The Billionaire Playboy's Regret (Lark and Max) novel Chapter 77

Lark entered Max’s hospital room and stood watching him sleep.

“You’re too far away, chère,” he didn’t even open his eyes.

“How did you know I was here?”

“I always know when you’re near,” he wiggled his fingers for her to approach. “It’s like the air around me seems to settle.”

“You’re silly.”

“Come cuddle me,” he grumbled when he heard her dragging a chair to his bedside. He lifted his blankets to encourage her to climb in.

“Max, I can’t get in your hospital bed.”

“We’re not going to have s*x, Lark. I want to hold you.”

“It’s against the rules.”

“Break the rules,” his eyes were open now staring at her.

“Ugh, fine but only because you begged,” she scoffed refusing to admit she needed his arms around her desperately.

She slipped into the bed being careful to avoid all the wires, tubes and drainage and she rested her head on the pillow beside him, staring into his eyes. “Hi.”

“Hi. Are you okay?” His voice was soft and concerned.

“Gracie is in surgery.”

“Is she?”

“They found a surgeon who would do the surgery. Twenty percent success rate but it’s better than the zero of leaving her lying there on life support,” her fingers scratched at the beard growing in on his jawline. “I’m scared. I just found her, and I feel like she’s going to die.”

“She has so much to live for, Lark. She’s a fighter.”

“She has to be a fighter. I met her mother. The woman is a bitch.”

“Charlotte actually showed up?”

“Dad paid for her to be here in case Gracie passed and the minute she walked in, she was asking for money, hitting on Dad, and scheming ways to sue for emotional damage. Dad ripped her a new one. Mom slapped her. Fallon shoved her.” She grinned suddenly, “and then Ollie had Santiago and Heriberto take her to a roach motel. Ollie was brutal man. Threatened to drop her down an oil well.”

Max chuckled before coughing and rubbing his chest. “Ollie can be pretty tough.”

“Then Charlotte started mouthing off about suing whoever shot Gracie and Santiago said she couldn’t sue a dead man.”

Max was quiet as he studied her eyes, “Doug is dead?”

“Yes. Ollie told me not to ask questions and to accept he died in police custody but,” she bit her bottom lip.

“But you’re sad?”

She shook her head with tears spilling from the edges of her eyes, “that’s the problem Max. I’m not. I’m relieved and there’s a part of me which is angry I wasn’t part of it. What kind of human being am I for me to want to be there to see the prick who killed my nana and Sawyer and might have killed Gracie be murdered? I kept thinking if I had the weapon in my hand I pulled on Santiago when Doug showed up, I would have shot him myself. I wish I’d killed him.”

“Oh honey, no,” Max slipped an arm under her shoulder to curl her towards him. “No. You are angry right now and rightfully so, but you are meant to do such things. I know we often talk about being cold motherfuckers Lark but we’re not. We’re soft and it’s why we have such a strong security detail who can do these things. We’re not meant to kill and maim. Our job is to love.”

“I’m so angry, Max.” she sniffed as the tears fell.

“I know,” he kissed her forehead, wincing when she snuggled against him.

“s**t,” she pulled back, “Max I can’t lay on you. They cracked your chest open.”

“It was a simple bypass.”

“Max,” she started to sit up and pull away from him. “Do not downplay what you went through.”

“I’m not, I’m not.” He sounded panicked as she moved. “Please. Stay.”

“How about I hold you instead?” she questioned as she slid further up the bed and let him rest his head on her chest. She watched as he grabbed a button, pressed it, and knew he was increasing the pain medication. He definitely was feeling pain with her in the bed, but he wasn’t letting her leave. She played with his hair and closed her eyes. She felt his breathing even out as the medication settled in and she sighed. “What am I going to do with you Max?”

“Love me forever,” he said quietly.

“You need to take this seriously. This is your heart, Max.”

“I know.” He caught her hand and pressed his lips to her palm. “I love you, Lark. I’m taking it seriously, but the truth is, I’m scared to death. If I don’t treat it lightly, I’m going to spiral into panic because it’s so bloody scary. All I can think of is how much time I’ve lost with you, and I don’t want to lose another moment.”

“Max, you’re not going to lose me.”

“Life is too short, Lark. After you left and went back down to the room with your parents, the doctor came in and talked to me. I asked him to come back again when you’re here because a lot of it, I wasn’t really understanding but I need to know what to do to make sure I live a long time with you. I’m still pretty loopy on pain killers and Mom was asking so many questions I barely kept track of what either of them were saying.”

“Your mom will explain,” she chuckled at his whining.

“No, she won’t. She’ll give me hell for not listening.”

“True,” she kissed the top of his head.