Managed: A VIP Novel Part 34

She smiles, her brown eyes dazed. "Wow, you really go all in."

"For you? Yes."

She grins. "As long as you're okay, I'm okay."

I'm dizzy again, sweating a bit. I need a strong pot of tea and a good breakfast. But Sophie's needs come first. I give her a rea.s.suring peck on her nose. "Don't worry, chatty girl. All is well now."

I take two steps. The world goes black.

Chapter Twenty-Two.

Sophie

"I do not need to be here," Gabriel announces. "Get this IV out of my arm."

Gabriel Scott: worst patient ever. I should have expected as much.

Brenna apparently thinks the same. "Shut up and take your medicine, Colossus."

He narrows his eyes in warning. "Colossus?"

Brenna gives him a cheeky look. "You know, the Colossus of Rhodes? One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. They say when it fell, it was quite the spectacle."

"Hilarious," he deadpans.

But I laugh, grateful for the emotion. I was terrified when he fainted. Gabriel is eternal in my eyes. Superman in a tailored suit. He cannot topple. To see him take a step and suddenly crumple to the ground as if the strings of life had been cut is a sight I never want to witness again.

Now, he sits stiff and p.i.s.sed off on our bed, because, according to Brenna, Kill John and company have a strict, no-alerting-the-press-by-going-to-the-hospital-unless-you're-truly-dying rule. One that p.i.s.sed me off when my man was lying p.r.o.ne on the floor, but in hindsight, I can appreciate it. I know for a fact that Gabriel would have gone ballistic if he'd woken in a hospital room.

He's so p.i.s.sy now that he's scared away the guys. Only Brenna and I remain. I'm guessing this is because Gabriel never yells at women.

There's a light knock on the bedroom door, and Dr. Stern lets herself in. She is the band's on-call physician. Apparently she's been going on tour with Kill John for years. I met her once-she keeps to herself and flies to all the cities instead of using a coach.

Elegant yet down to earth, she reminds me of the Upper West Side moms who work full time but still take their kids to the Museum of Natural History on Sundays.

"How is my patient doing?"

"Annoyed." Gabriel lifts his arm. "Would you please remove this?"

The doctor is immune to his evil glare. "When it's finished. You mind telling me how you felt before you fainted?"

"As though I were about to faint but hoped very much it wouldn't happen."

"Stubborn," I mutter under my breath.

Dr. Stern nods. "And have you felt this way before?"

A mulish expression mars Gabriel's face. When he doesn't speak, Brenna stands. "I'm gonna head out."

As soon as she leaves, Dr. Stern asks him the question again.

With a sigh, he answers. "Yes."

"How many times, Scottie?" she persists. "And for how long?"

Seconds tick by.

"Since the beginning of the tour. On and off, perhaps ten times. I didn't count."

"Jesus," I blurt out, getting up from my seat and pacing to the window before rounding on him. "What the h.e.l.l, Gabriel?"

He won't meet my eyes.

Dr. Stern sighs. "I'd say you're extremely stressed and overworked. Have you been sleeping well?"

A faint flush hits his cheeks. "Not lately."

G.o.d, it's my turn to blush.

"You need more than a good night's sleep, Scottie. In fact, I'd prescribe a long vacation."

"I'll go on holiday when the tour is over."

The promise does not sound very convincing.

Dr. Stern apparently feels the same. "You're ignoring your health, which is never a good thing."

"I have not ignored the situation," he snaps. "Christ, I was willing to turn my life upside down to get a proper night's sleep-"

He abruptly shuts up and pinches the bridge of his nose. "s.h.i.+t."

"By asking me to room with you," I finish for him.

His gaze slides to mine, and I see him wince. "Are you upset?" he asks.

"Why should I be? You told me from the beginning me why you wanted me there."

He can't hide the flinch of surprise. But he doesn't say a word, just eyes me as if waiting for me to explode.

I laugh. "How could I be mad about that? I'm the one you needed. If I'm honest, it kind of melts me."

He begins to smile.

"But I am p.i.s.sed at you."

"Oh, for pity's sake," he bursts out, lifting his hands in exasperation, as he turns to the doctor. "You see? Lei e completamente pazza."

