The Boy Who Paints Me (23 page)

Chapter 12

"I think that she's waking up! Rai, Rai, can you hear me?"

"I'm sorry young man but you are going to have to stand back, please."

"Leighton, come on, let the lady do her job, just stand back, let the nurse help her." It was Aunt Sarah, Leighton and another voice that I couldn't understand. I was confused.

"Hello, Rainie, my name is Nurse Powell. I just want to shine this light into your eyes for a moment and take a look, ok?"

I felt drained but managed to nod my head, weakly. She silently went about checking my different body parts and shining a bright light in my eyes.

"Ok, everything looks fine, we will keep her overnight just as a precaution but she seems fine," the lady that introduced herself as Nurse Powell said.

I felt my eyes slowly getting clearer as I took in the relieved looks on Aunt Sarah and Leighton's face. I went to lift my head to look up but the pain was too much.

"What happened?" I asked in confusion.

"You fainted, sweetie and banged your head, don't you remember?" She asked in a concerned tone. I shook my head.

"Leighton," I whispered as I tried to find him with my hand.

"I'm here, Rai, I'm right here. How do you feel?" He asked as he took a seat on the bed next to me and looked down.

"Like someone just hit me around my head with a bus," I groaned. He chuckled before the look of concern returned to his face.

"I'm just going to go home and get a change of clothes for you," Aunt Sarah said as she looked over at me and smiled.

"I'll be down in a minute," Leighton said as he smiled at her. "You had me pretty worried, Rai," he said as he traced my arm with his finger.

"I'm sorry," I whispered as I looked into his eyes.

"It's not your fault, I just...I don't know...I just realised how much you mean to me," he said as he took a deep breath, causing me to smile.

"And how much is that?" I asked, causing a grin to spread across his face.

"Words aren't enough, babe," he said as he leant down and kissed me on the lips gently. It felt so good to feel him again.

"Do you want me to bring you anything?" He asked as he stroked my face.

"Huh?"

"I'm just going to drop Sarah home - we came in my car - then I'm coming back."

"You don't need to come back, I'll be fine-"

"I'm coming back," he said matter of factly, making me smile. "So, do you need anything in particular?"

"Another kiss maybe," I giggled causing my head to hurt a little. I knew that he was worried so I tried not to let on to how much pain I was actually in.

"I think I can manage that," he chuckled before
letting his lips meet mine again. This time he deepened the kiss instantly, and I felt the tip of his tongue demanding entry. He kissed me like his life depended on it and I kissed him back equally as needy. Every kiss, every touch, every encounter, I was falling deeper. The lines of where I began and Leighton ended were becoming blurry because he felt like he was a part of me. It was like he was necessary to my survival.

"Gosh, I've missed you," he whispered against my lips.

"I didn't go anywhere."

"I always miss you, babe," he said before pecking my lips and pulling away. "Right, if I don't go now, I'll never go," he said as he smirked at me.

"Mmm, ok then, see you when you get back," I replied reluctantly.

"I won't be long," he said as he kissed the tip of my nose and jumped to his feet. I watched as he walked towards the door. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in him that I forget how incredibly hot he actually is.

"Rai?" He said without turning around.

"Yeah?"

"Stop checking me out," he chuckled before walking out of the room. He left me laughing to myself as I lay there counting down the minutes until he returned. I let my eyes close as I thought about how I felt about Leighton. Suddenly the sound of the door clicking caused my eyes to snap open. A huge smile filled my face as I was about to ask Leighton what he had forgotten. That smile suddenly disappeared as I watched Mitch walking towards me. I couldn't breathe. Suddenly everything came rushing back. Mitch outside of my aunt's house, Leighton, me...it wasn't a dream. I had been pushing it to the back of my head telling myself that it was a dream but it wasn't.

"Rain, baby, you scared me," he said as he took a few steps towards me making the bile instantly rise to my throat. He slowly sat down in the same spot that Leighton had as he let his hand stroke my face. I flinched at his touch. "Gosh, you are so incredibly beautiful," he breathed as he looked down at me. I couldn't bring myself to speak. I suddenly found myself becoming the scared little girl that lay motionless in her bed night after night as different men took what they wanted, and now I was lying in front of the very man that caused it all.

"You can't be here," I whispered.

"Why?" He asked as though he was seriously confused. "I told you that I'd find you, Rain, didn't I?"

I turned my head away from him as a tear rolled down my hot cheek. "Come on, baby, you know that I hate to see you cry. You don't need to worry; I told you that I'm not mad anymore. Sure I was at first but things change. I can't stay mad at my girl for too long. Everything worked out just fine in the end anyway. I made sure that Rick got the blame for what you had done, and now I've found you, we can start again with 
our 
money. Couldn't have planned it better myself. You had a little wobble, I get that but we work through that, right."

I felt sick, really sick. I forced it back as my eyes closed tight.

"I'm not going with you," I plucked up the courage to say as I kept my eyes closed.

"Pardon?" He said in a deep and
slightly angry voice.

"I said, I'm not going with you, Mitch," I whispered. Where the sudden strength was coming from, I wasn't sure but I needed it.

"Open your eyes, Rain." I didn't. "Now!" They snapped open. "I hate shouting out you, why are you trying to get me mad, baby?" He said as he gently turned my face towards him.

"I don't want to," I said as the tears started to flow. It was the first time that I had said no to him in any way.

"You don't want to?" He asked through gritted teeth. "See, by you saying that you don't 
want 
to insinuates that you actually have a choice," he growled quietly.

"I love him." I don't know how I found the courage to say it but I did. I said it as though I was expecting compassion or understanding. I had been away from him for too long...Mitch didn't do compassion or understanding, he just controlled and destroyed.

