Broken Heartbeat

Chapter 8

(Matt's POV)

Our eyes lock across the room. Jasmine's are wide and terrified. The heart monitor is beeping loudly, almost perfectly in sync with my own.

The second I heard her scream I was through the hospital room door. I needed to see her; needed to know what was wrong.

"Jas," I repeat again. "You're safe."

With great difficulty, I stay rooted to the spot. There's nothing I want more right now than to wrap my arms around her and protect her from the world.

As hard as it is to keep my distance, I'd rather do it than have her look at me with such terror in her eyes again. I never want her to be scared of me. I never want to see that look on her gorgeous face ever again.

I vaguely hear Ryan's phone ring and in the corner of my eye see him walking down the corridor. He was right behind me when Jasmine screamed. I can tell he's as worried about her as much as I am. We've both known her for as long as Ruby has and none of us have ever seen her, or anyone for that matter, in the condition that she is in now.

Both Ruby and Dr. Carter stay silent as Jasmine and I continue to hold each other's gaze. Within a couple of minutes the heart monitor slowly calms down. I mentally let out a sigh of relief.

I don't even hear Ryan re-entering the room, so when I hear his voice right beside me, it startles me.

"Rubs, that was your parents. It's Mireya, we need to go. She keeps crying for you. They've tried everything but she just wants her Momma."

As Ruby turns to speak to Jasmine, Ryan lowers his voice to speak in my ear.

"Will you be okay here with Jas?"

"I'll be fine," I reply, my eyes still not leaving those of the woman I'm so helplessly in love with. "Don't worry; I'll keep you updated on her."

"Thanks, man. I'll call round to her Dad's place and let him know. Seeing him might help her."

I break the eye contact with Jas to give Ryan a pat on his shoulder. I nod my head, not knowing what else to say. God only knows how Jasmine's father will react upon hearing the news. Ryan seems to know this and gives me a look that tells me he's just as worried as I am.

"Ready," Ruby says, and I see her give a tentative glance back at Jasmine, clearly still apprehensive about leaving her best friend, but if I know my sister, I know she's itching to get her daughter back in her arms.

Jas smiles weakly in return. "I'll be okay Ruby."

"Come on, let's go, Babe. Jasmine will be perfectly fine here. You know Matt won't let anything happen to her." Ryan reaches out and takes Ruby's hand in his.

"Keep an eye on her for me," Ruby says, her eyes still filled with nothing but concern.

"I will," I tell her, pulling her in for a hug. "She'll be safe here. Ryan's right, I won't let anything happen to her."

"Thanks Matt."

"No need to thank me. Now go on. Make sure to give my favourite niece a goodnight kiss for me."

"Of course," Ruby smiles.

At the sound of Dr. Carter's pager going off again, I turn back into the room. I forgot he was still with us.

"I apologise, I have to take this" he says as he makes his way towards the door. "Jasmine, are you okay with just Matt in the room with you or would you like me to get a female nurse to come sit with you?"

Jasmine's briefly looks at the doctor before her eyes return to mine. "I think I'll be okay."

He nods, a smile on his face. "If you need to call the nurse, don't hesitate to do so. They'll be with you in seconds. The nurses' station is just outside this door. You're in safe hands."

And with one last warm smile in Jasmine's direction, he turns and leaves the room, leaving the door ajar behind him.

"I-I'm sorry about earlier," Jasmine whispers after a couple of minutes of a heavy silence between us.

I frown. What's she sorry for?

"What do you mean?" I ask, still standing at the end of her bed.

Jasmine looked down at her lap. "For freaking out earlier. It's just," she pauses, taking the time to push her hair behind her ear. My eyes lock in on her bone thin arm and I clench my fist, vowing to give that scumbag a taste of his own medicine. "It's just hard."

"Being here?" I ask, eager to keep her talking now that she had started. I'm honestly surprised she's opening up to me, especially so quickly. I didn't expected for her to be so open for at least a couple of weeks.

"Yeah." Jasmine pauses again and I patiently wait for her to continue. "I'm scared, Matt. I'm terrified he's going to find me."

I open my mouth to reassure her but she continues talking.

"Ever since I left this morning, I'm learning more about what he stole from me. I couldn't see it when I was trapped in his hold, but now." She stops herself, brushing away the tears that are now steadily racing down her cheeks. "What am I going to do, Matt?"

Jasmine lifts her head and, once again, her eyes lock with mine.

"Jas, first off, you're safe here. He won't get you; you're safe. Plus, you have Ruby here not to mention your Dad. Being back here will help you. I know it will be difficult, but you'll get there."

We both sit in silence for a couple of minutes before Jasmine breaks it.

"What about you?" She asks.

I frown again, not knowing what she means. "What do you mean what about me?"

"You say I have Ruby and my Dad here; but what about you?"

I swallow a lump in my throat, not once breaking eye contact. "You've always had me, Jasmine."

"I never knew that," she whispers honestly.

"I know," I look down at my feet.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't. I was scared of losing you." I internally curse myself, knowing how idiotic I sound.

Silence falls over us again and I wonder how to break it. I've never felt so ashamed. If I had spoken up could I have prevented this? Could I have stopped Jasmine entering the arms of a devil? Could I have saved her from years of abuse?

I look up surprised to find Jasmine watching me. She smiles at me and instant warmth fills me. I ask myself, for what feels like the hundredth time, how could someone hurt someone so beautiful and perfect?

"Do you mind if I sit?" I ask, pointing at the chair Ruby had previously been sitting in.

"Sure," Jasmine replies and I inwardly celebrate. It's only small, but it's a start.

Just as I take my first step towards her, the door flies open. Jasmine screams and I turn, automatically on the defence, ready to protect Jasmine from whoever has entered.

I'm stopped in my tracks as Jasmine lets out a sob and I recognise the older man in the doorway. My chest physically hurts seeing the devastated, yet panicked look on his face. Instantly I let my guard down, knowing that this man will bring Jasmine no harm.

"Dad," she cries as he rushes towards his daughter.

Charlie sits by Jasmine's bedside, holding her hand and gently brushing her hair off her forehead.

"Ryan told me," he whispers, his voice sounding strained.

Those three words are all it takes for Jasmine to fall apart in her Dad's arms. Her sobs are like a stab to my chest. Hearing the amount of pain in her cries makes me want to find the sick twisted bastard that this to her and make him pay.

I watch as Charlie holds Jasmine to him, comforting her as best he can while his own body wracks as he too sobs. I feel like I'm intruding and I know that I need to give them some privacy. Silently, I leave the room, closing the door shut behind me.