Violet Chain, page 18
A ventilator was used to help him breathe and I watched as his chest heaved up and down to the sound of the machine. It was overwhelming to see him just lying there so still.
I sat on the bed, grabbing his hand, bent my head and sobbed like a little baby.
Chapter 9.0 – Violet
Upset. Sad. Afraid was how I felt as I drove to the hospital. Callie had called and told me that David was in the hospital after an aneurysm burst in his head. I wanted to ask her if he was going to be okay, but she was crying so hard, I decided it was best I found out on my own.
After I arrived at the hospital, the receptionist gave me the room number and I took the elevator up to the fifth floor. I walked slowly through the intensive care unit till I found his room.
I quietly walked inside. The room was dimly lit and I could see a bed set near the window and Chain sitting on a chair next to it. He was talking to David quietly.
Not wanting to interrupt, I stepped back into the darkness.
“If you needed some time off all you had to do was ask,” Chain said tearfully as he tried to laugh. He brushed his hand against his face, wiping the tears away. “You know what this reminds me of—that time I got pneumonia and I had to spend five days in the hospital. You kept complaining about the room being dirty and that was why I was so sick.” He let out a light chuckle. “Oh and remember the look on the face of the nurse when you started cleaning the room? She was trying to kick you out and you told her you weren’t going anywhere and you didn’t. You stayed every day, forcing me to eat and take that fucking awful medicine they were giving me. You never left me, David, you never left. Well, I’m here and I’m not leaving until you wake up and I know you will, because I know you would never leave me—” He broke off as the tears began to choke his words. “I love you, man, and I really need you to wake up because I won’t make it without you. I need you, David—I really need you.”
Tears fell down my face. It was the most amazing thing to see a man’s love for his friend and it only made me fall even deeper in love with Chain. Yes, I could finally admit it, I was in love with Chain Alexander, completely.
I no longer felt afraid of being hurt, of being in love. Because I knew with all my heart Chain would never hurt me.
I felt this was not the time to be there, that Chain needed his time alone with David. I slipped out of the room unnoticed and made my way down to the main floor.
***
Chain never left David’s side. For ten days he sat in that room with Callie, day after day, night after night. I would come up whenever Chain left to shower. I felt right now he needed to concentrate on David and I didn’t want to interfere with that. I wouldn’t deny that I missed talking to him, being with him, but I also knew he needed time to be with David right now.
On the eleventh day, I traveled up to the hospital to visit David after Callie told me Chain had left. I stood by the elevators waiting, and when the doors opened I came face to face with Chain.
My heart fluttered.
My breath quickened.
His eyes lit up. “Violet.”
“Chain,” I responded breathlessly.
He smiled. “How are you?”
It took me a few minutes to catch my breath. “I’m good. You?”
He inhaled then exhaled. “I’m okay.”
“That’s good.”
We stood their silently for a few minutes before he spoke. “Were you going up to see David?”
“Yeah, if that’s okay.”
“I’ll go up with you.”
“I don’t want to stop you if you were going home, I can go up on my own.”
“It’s fine, Violet.” I nodded and we both stepped into the elevator. I felt uncomfortable being so close to Chain, but relieved at the same time. I didn’t realize how much I had missed him until he was standing next to me. I wanted to reach out and take him in my arms, tell him I loved him, but I felt it was not the right time, he was going through too much with David being so ill.
The elevator doors opened and Chain pressed his hand to the small of my back, guiding me out.
We walked into the room and up to the side of David’s bed.
The swelling in his face had gone down tremendously and the ventilator had been removed from his mouth. I could see small prickly spikes of hair beginning to grow around the long red scar on the side of his head. “How’s he doing?”
Chain smiled again. “The doctors said that he’s improving every day. They aren’t sure how he will be when he wakes up, but they are hopeful at least that he will wake up.”
“That’s good.”
I felt the warmth of his breath against my neck as he moved closer behind me. “How are you, really?”
I turned to face him. “I’m good. You?”
His hand cupped the side of my head. “Missing you.”
I fell into his arms. “Oh, Chain.”
He held me close, kissing my jaw, chin, cheek and then my lips. “I missed you so much, Violet.”
I frantically kissed every spot on his face. “Oh, Chain, I missed you.”
His thumb slowly traced my bottom lip then his mouth swooped down on mine. This kiss was hard but soft, passionate but lustful. I let my guard down, pouring all that was in my heart into that kiss, and I realized he was too. His hand slid to my thigh and I lifted my leg, looping it around his hip as my hands tangled in his hair.
“I’m practically dying here and you two are making out?” a voice mumbled.
Chain broke from our kiss and we both turned to the bed to see David’s eyes wide open. We rushed to his side. Chain began touching his face and David raised his hand, waving him away. “Stop touching my face, you have germs on your hands.”
Chain laughed. “Yep, he’s back.”
“Where’s Callie?” David said groggily.
“She went home to shower, she should be back shortly,” Chain answered then turned to me. “I’m going to get a doctor, stay with him.”