"Who? Leighton?" He started laughing. I remained perfectly still and silent. "You think you love him sweetheart but believe me it's not love. Do you want me to tell you something? You don't 
love 
him, you 
crave
 him, and do you want to know why?" He said as he pressed his lips up against my ear. "Because 
my
 blood is running through his. You flew thousands of miles away to a new state and still you were drawn to my blood. When are you going to get it, Rain, it's you and me, baby, deal with it."

I was stunned into silence. What if he was right? What if I had some sick and twisted link to him that I couldn't break? Why Leighton? Why him? Was it because he reminded me of Mitch in some way? Because he was his son? Did I sense it?

"See, you're even going through it in your mind right now, trying to work it out. I know you better than anyone," he grunted as he stared out the window with a smile on his face. "I warned you before you left, Rain. I don't share what is 
mine 
and 
you 
are 
mine. 
I don't allow anything or 
anyone 
near things that belong to me. Understood?"

"What are you saying?" I whispered as the tears burned my eyeballs.

"I'm saying that you're mine, and if I find anybody else even breathing your way, I'm going to kill them."

"He's your son," I choked.

He turned around slowly and stared at me before laughing. He walked over to me very slowly and bent right down in front of my face before whispering, "Family isn't really my thing, baby, you should know that," he said before kissing my lips. "I'm glad that we've had this talk, rather have it with you than that pretty Aunt of yours, Sarah is it?" I felt my whole world crumble around me; literally. This was everything that I had tried to avoid. This was all my fault.

"I'm leaving in a week, and you
 
are
 coming with me," he winked before walking towards the door. "Oh, and let Leighton down gently, he's a sensitive boy, takes after his mother." Then as if he was never there he disappeared through the door. Leaving me to drown in a pit of misery. The tears were uncontrollable, and eventually I cried myself to sleep knowing that I was going to wake up in a life that no longer belonged to me....

Chapter 13

I had learnt one thing in the past twenty four hours...
Life. Isn't. Fair.
It doesn't discriminate; it doesn't care about your gender, race or age. When it wants to get nasty, you just get caught in the crossfire and sometimes, just sometimes...you get shot.
I could lie here all day and cry about life but it doesn't change a thing. I could take every single thing in this room and start throwing it around and destroying everything in my path but still, it won't change a thing. I could do a lot of things right now but the bottom line is...nothing is going to change.
I had a simple choice, either; those that I love get hurt or I do. The decision was pretty easy. That decision is what led me to what I'm about to do...
"You're awake," Leighton whispered with a smile on his face. I had been awake all night, he just didn't know it. I heard the moment that he walked back into the room and sat down on the chair. I watched as he tossed and turned all night. I felt sick as I took in the fact that the next time that he opened his eyes, I would see pain, and I would be the cause of it all.
I nodded my head before taking a deep breath.
"Hey, you ok? Are you still in pain?" He asked as he shifted his seat closer to me and stroked my hand. I felt the tingling sensation that his touch left me with. I wanted to feel that way for the rest of my life but that wasn't an option. I slipped out of his touch and watched as a look of confusion filled his face.
"I'm fine...I just...I can't do this anymore." I tried to put as much power behind my voice as I could manage but my heart was literally being ripped in half.
"Babe, it's ok, you're going home today. You don't have to put up with this for much longer, ok?"
"Not that; I mean us."
"I'm not sure that I follow you," he breathed.
"I made a mistake, with us. It's too soon, I'm just not ready," I lied.
"Rai, look at me."
I turned towards him, slowly.
"What's going on here because what you're saying right now makes no sense? If something is wrong tell me but don't lie."
I could feel the tears filling my eyes.
You can do this. You can do this.
I repeated this mantra in my mind, praying that it might just help. It didn't. 
"Just leave." 
Don't cry; it's almost over.
I repeated more lies.
"Rai-"
"No, Leighton just go. I don't want you! You're moving too fast, and I don't feel the same! Just leave...please."
"Ok, I'll go," he whispered. "If it's what you want, then I'll go."
I couldn't bear to make eye contact with him so I turned away.
"It is what I want."
I heard the door open and close and that was the cue for the start of many, many tears.
* * *
I hadn't left my bedroom since Aunt Sarah and I got back from the hospital. I locked the door, crawled in my bed and hid from the world.
That was four hours ago.
I was on edge. The same questions have been going through my mind since I got here.
What if I see Mitch?
Is Leighton ok?
Should I run away?
The answer to the last question was no. It was too late to run. Mitch had access to the people that I loved, and if I left, then they would be punished. I can't live with that.
My thoughts were interrupted by a light knock at the door. Aunt Sarah had been trying to get me to eat since we got back. This was going to be another failed attempt.
"Come in," I grumbled.
"Hey."
"Megan?" I turned to face her, surprised to see her here.
"Ok, so I opted for a makeup free day but you didn't have to look so shocked. I am still recognisable, right?"
She was the first person to make me laugh. It felt good.
"It's not that, I just didn't expect to see you."
"Well, I'm here but what I want to know is why you are wrapped up there looking like someone just died?" She asked with a small smile on her face.
"I'm just tired.” I lied again.
"Tired mmm? So this has nothing to do with Leighton because he's walking around town with that same gloomy expression on his face. So, are you ready to fess up?" She said gently.
I couldn't stop the tears; they came as soon as she mentioned his name. It's like someone was controlling a faucet that brought tears to my eyes when turned on. 
"Rainie, you can talk to me," she whispered.
I shook my head.
"Mama always says that a problem shared is a problem halved. So, shall I get a knife and a plate for my slice?" 
I suddenly felt myself laughing at her analysis. In that one, strange moment, I knew that I could trust her.
* * *