BREATHE: A Billionaire Romance, Part Five Read Online Free PDF Page A

yelled, grabbing my ear. “Look at that man!” She held my ear firmly and moved my head so that my eyes were facing him.
    “I see him!” I bellowed. “I’ve been looking at him; he’s all I’ve been looking at!”
    “Exactly!” she yelled. “That’s the problem!”
    “Mama, just please let me be with him,” I said, tears falling from my eyes. I hated being vulnerable in front of anyone, especially my mama. She was the strongest person—other than Derek—that I knew, and I really hated looking weak in comparison.
    She tensed for a moment, her expression becoming one of worry, and maybe even a tinge of sadness. She sighed and nodded faintly. “You can be here during the day, but please go home and sleep for tonight?” she asked. Well, sort of asked. She was really telling me in a way that sounded like I had a choice. But clearly, I didn’t have a choice if her presence and previous outbursts were any indication. “I came all the way over here to tell you that.”
    “Listen to your mama…,” Derek groaned from his bed, clearly awoken by our outbursts.
    I sighed and nodded. Maybe they were right; I didn’t know. All I knew was that I didn’t want to leave. But if it would get everyone off my back for me to just go lay down at home, then so be it.
    I would do whatever it took to make everyone happy, especially Derek.

Chapter 8
     
    Thanks to the blood transfusion, he was doing much better medically speaking. And thanks to a day of sleeping at home, I was doing much better. Turns out, they were all probably right about my much needed rest at home.
    I hated to admit it, but it worked.
    Upon walking into the hospital the next day, I had been warned that Derek would likely be disoriented and weak for a while, but I expected as much. Hell, that seemed to be the story of my life with Derek. He was always tired and disoriented when he was in the hospital.
    I hated it though. I hated how vulnerable Derek looked while he was there. He was Derek Sholts. He was the most intimidating man that I had ever seen, let alone ever met. Far more intimidating than even Stephen, who was large and strong and built like a brick shithouse.
    He didn't need all the machines wired up to him, or all the IVs pumping shit into him. He had survived—so far—by just his own amazing will.
    He was strong and unwavering.
    And to see him powerless, on a hospital bed, was something I hated with every fiber of my being. It was devastatingly cruel to see someone so incredibly powerful as vulnerable and weak as he was in that instant.
    And in truth, it broke my heart.
    I lowered myself back into my signature seat and looked at Derek’s pale face. I sighed, grabbing the arms of the chair and moving closer. Someone had moved my chair, I noted. I was always close enough to grab his hand.
    With a loud creak across the floor, I had finally found the proper position once again.
    His eyes opened to look at me, but only just barely. I could tell that he was only half awake.
    "Hey, Der…” I swallowed uneasily. “The doctors say that you’re going to be aye-okay.”
    Tears stung my eyes and the notorious lump in my throat reared its ugly head and swelled up just enough so that my breath caught.
    “We have to figure out what happened though.”
    I felt his eyes bear into my soul just before he nodded gloomily.
    “It isn’t Doc though. Don’t bring it up.”
    And that was all he said before closing his eyes once again, and drifting off to sleep.
    It all annoyed me in truth. Not only would he not even once hold suspicion towards “Doc” but also because he referred to him as “Doc”. Joey Freeman was a terrible doctor—even if he wasn’t a terrible human being. And as far as I was concerned, he was no longer Derek’s doctor.
    He wasn’t the one taking care of him.
    That was Dr. Lawrence.
    Not Joey Freeman.
    But no matter. I would deal with it all when the time came. I already had a plan brewing on how to prove my suspicions to be true.
    I