“Okay.” I sat down on the chair. “How are you feeling?”
“I have a really bad headache, but other than that, I feel okay.”
“Do you need anything?”
“I’m good, Violet. But I did want to tell you something.”
“Shoot.”
“Chain loves you, Violet, he really does.”
“I know.”
“Please be gentle with him. I know you were in a fucked up relationship with that asshole. But Chain is a good guy and I know what he feels for you is real.”
I squeezed his hand. “Thank you for telling me that, David.”
The doctor walked into the room and I stood up and walked over to Chain. After he examined David thoroughly he smiled. “We need to do a few more tests, but everything looks great. You are a miracle, do you know that, Mr. Keller?”
“I don’t know, my girlfriend might tell you different,” David laughed.
“I’m going to set up those tests and I’ll have a nurse come in to get you when they are ready,” the doctor explained.
“Thanks, Doc,” David responded. As the doctor left, Callie ran in.
“David,” she screamed as she ran to the bed, practically smothering him.
“Babe, I can’t breathe,” David complained.
“Sorry,” Callie said as she sat down on the chair.
She stroked his head gently. “I love you, David.”
“I love you too, honey.” He gestured to Chain. “So are you two going to tell Callie?”
Callie looked over at us. “Tell me what?”
I walked over to her. “Remember that guy Corey I told you about?”
“Yeah.”
“Well his name wasn’t Corey, it was actually Chain.” Chain walked up and draped his arm around me.
“Shut the fuck up,” Callie responded, shocked.
“Callie,” David said sternly. David didn’t like when Callie swore.
“I didn’t mean to lie to you, Callie, I just didn’t know what was going to happen between us two.”
She stood on her feet, squealed then hugged me tightly. “Are you kidding me? This is the best news ever. Now we can be together all the time!”
“I never thought about it like that,” I responded.
She released me. “I’m so happy for you two.”
“Thanks.”
“Okay, enough, I am the sick one here,” David yelled out.
Callie walked back over to him. “Sorry, honey,” she said as she placed a kiss on his lips.
“That’s better.” David smiled.
David was insistent that Chain went home, wanting to spend time alone with Callie. Chain was paranoid to leave David, afraid something might happen and he wouldn’t be there. But I reassured him that everything was going to be alright. After a long goodbye, we left.
I followed closely behind Chain in my car, back to his apartment.
We walked into his living room and I instantly lay down on his couch. I was exhausted from working and going back and forth to the hospital. Chain slid onto the couch behind me, curling his arms around my stomach.
It felt so natural lying on his couch, in his arms. It felt so natural with him.
He kissed my neck softly. “So what are your plans tomorrow?”
“I have dinner at my parents’, then after that I have no plans.”
“Well Gary’s bachelor party is tomorrow, I was hoping that we could get together afterwards.”
“Don’t bachelor parties last all night?”
“Yeah, but I’m not staying all night, there’s no reason to. I would rather spend time with you.”
“Isn’t the party at your apartment?”
“Yeah, but I was thinking I could come to your place, if that’s okay.”
“I’m okay with it.”
“Good, then tomorrow night, your place.”
“Okay.”
He tugged at the lobe of my ear with his teeth. “You realize it has been two weeks since we have been intimate?”
“What do you think we are doing right now? This is intimate.”
“Let me rephrase that, do you realize it has been almost two weeks since we have made love?”
“Mhm.”
“Can we rectify that?” he said as he placed a kiss on my shoulder.
“I don’t want to have sex tonight, I’m just not in the mood.”
He flipped me so I was facing him. “Using my words against me now?”
“I think they are very wise words.”
“Okay,” he said as he began unbuttoning my shirt. He slid his hand inside my bra, cupping my breast, massaging it gently with his hand. I moaned. “Are you still not in the mood?” he said as his other hand slid down my stomach and slipped inside my panties.
“Yes,” I groaned.
“Yes?”
“I mean no. I mean, I don’t know what I mean.” He laughed and then sat on my stomach, taking my hands in his and lifting me up. He slid off my shirt then unclasped my bra, throwing them to the ground. He slid down my body, removing my skirt and panties.
“You’re so beautiful,” he mumbled against my skin as he placed kisses up my thighs.
He stood up, undressing, then extended his hand to me. I took it and he walked over to the balcony door, opening it up, stepping outside.
Placing his hands on my hips, he lifted me up and sat me down on the balcony rail.
He ran his hands up my thighs as he placed light kisses behind my ear and down the side of my neck. “I’m not going to touch you until you say you’re mine,” he whispered.
“Oh I don’t know about that,” I answered.
He lifted my leg and wrapped it around his waist. “Say it,” he said as he took my breast in his hand, twirling his tongue around my nipple.
“No,” I panted.
He curled my other leg around his waist, then placed his hand between my legs. “I know what you want, Violet, and I’m not going to give it to you until you say it,” he murmured as he sank a finger inside of me.
I groaned loudly as I leaned against his hand. “Please.”
“No, not please,” he said as he rained kisses down on my cheek, sinking another finger inside of me and circling his thumb across my clit.
