I chuckle. “Well, you look good,” I offer. He has several machines hooked up to his chest, an IV in his right arm. The machines chirp loudly, and I can see how hard it would be to get some rest in here.
“Thanks. But I have a feeling you didn’t come here to see me.”
“I need to talk to Case,” I say looking at the floor.
He chuckles and then hisses in a breath at the pain it causes him. “He won’t shut up about you.” I look up at him. “Another reason I can’t get any sleep.”
“Is he telling you how much he hates me?” I ask softly.
“Stupid girl,” he whispers with a smirk. “He loves you.” His eyes slide to mine. “And you love him.”
“I don’t know him,” I say in denial.
“What is there to know?” he asks in all seriousness.
“Well, for starters, his real name.”
“Why?” he asks as if that’s crazy. “It’s just a name.” I go to say something, but he continues. “Plus. He already told you that,” he says matter-of-factly.
I narrow my eyes on him. “Does he tell you everything?”
“Yes,” he replies simply.
I run a hand through my hair. “Well, that’s not enough,” I reply sharply. “He hasn’t told me about his family …”
“He doesn’t have a family,” he replies as he tries to sit up in his bed. I walk over to him and help him adjust his pillow, as he gets comfortable.
“Yes, he does,” I say once he’s situated. “I saw the picture. I’ve tried to ask about them before and he shuts me down. And his sister … I saw her in a picture at his house.” I sigh heavily. “Who doesn’t want to talk about their family?”
“Nicole.”
The name makes my skin break out in goosebumps and I stare at him wide-eyed. “What did you say?”
“Nicole,” he repeats with a long sigh. “That’s his sister’s name.”
My brows pull together in confusions. “That is the name he has tattooed on his wrist.”
He nods. “Nicole was his sister.”
“Was?” I ask in horror.
He looks away from me and stares straight ahead at the white wall for a few seconds. “Nicole was his twin sister …” He pauses. “And the love of my life.”
I feel my legs give out, and I find myself falling into the chair next to his bed. Case’s twin sister? Brecken was in love with her?
He looks over at me with a small smile on his lips. “I was fifteen and was new to their town. Nicole was in my first period. She turned to me and introduced herself. I actually told her the wrong name.” He chuckles. “She had me tongue tied. She was so beautiful. And the way her hand fit in mine. I fell in love right then and there. It was love at first sight if you can believe in that type of thing.” He shrugs. “But what did I know? I was fifteen. The next day was a Friday. And she had on a little cheerleading uniform. I knew what I had to do. I joined the football team. That was when I met Case. He was just as nice as Nicole, but not as great to stare at.” I let out a laugh. “We became best friends, and it only took me three miserably long months to prove to Nicole that I was the guy for her.”
“How did she die?” I ask softly. He looks at me in question. “You said she was his sister. Something had to have happened to her.”
He nods. “But that is not my story to tell.” I open my mouth, but he speaks. “I told you who she was because she is a big part of my life. But the only thing I’m gonna tell you about her is the part she played in my life. Case needs to tell you how her life changed his.”
I look down to my hands in my lap. “He probably won’t tell me.”
“You never know until you ask.” He moves around a little more. “Go find him.”
“How am I going to find him? I’ll just wait for him to come back here.”
“He likes to drink his coffee outside. Go check the entrance of the hospital.”
I smile over at him. “Thanks, Brecken …” I pause. “Is that your real name?”
He smirks but doesn’t answer. I smile at him, but don’t push the subject because it really doesn’t matter. It’s just a name, right?
***
I see Case standing outside the entrance of the hospital before the doors even open to allow me out. He’s standing with his back against a pillar and his head tilted back with his eyes closed as the night covers him in darkness.
“Tired?” I ask coming up in front of him.
His eyes pop open, and he looks at me in surprise. “Taylor. What are you doing here?” he demands after the shock fades.
I take a deep breath. “I want to know you, Case.”
“Not this again,” he huffs. “It doesn’t matter who I am.”
I place my hand on his chest. His eyes narrow on mine, and his heart is beating quickly. Is that because of me? Because mine is beating hard because of him. “It does matter,” I say softly. I take a deep breath and let it out. “Case, I love you.” My bottom lip trembles in fear, and my eyes start to sting from tears. “And that is crazy because I don’t know who you are. I am in love with a man who has done nothing but lie to me.” He swallows. “A man I know nothing about.” A tear slides down my face, and he reaches up to wipe it away.
He lowers his face down to mine, and if it’s even possible, his heart beats harder against my hand. “You love me?” His breath lands on my lips, and I shiver.
“Of course,” I whisper. Reaching up with my free hand, I place it on his cheek. His facial hair rough against my palm. “Why do you think I care so much about who you really are?” I ask softly.
“What if you hate the real me?” he asks, closing his eyes as if it that thought would be unbearable.
“I already love you,” I reply. “Knowing the real you could only make me love you even more.”
He opens his eyes and looks at me. I see the fear in his eyes. The thought of me walking away from him when I find out who he really is. But I’m not worried. Not one bit. So I add, “You don’t have to hide from me, Tyler.” I use his real name because we need to start somewhere and this is as good a place as any is. But he flinches when I say it. And I have a feeling there’s a story behind why he goes by Case. “I already know you are willing to risk your lives for others. I already know you would do anything to make sure that people you don’t even know are safe. And I know that no matter what your past consists of, I wanna stand by your side.”
He stares at me for a long moment, and I hold my breath. Just when I think I may fall to the ground due to dizziness from not breathing, his lips land on mine. Breathing life into me. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he kisses me with desperation. His arms grip me as if I will pull away at any second, his body pushing into mine. I deepen the kiss letting him know just how much I love him. Letting him know that no matter what he has to tell me, I’ll still be here.
He pulls away first, and I take one deep breath after another. “I love you too, Taylor,” he whispers against my lips. I let out a little sob even as I wanna scream out in joy. “Please believe me when I say I’m sorry.”
“I believe you.” We never planned on this. And it must have been hard for him not to tell me. I don’t know what I would have done if I had been the one to lie. If I had been the one afraid he would leave me.
His lips brush mine softly this time just giving me a soft kiss. “How did you get here?” he asks as his brows pull together.
“I drove your truck.”
He lets out a chuckle. “Go back to my house. I’ll be there soon.”
“You’re not coming now?” I frown.
He pulls away from me and shakes his head. “I need to stay here with Brecken. But I promise I will come back.”
I smile. “I’m gonna hold you to that promise.”
He runs his thumb over my bottom lip, and he smiles back. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CASE