Read Fighting To Stay for Free Online Page B

seem right.”
    “I know my way to their houses. Why don’t you get comfortable and try to get some sleep? I’ll wake you when we are almost there.”
    Nodding my head, I adjust in my seat and rest my head on his shoulder. The smell of Garrett’s cologne fills my senses and I start to relax.
    “What is your cologne?”
    “All Spice, why?”
    “It relaxes me. I don’t know if it’s the cologne or just you. Either way, I was just curious.”
    “What is the perfume you wear?” He asks moments later.
    “Lavender Midnight Musk,” I laugh. “Why do I relax you too?”
    “Yes and work me up all at the same time. I’ll never smell lavender without thinking of you again.”
    “Good. Remember me always. Don’t hurt me ever,” I mumble as I start to doze off.
    Kissing the top of my head, he takes a deep breath. “Never my queen. You’ll forever be the reason I wake up in the morning and what I look forward to at night. You will be treasured and spoiled as only you deserve. I’ll love you with all I am, from now until forever. You’re my future, my reason, my world.”
    Looking up at him with tears in my eyes, the only thing I can manage to say is, “Wow”.
    He winks at me and guides my head back to his shoulder. In all the times he has been so open and honest with me about his feelings, he’s never once pushed me to tell him anything in return or to know what I’m thinking. Part of me wants him to, so I can get over this crippling fear of letting him in and then leaving him because of this damn cancer. Nevertheless, another part of me is glad he’s not forcing me to say what I’m just not sure my heart is ready to say just yet.
    Now, that’s not saying that I’m not feeling it because I am, but to say them out loud means it’s something that could potentially destroy him later. I’m just not sure I’m ready to be that selfish. If I’ll ever be that ready, I just don’t know.
     

     
    At some point, I must have dozed off because Garrett is gently nudging me awake. Sitting up, I stretch out my arms and legs the best I can and look around. We were in a hospital parking lot. My head snaps in Garrett’s direction.
    “What’s going on,” I ask, forcing my words out past the lump of terror in my throat.
    Garrett takes my hand and gently touches my face with his fingertips. “All I know is that someone came onto Josh’s property and a fight started. The person got away, but Josh suffered some injuries. That’s all Hailey’s neighbor knew. We need to go inside…”
    I am out the door and running into the hospital before he even completes his sentence. Rushing in through the doors, Garrett is right on my heels. Fighting for the attention of what seems to be the only nurse in the whole Emergency Room area.
    “Please! Can you tell me where my brother is?”
    The woman sighs and walks over to us. “What’s his name?”
    I start choking on the tears I’m trying so hard to keep at bay. Thankfully, my knight in shining armor steps in and saves me from having to try again.
    “His name is Joshua Bryner. This is his sister Donna Bryner. We were told he was brought in after being discovered unconscious in his front yard.”
    “Who are you,” the nurse stares at him with lust in her eyes.
    “My name is Dr. Garrett Hepner. I’m a family friend.”
    Finally, she looks my brother up and directs us to the fifth floor. We hurry through the hospital and head upstairs. My heart is hammering in my chest a million miles a minute. In my head, I’ve already conjured up the image of near death for him. If someone took down my brother, they had to be damn dangerous.
    We are finally shown into a private room where I see my sister sitting in a corner with her head on the bed. Rushing over to her, I tap her on the shoulder. Her head flies up and she immediately bursts into tears, stands up and pulls me into her arms crushing me. Swallowing hard, I try to keep myself together.
    “I was going to call you when the doctor