Full Contact (Worth the Fight #2) - Sidney Halston Page 0,95

haven’t said a single word,” Chrissy said, sitting in the back with Jessica and holding her hand as Jack drove.

“I’m okay. I’m just worried. Slade wouldn’t have missed this trial. He would not not be here.”

Chrissy released Jessica’s hand and pulled her cell phone out. “Yeah. I know.” After a few seconds, she hung up. “It just rings and rings.”

“I saw him after the fight last night, and he assured me he’d be at the trial this morning,” Jack said from the front.

“Fight?” Jessica asked.

Chrissy hesitated before answering. “I don’t want to make you feel bad. I don’t. But after you stormed off the way you did, Slade was so angry, he decided to enter a last-minute fight when someone cancelled. It was last night. He won. I was so mad at him for fighting. And at you for leaving. But maybe you never intended to leave?”

“No. I had to pretend to break things off and leave town. Dennis was threatening Slade—I did it to protect Slade. Jack can explain later. I hope Slade will understand.” Her lips trembled. “You should’ve stopped him. He shouldn’t have fought. Oh, God, I have a bad feeling.”

Chrissy glared at Jack. “You knew? You knew and you didn’t tell me?” She smacked his arm.

“Couldn’t tell you. It had to seem real. Dennis is a maniac, as you just saw. Had to keep Jessica and everyone else safe.”

“We’ll deal with your little omission later, Jack.” She turned back to Jessica. “I didn’t want Slade to fight. I did everything I could to stop him. I told you that Slade almost never gets angry, but when he does, he’s uncontrollable. Well, it happened this time. I pleaded, cried, begged. He did it anyway. He won. He’s fine.”

“He was sloppy,” Jack said.

“Yes, he was. But he was okay. The other guy barely touched him.”

When they arrived at Slade’s house, Jessica pulled the handle of the door, but of course it was a police car so the door wouldn’t open. As soon as Jack opened the door, she pushed himj out of the way.

His car and bike were parked in the driveway. She banged on the door. Chrissy and Jack also knocked, but there was no answer. “Go get the spare key, Chris,” Jack ordered. Chrissy ran next door to their house.

But before Chrissy returned, the doorknob turned, and slowly a pale-faced and confused-looking Slade opened the door.

“Slade!” Jessica was so relieved to see him she threw herself at him. He didn’t react. She pulled back. “Slade?”

His unfocused eyes looked at her and then at Jack. He stumbled forward and Jack caught him by the waist just as Chrissy returned.

“Bro. Are you wasted?” Jack asked.

“Oh, shit! He’s not drunk. Call an ambulance!” Chrissy yelled—right before the strongest, most resilient, most fearless man Jessica had ever met collapsed.

—

“Oh my God! Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?”

Jessica closed the door to her house and walked down to the curb, where a taxicab had just dropped off her parents.

“We’ve been calling you from Europe but you didn’t answer. We were worried and decided to take a detour on our way back from the airport before heading back home.”

“It’s not a good time,” she told them. “I have to go.” It had been forty-eight long hours since Slade collapsed. This was the first time she’d left his side, and it was only for a quick shower and change of clothes. Now she had on sweatpants, a T-shirt, and sneakers, with her hair in a ponytail and no makeup.

Her mother, in a Chanel suit and sensible heels, looked her up and down.

“Go? Where could you possibly be going dressed that way?”

“Mom, I don’t have time to argue. I just came to take a quick shower. I have to go back to the hospital.”

“Hospital?” her father asked.

“Look, I’ll explain later. Here.” Jessica reached into her purse. “Take my keys and make yourselves at home. I’ll see you later.”

“How about we go with you and you explain on the way over there?” her dad said in a stern voice.

Jessica let out a big breath. “Fine. Come on, let’s go.”

After a period of silence while Jessica drove, her mother finally spoke. “This town is so…”

“Quaint?” Jessica said.

“No. Backward. I don’t like it.”

Jessica rolled her eyes.

“I don’t like you living here all alone,” her father added.

Jessica said nothing as her parents continued to criticize the town.

When she arrived at the hospital she parked and led her parents into the building and up to the intensive care