“Chain, please,” I pleaded.
“I’ll give you what you want when you say it.” He began to move his fingers inside of me.
“I’m yours, only yours,” I grunted. He kissed me tenderly on the lips as he removed his fingers. I could feel the tip of his erection against my entrance.
“And I’m yours, Violet, yours,” he said before he slowly entered inside of me. He moved so slowly, so achingly slowly. I bucked my hips, trying to motivate him to move faster. His fingers dug into the skin of my hips as he stilled. What the hell, it had been two weeks, why was he playing this teasing game? I said I was his, what more did he want?
He lifted me from the rail and my hands naturally gripped his shoulders. With my legs still wrapped around him and him still inside of me, he leaned my back against the brick wall and bent to kiss me. The kiss was soft then grew harder, hungrier.
“I love you,” he groaned as his body leaned hard against mine, his lips pressed against my neck as he circled his hips.
“Chain,” I panted breathlessly.
“Violet,” he moaned as he sped up. I evaporated in his arms as our heated bodies moved against each other.
He began to really grind inside of me and I was there, right there. The sensation gripped me so fiercely I cried out his name as I reached my peak.
“Fuck, Violet, fuck!” he screamed. His legs stiffened as he found his release, a low groan slipping from his throat. I was mush in his arms, my head fell to his shoulder and with him still inside of me, he walked back into the house and straight to the bedroom. As he laid me on the bed, he pulled out of me, then lay beside me.
He looped his arms around me, pulling my back into his chest. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
***
My twirling stomach woke me from a sound sleep. As I jumped out of the bed, I was unaware at first where I was, then I turned and saw Chain, his naked legs peeking through the covers that were draped across him on the bed. My stomach began to swirl again. I rushed to the bathroom and began heaving up my dinner from the night before.
I leaned against the wall, holding my stomach, trying to calm that queasy feeling that was still pulsing through me.
After about fifteen minutes, I walked into the bedroom.
I stood by the bed and contemplated whether I should stay or not, when my stomach began to ache again. It was obvious I was coming down with something. I leaned over Chain and pressed a kiss on his forehead. I dressed, then grabbed my purse and left.
Chapter 9.5 – Chain
I woke in the morning and my arms were empty. I opened my eyes to see that Violet was not there. I hopped out of bed and walked to the bathroom. No Violet. So I ventured out to the living room. Not there either. I realized she had left and I was a little disconcerted. It was normal for her to leave, but for some reason I expected her to be there when I woke. She did admit to me that she was mine, only mine last night, did that not give good reason for her to stay?
Well, I had to admit, I did use sex as a levy to get her to say it, but she still could have said no. Seriously, when was this woman just going to admit how she felt about me? I knew she loved me. I saw it in her eyes at the hospital, I felt it last night, in her kiss, in her arms. Stubborn, exasperating, beautiful, smart, sexy—Christ, this woman was literally driving me to the brink of insanity. Before you knew it I would be asking and answering my own questions!
Before I got myself all worked up I picked up my cell and FaceTimed Violet.
The first thing I saw when she answered was her nose and lips; her eyes were covered by something white.
“Hello,” she said in such a whisper I had to lean my ear closer to my cell to hear her.
I lifted the cell to my face. “Violet, are you alright?” She pulled the white thing from her face and as she lay on it, I realized it was a pillow.
“No, Chain, I’m not. I’m sick. I woke up this morning and started throwing up, and by the time I got home, I was running a fever.”
This shocked me. “Why didn’t you wake me up, Violet?”
“You needed your sleep. I know since David has been in the hospital you haven’t been sleeping that much.”
Her comment touched me and this to me was just more proof that she loved me. “I am moved that you care so much about me, but still if you were sick this morning you should have woken me up.”
She smiled. “Sorry.”
“I’m going to shower then go by the drugstore and pick you up some medicine, then I will be by.”
“Chain, you have the bachelor party tonight, I really don’t want to put you out.”
I lay on the bed and held the cell up. “You’re my girl, right?”
“I didn’t say that,” she retorted. Stubborn woman.
“You’re my girl, right?” I repeated a bit sterner and louder.
She smirked. “Yeah, I guess.” Exactly. I was beginning to figure her out, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to be with me or admit that she was with me, she just needed to be coaxed into saying it.
“I take care of my girl, okay. Besides, we are not beginning to set up for the party till after four. It’s only eleven in the morning, so I have plenty of time to run to the drugstore, get medicine and come over and make sure you’re alright.”
“Well, if you really want to.”
“I want to. Give me about a half hour and I’ll be over.”
“Okay, thank you.”
I smacked my lips in a kiss. “Love you, see you soon.”
***
What did I know about medicine? I walked down the aisle at least a dozen times staring at all the cold and flu medicine—there had to be hundreds of different kinds. Some for fevers, some for sore throats, some for coughs.
“Chain,” a voice called out. I turned and walking up was Violet’s brother Vince.
“Hey, Vince,” I responded as I stared down at the cold medicine.