Whatever he said makes Dr. Stern chuckle.

I glare at both of them, stalking over to his bedside. "Don't you go yammering off in Italian. I don't care if it sounds like hot, b.u.t.tered s.e.x; I'm still p.i.s.sed."

Gabriel shakes his head. "Why are you angry? I don't understand."

"You never told me how badly you were suffering, you stubborn a.s.s. You let it get to this point." I lean in until we're nose to nose. "I care about you. I don't want to see you faint like that ever again."

"Trust me, Darling, I'm not planning on fainting like that ever again."

"Is that supposed to rea.s.sure me, when you refuse to see a doctor when you're feeling ill? You can't control everything, you know."

My answer is his stubborn chin lifting and his lush mouth flattening. But I see the flash of fear in his eyes before he conceals it. I've been so worried, I missed the signs. He's terrified right now. I glance at Dr. Stern.

"May we have a moment?"

"Certainly."

As soon as she leaves, I sit by Gabriel's side and take his hand. It's cold and clammy. "Talk to me."

His thumb runs along my knuckles. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Do I need to do some cuddle therapy here?"

His eyes meet mine, and I see the weariness in them. He clearly thought he'd hidden his feelings well and good. It makes me smile, sadly.

"I know you, suns.h.i.+ne. We might as well be on a plane right now." I squeeze his fingers. "You are not all right."

With a sigh, he rests against the headboard. His throat moves on a swallow. "I hate doctors."

"Dr. Stern is very nice."

"No," he shakes his head. "Not in that way. b.u.g.g.e.r...I didn't get myself checked out because I hate seeing a doctor." Blue eyes filled with pain meet mine. "My mum... She was fatigued, always sleeping. Fainting spells."

I go ice cold. "You think you might..."

I don't say the words. I can't. I will not give them credence. But I crawl into bed and wrap myself around him.

He leans into my touch. "I fear it. I always have."

I see the effort it takes for him to admit that, and I snuggle in closer. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and squeezes back, his lips pressing to the top of my head.

"Do the tests, Gabriel." When he tenses, I push on. "It worries you, and that makes everything worse. Do them and get that fear out of the way."

He doesn't say a word, just breathes against my hair, his hand clutching my shoulder.

I raise my head. "If it were me, what would you say?"

"To take the b.l.o.o.d.y tests," he grumbles.

I kiss his lips. "I will not leave you. Ever."

He must see the determination in my eyes, because he gives a short nod.

When we call in Dr. Stern and tell her his concerns, she calls the nearby hospital and sets up a few tests.

It takes two days for the results to come back. Two days of Gabriel stomping around like a snarling bear to hide the fact that he's terrified. Two days of me distracting him with s.e.x and holding him tight when he sleeps to hide that I'm terrified.

Nothing gets done, despite Gabriel's insistence that everyone go about their business. At the moment, he is the top priority, whether he likes it or not.

On the day the doctor is supposed to call, I outright give up trying to pretend I'm okay. I don't bother getting out of my PJs but sit in a chair and flip through a magazine, seeing absolutely nothing.

Somehow Brenna, Rye, Jax, Killian, and Libby find ways to be near him too. They've all ended up in our suite sitting around as well. It's as if we're all waiting, circling our wagons. And oddly, Gabriel doesn't send anyone away. He might not admit it, but he needs his friends.

Silence settles over us so thickly it's choking.

When Gabriel's cell finally rings, I think we all jump out of our skin a little. I stop breathing all together for a moment. I can't move. Gabriel answers, his voice low. And when I can't hear what's being said, I go to him, take his cold hand in mine. My heart pounds so loudly, I hear it reverberating in my ears.

A tremor goes through him, and his hand jerks. My breath hitches.

When he hangs up, everyone stares at him. The silence grows, and then he finally speaks. "All clear."

I sob and throw myself into his arms. Around us, the guys and Brenna are talking, laughing-I'm not even sure. There's only Gabriel for me at the moment, the sound of his pounding heart, the faint dampness of his s.h.i.+rt, and the scent of his cologne mixed with the sweat of his body.