking that it was all his fault? Is he just a sensitive and caring brother or is he on to something? I dunno, maybe he's too damn paranoid.
Stay tuned to find out in the meantime
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Many thanks to you my valued readers.