Infraction Read Free

the
     doorway with a few people behind him. The action was too fast. I was hit with dizziness,
     my head falling back onto the pillow.
    In a flash he was standing over me, his features concerned. There was so much force
     behind his expression I wasn’t sure if I could handle it.
    “Please, don’t ever say that again… Don’t leave me, Lila.”
    His fingers brushed against my cheeks, and I had to forcibly stop myself from leaning
     into his touch. It hurt, but in a different way. My heart fractured again at the look
     on his face I caused. My gaze moved to anywhere but his eyes. That was when I noticed
     he was back in his suit, minus the tie.
    “You left me,” I said.
    His fingers dropped, his hand returning to his side. “Let me explain. Please? I need
     you.”
    “Sorry, I don’t think I’m fit to help you out at the moment,” I sneered, turning to
     look up at him.
    I was going to go into a rant, to dig into him more, but the expression he wore stopped
     me. The mask was once again gone, and I was astonished by the emotions emitting from
     the man in front of me. The pain he held was visible, etched into his perfect features.
    “I’ll make it up to you. I promise,” he said in a low voice.
    I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. There was no response. He’d never promised me anything
     before. The word had never slipped past his lips.
    A throat cleared behind him, and I craned my head around to see his father standing
     next to a woman with dark brown hair speckled with grey and a soft, sad smile. Another
     woman with the same dark hair was also with them, and Andrew made up the rear.
    “It’s getting late, Nathan. We need to get you home,” George said.
    I felt a tugging at my waist and glanced down to find Nathan’s hand fisted in the
     thin hospital blanket and my wonderful hospital gown.
    “I…please?” Nathan begged.
    Sadness washed over the older man’s face. “Visiting hours are over, and Lila needs
     to get some rest.”
    Nathan stared back at his father, beseeching him.
    While he did that, Caroline stood from the chair and leaned forward, placing a kiss
     on my forehead. “I’ll be back tomorrow, okay?” Her hands smoothed the hair from my
     face. “I love you.”
    I squeezed her hand. “Bye. Love you, too.”
    She walked toward the door, glaring at Nathan as she went.
    “I’ll be back around lunch to check on you,” she said upon parting through the crowd
     and exiting.
    “Lila,” the older woman began, “I’m glad you’re okay.”
    I stared at her for a moment before remembering my manners. Even if I didn’t know
     who she was, I still needed to be polite. Teresa would be disappointed otherwise.
     “Thank you.”
    She gave a tight smile before exiting as well, George right behind her.
    “I’ll be back in the morning,” Nathan said. I roamed my eyes back up to him, one of
     the few things that didn’t hurt to move. He leaned down and also placed a kiss on
     my forehead. My heart hammered in my chest at his closeness. I wanted to tilt my head
     up and capture his lips in mine. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.
    He walked out the door and my chest seared, but for a different reason than the bruised
     ribs. Moisture filled my eyes before flooding down my cheeks.
    From my periphery, Andrew’s tall, lanky form walked over to me.
    “What do I do?”
    He pursed his lips. “You should hear him out, let him explain. That way you can make
     a decision based on all the facts.”
    “You know, then.” A statement, not a question.
    “Yes. I made a call to an old friend in the D.A.’s office. You need to hear what he
     has to say. I don’t like what he did to you, but I have a better understanding of
     why he felt he needed to do it and…” he trailed off and sighed. “I can’t hate him
     for that.”
    He took my right hand, my good hand, in his. His long fingers dwarfed mine as they
     always had. “We’ll all be in to see you at some point in the morning. We all love
     you and