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Lucien nodded his head quickly in agreement. Before either of us could do anything, the man pushed away from my son and took off down the road. Completely abandoning the smashed-up car. It was then I heard the other footsteps headed our way. There were shouts to call 911 and multiple people started talking over one another.
I couldn't focus on any of it. My eyes were zeroed in on the tiny drop of blood nestled on my son's throat. That's how close he had come to death. That crazy son of a bitch had held a knife to Lucien's throat and drew blood. I wanted to hunt him down to make him pay, but I knew I couldn't.
Something Easton told me last night came rushing back to me. Manuel Ortega. That had to be who the man was. He had come to end my son's life because he thought Lucien wanted to take over Los Cangris. My son's quick thinking had saved him.
"Kati?" Tim Jr.'s voice filled the car. "Your leg is wrapped up in the seat belt. I'm going to cut it off you so we can get you out."
The pressure that had been holding me back was suddenly lifted and I scrambled forward until I was crawling out of the car on my hands and knees to get to my son. As a nurse, I knew it wasn't smart to be moving so much after an accident but the mother in me didn't care. I needed to hold my son, to know that he was truly safe in my arms.
"Lucien!" As soon as I was close enough, I pulled his head into my chest. My son didn't delay in wrapping his arms around my middle.
"I'm okay, Mom. I'm okay." The tremble was enough to tell me he was putting on a great front but deep down my teenage boy was scared. Rightfully so. It was okay that he wasn't okay.
"I was so damn scared." The words tumbled out of my mouth. "I saw the knife and I couldn't get to you. I was stuck in that damn car, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get to you."
Tears poured down my cheeks and splashed onto Lucien's hair. Every emotion I’d bottled up for weeks suddenly burst out of me. My son could've died. I couldn't get the picture of the knife out of my head, or the little voice in there screaming at me that I almost lost my son.
We are going to need so much therapy after this.
"Kati? Lucien?" Nolen skidded to a stop next to us and dropped down onto one knee. "Are you two okay? I was eating at the diner when someone told me the two of you were in an accident."
"Ran off the road was more like it," Tim Jr. huffed. "My father saw the whole thing. He yelled for me to come out, but by the time I got out here, the guy was running away."
"An ambulance is on the way." Ms. Edela from the ice cream parlor joined our little crowd on the side of the road.
Seconds later the screaming of sirens filled the street. I begged and pleaded for them to let me ride with Lucien. I had to promise not to sue anyone, and acknowledge that I was taking my own safety into my own hands. I would've signed anything at that moment. As long as they let me stay with my son.
When we got to the hospital, Dr. Williams was the attending.
"Ms. Whitlock, we need to stop meeting like this." His grandfatherly smile put me at ease. I knew my son was in good hands but I still refused to leave his side. "The nurse tells me you would prefer if I treated you both in the same room."
"Yes, please,” I begged. “I can't be separated from him. Not yet."
Dr. Williams didn't get a chance to respond before the door was slammed open.
"Kati! Lucien!" Easton charged to where I was sitting on the chair next to the hospital bed. "Nolen told me what happened. Why the hell are you sitting in a chair and not a hospital bed yourself?"
"It's good to see you again, Mr. Welch." Dr. Williams put out his hand and waited for Easton to shake it. "Ms. Whitlock here requested that she and her son be seen together. Based on the report from the EMTs and nurses, I don't see that being a problem."
I wanted to throw my arms around Dr. Williams and squeeze the crap out of him. It felt so damn good to have someone on my side.
It didn't take Dr. Williams long to look us over. Other than some bruising from the seat belt and a minor concussion from slamming my head off the steering wheel, I was fine. Lucien fared far better. He would have bruising from the seat belt as well, and some whiplash that would likely cause him pain later, but overall, we were both lucky.
"I'll just go let the nurse know she can start your discharge paperwork. I hope the next time I see you, Ms. Whitlock, it is under normal working conditions." He gave me a sweet smile to soften the words.
I waited until the doctor was gone before turning to Easton. I knew, based on the look on his face, I was going to get the third degree.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Easton
The words concussion, whiplash, and bruising were bouncing around my brain like a damn pinball machine. They did nothing to slow down the racing of my heart that kicked up the moment I got the call from Nolen.
I had been at my apartment, packing another bag. I didn’t need to pack much; I had no plans on returning to my place anytime soon, not to sleep anyway. Actually, I couldn't remember the last time I had slept at my own place.
The night of the fire, dumbass.
That’s right. Since that night, Kati had refused to sleep anywhere other than her own bed, and because I wanted to sleep where she was, I too had slept at her house. So today, while Kati went to pick Lucien up from school, I figured I would make a pit stop and grab a few things.
