Carter Brothers: Adrian (Rated R Novel)

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Adrian’s head shoots up, his eyes wide filled with hope.
“Sam?” he whispers almost in fear. Dare he believe that she’s awake? Who else could have called his name? In this empty room with only him and her in, it can only be her. Except…she looks just the same as ever. But-but he can’t have imagined it. No! No, that’s not possible. Ade refuses to believe he’s already going crazy with imagining her voice speaking to him.
“Sam, Sam if you’re awake, tell me. Show me…Give me a sign or something,” he desperately continues whispering to her.
Ade continues staring at her, assessing carefully for even the slightest hint of movement; only there is none. He slowly exhales in dejection, willing now to accept that he really is going out of his mind.
Only in that very moment he starts to slump back, her eyes squeeze tight. Spine shoots straight up and he reaches for contact.
“Sam?” he whispers again this time cautious and quiet.

She’s not sure when but at some point her mind quickly registers that the person calling her name is real. Then comes the slow flood of her senses: The sensation of being on a bed; the touch of a person; the sound of machines buzzing.
Sam’s eyelashes flutter, fighting the drowsiness and fatigue to open her eyes to bright light. Cringing she blinks to adjust before the pain suddenly hits.

Adrian leaps out of his stunned state as soon as her face crinkles in agony.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. I’ve buzzed the Doctor, they’ll give you some pain medication. Just try lie still for now, sweetheart,” he assures her. 
Sam’s cinnamon brown eyes sparkling with amber highlights, soak in the sight of him and Adrian can’t help the surge of happiness just from that small sight. With her lips dry and chapped, when she starts to try talk, despite his urges he has to persuade her not to talk. She gives him a wavering smile in response and noticing the hesitance in that grin, he tries reassuring her with a brighter grin. As much as this emotional road has him wanting to breakdown and just sweep her into his arms, kissing her, holding her; he holds it back.

He needs to be calm, collected and strong for her. 

When the Doctors and nurses come milling about, Sam clearly feels uncomfortable with it, but Adrian has to remain on the opposite end of the room, allowing the professionals to do their job. They take in her vitals and measurements before asking her various questions related to memory recall. Though she has some confusion with a few things, everything else thankfully and miraculously seems to be okay. When they all finally leave with instructions of care and the next steps, both Sam and Ade sigh in relief.

“Ade,” she smiles, hand stroking at the coarse hair at his cheek. He looks terrible-at least for his standards; far, far from the refined man she’s used to him portraying for others. In just a pair of dark, holed jeans and a faded t-shirt; a small soft beard growing at his cheeks and bags under his eyes, he metaphorically looks like crap; however his smile is genuine as is the spark in his bright eyes. God, she’s missed those sparklers!

“Hey Princess.”
Sam smiles, the sound of the deep, baritone calming voice just brings a natural calmness in her and she has to slyly ask, “did you miss me?”
Ade raises an eyebrow as his whole demeanour sobers up. He could tease her for it but teasing her about such a serious question is just not possible.
“Every single moment,” he admits, perching on the edge next to her.
Sam rests her head onto his shoulder, blinking back the tears filling her eyes.

“I love you,” she whispers.
With a hand wrapped gently around her shoulder, he mutters it back.
“Wait…What?!” she cries shocked, glancing up. She’s honestly half-afraid to ask him to repeat it. What if it isn’t what she thought she heard? Can she really handle that disappointment on-top of everything today? Gosh, she’s not even allowing her mind to wander to work because that is one headache she doesn’t need right now.
“Come on, Sam, don’t do this to me,” he softly groans, “I admit you were right, okay?”
“Ade, I honestly did not hear what you just said. And I’m really not in the mood for this so just don’t argue with me today and-”
“I love you,” he interrupts.
She stops, mid-sentence.
“Am I still in the coma? Am I dreaming? Are you actually serious?!” she questions evenly narrowing her eyes at him and trying to spot details about him that may show that he’s just an figment of her imagination. No, the tiny hairs seem too real, and so do those little crinkles.
Adrian frowns slightly back.
“No, no and yes, yes I am serious,” he growls a little frustrated. Did she really think he wouldn’t come around? After all she said about believing that he would in time love her? Or did that hope die so soon after? Or-
“Ade, I know what you’re thinking. You think that I gave up on you but it’s actually the opposite, okay? I predicted it would take a lot longer for you to feel the same-years in fact…And I would have waited because I love you, baby.”
“Thank you,” he nods.
They wait for a moment and as silence tears through, Sam can’t take it any long.

“That’s it?” Sam cries dumbfounded, her rage spiking, “I wake up from a fucking coma and that’s it? That’s all you have to say about what I put you through? About how you felt?!”
“Sam, calm down. I’m-…You need to rest and relax, not be getting stressed over something so minor.”
“ ‘Minor’?! Adrian, is it so much to ask to have a man who at least in times like these will open up to me?!”
Adrian sighs, rubbing the faint lines engraving in his forehead.
“Sam…I,” he gazes down at his lap frowning, “I-I can’t explain…”
Sam laces her fingers through his, softening her voice and confessing, “baby if this were you. If our positions were reversed, I would have gone out of my fucking head. I don’t know how you’re so calm about all this, Adrian. I don’t know how you can even think about my treatment, recovery, fetching the doctors so quickly. If it were me; I would be crying, hugging you, kissing you. And then I would be thinking about getting the doctors.”
It’s scary because although she desperately wants to believe him when he says he loves her. Is their love equal? Or does she in some way love him more? Because just how can he be so controlled and…logical? How could he just have managed to restrain himself so far away from her?

Adrian snaps his head up with indignity and anger. Does she not think that he was going crazy with nerves?! He placed himself through pure mental torture, watching her limp, lifeless form for so long, contemplating the uncertain future and the road ahead. But he did it all for her. Doubt of all this is like a fist is clenching his heart in its grips.
“Do you think I wasn’t going absolutely insane inside my head? Because I was. Insanity has been my only company for days now. Not to mention paranoia and hysteria because I had no idea if you would wake up or not. I had no idea what I would do if you didn’t. Or if you did but you had some horrible after-effect. And guilt! I am your mate. I am meant to be your protector. I swore to myself I would protect you and I let this happen. I should have been there sooner, I should never have let you go. I had a bad feeling about it that day but I let you go anyway. I should have been more of a man and put my foot down. I should have-” he breaks off into loud shaky breaths through his nose. His eyes squeeze shut, holding back those droplets of hot frustration.
“Shhhh…It’s okay, baby. It’s okay. It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault, okay? I’m sorry Adrian. I’m so sorry darling for putting you through this,” tears slide down her cheeks but with one hand she cups his furry cheek and through trembling lips profusely apologies.
After hearing the first few, Adrian just closes that minor distance between them and locks their lips in a slow, passionate kiss; drawing it out and wiping away the tear trails on his mate’s round beautiful face.