Two for Joy - Louise Collins Page 0,73
was just being smart, wasn’t he?
Chapter Twenty-One
It was risky, but he had to see Chad, had to know he was getting better. He spent the money tossed his way in the hospital shop, then explored the corridors, strategically mapping the place a little more each day until he found Chad.
Chad had a small room on the first floor, but he was rarely left on his own. Gareth and Zac were his most frequent visitors, and they appeared to be taking shifts, making sure Chad wasn’t alone and no one could get to him.
Romeo slotted money into the coffee machine, side-eyeing the door to Chad’s room. Gareth was leaning against the wall outside, tapping away on his phone, completely oblivious.
Romeo took his cup from the machine and blew gently on the top.
“You’ve got to be shitting me.”
Romeo froze, it was Gareth’s voice, and projected down the corridor in his direction. He’d been caught. Gareth had seen him, but Gareth didn’t rush at him, or tackle him to the ground. His coffee didn’t go flying, splattering the wall. Nothing happened, and Romeo tentatively turned, keeping his face low, half hidden in the top of his sweatshirt. Gareth’s angry tone wasn’t directed at him, but Holly Stevenson.
She had a box of chocolates, a bunch of flowers, and walked right by Romeo without sparing him a glance. Gareth moved in front of Chad’s door and folded his arms.
“Can I—”
“No, you can’t.” Gareth snapped. “Leave.”
“I owe Chad an apology.”
“You owe him more than that.”
“You’re not exactly white as white are you. Hunting down one of your own like a dog.”
Gareth flared his nostrils. “Leave.”
Holly held up the chocolates and flowers. “Can you at least give these to him?”
“I’ll give them to the nearest trashcan.”
“Please.”
Gareth snatched the chocolates from her, then read the tag. “Are you actually serious?”
“When he’s ready he can tell me his side of the story. He can tell me what happened between him and Romeo.”
“Chad won’t want to talk to you. No one wants to talk to you anymore.”
“He can clear his name—”
Gareth shook his head. “That article you wrote on Romeo, dressing him up as the victim and Chad the villain. Have you lost your mind?”
Holly shrugged. “I’m a journalist. I seek the truth.”
“Said no journalist ever. Romeo is dangerous…”
“Is?”
“Was dangerous. He got inside people’s heads. He got inside Chad’s, he got inside yours.”
“No one is a hundred percent good, or a hundred percent bad. He was misunderstood.”
“Chad went through hell because of that monster, but at least he woke up, came through the other side.”
“I know him.”
“Knew him.”
Holly shook the flowers at Gareth. “Look are you going to let me see him, or what?”
“No.” Gareth said. “Out.”
Holly backed away. “Tell him—”
“I’m not telling him shit from you.”
“I’m going.”
“I’m making sure of it.”
Gareth followed her down the corridor, and they both passed Romeo, too wrapped up in their own little world to notice him.
Holly had gifted him the perfect opportunity.
He looked at the door that led to Chad, checked for Gareth coming back, then reasoned he could be quick, in and out of Chad’s room in less than a minute.
When he pushed through the door shock hit him before any relief. Chad looked deathly pale, hooked up to machines, with tubes feeding into his arm. His eyes were closed, and he lay completely still. If it weren’t for the machine tapping out his heart rhythm Romeo would’ve thought he was dead.
“What the hell had Marc been giving you?” Romeo muttered, before getting closer.
“Chad?”
His eyelashes fluttered at his voice, and Romeo repeated his name until his eyes opened. Hazy, confused. Chad looked at him, frowning.
“It’s Romeo.”
“Romeo.” He breathed, closing his eyes for a second. The machine sped up, beeping out Chad’s quickening heart rate. “Out.”
Romeo never would’ve imagined one word would hurt so much. “Is that what you want?”
Chad flexed his hand on the bed, the odd anxiety fueled mannerism, only slower, and weaker. “Yes… Before they find you.”
Romeo exhaled shakily, then dared to smile. “You don’t want them to find me.”
“No.”
Romeo leaned closer and stared into Chad’s drugged up eyes. “What do you want me to do?”
Chad bit his lip. “I know I shouldn’t…”
“Tell me?”
“I want you to wait for me.”
Romeo took hold of his hand, stopping his fidget. “Then I’ll wait for you.”
“You’re the only one that was on my side.”
“We’re not on sides, we’re in the middle together. Just me and you.”
Chad’s hand relaxed in his, and his eyes fluttered closed again. The machine slowed back to the rhythm