A Brand New Ending

Chapter 35

Braeden



When Phoenix's lips hit mine a rush of pleasure runs through my body and I have to stop my hands from wanting to run themselves all over her. This is going to be a test of my patience. Moments later she pulls back and I inwardly whine. I can see the red spreading across her cheeks, and I am beginning to think she feels the same when we do this. Reaching down I interlock my fingers in hers.

"Let's get the f*ck out of here," I whisper close to her ear.

She responds with the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. We make our way out of the series of doorways and hallways. I've been in this hospital millions of times but I've never been in such a hurry to get the hell out of here. I can see the front door in sight and my heart starts to race. Freedom.

As soon as that thought enters my mind I feel Phoenix stop dead in her tracks, a heavy anchor in the ground. I stop in front of her, my face finding hers. She looks terrified.

Reaching up I brush my finger along her cheek.

"Seraph?"

But not even my sentiment snaps her out of her comatose state. Her hand clenches onto mine tighter and I become surprised by her strength. Instinctively I follow her eyes and then I see it. Her demon.

Just outside the hospital front door there are two police officers and Carl in handcuffs. I instantly become outraged that this piece of shit is still here, but a small part of me is happy that I get to see his miserable face as he is being shoved into the back of the cop car. I think I even find myself grinning ear to ear as I notice the obvious pain on his face, a large bandage wrapped around his head. But my mind switches back to Phoenix. I step in front of her, essentially protecting her from his harmful glare.

"Phoenix," I say sternly, her eyes finally looking back at me. "I want you to go back to my dad's office and I want you to stay there until I come get you, do you understand?"

She nods her head as I slowly release my fingers from hers. I watch her walk away until she is out of sight. Jingling the keys in my hand I veer off to the right and out the employee's exit, finding my father's car instantly.

Hitting the unlock button on the fob I slide into the driver's seat. I go to start the engine but instead I grasp the steering wheel, my mind overtaking my ability to move. I start to think how I could run him over with this beast of a car. My father has impeccable insurance. I wonder if he would fly up and over the hood or if his body would be mangled underneath.

I shake my head as I scare myself with my own thoughts. Putting the car in reverse I back out of the spot slowly and round the corner of the hospital and I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. The cops, the car and Carl are all gone. Good f*cking riddance. Pulling up under the overhang I put the car in park and shut it off and head back inside for Phoenix. When I reach my father's office again I see a large man standing in front of it, my father talking to him. I start to pick up my pace.

"What's going on?" I ask to both of them, wondering who will answer me first.

"Just protocol," the tall man says. He doesn't have to even tell me he's cop, I can just tell.

"They had a few last questions to ask her before you two left."

I huff. "Yeah, speaking of leaving….why was that a*shole still here? Wasn't he supposed to have been gone days ago?"

"I don't think that's any of your concern, son," the cop responds.

"Don't f*cking call me 'son'," I snap back at him.

"Braeden," I hear my father say but I don't peel my eyes from the blockhead standing before me.

A few seconds later the door opens, another cop exiting, Phoenix following behind him at a slowed distance. I push myself around them, grabbing her face in my hands.

"Are you OK?" I ask her softly.

She just nods her head but remains silent.

"Are we done here?" I say harshly, not wanting her to suffer through another moment of this shit. The one that was interviewing Phoenix nods his head.

"If we need anything else for her we have her contact information."

I can feel Phoenix tense up. With our hands still intertwined I pull on her, making her feet move.

"I'll see you both at the house," I hear my father call out from behind us. I wave my free arm in the air silently telling him OK. We walk the same path to the front door again. She is moving slowly so I drop my hand from hers and instead slide my arm around her shoulder pulling her in close, silently telling her that I will protect her no matter what.

"He's not here anymore, Seraph," I bend down and whisper into her ear. "He's going to spend the rest of his miserable life behind bars. Paying for what he did."

She looks up at me and I give her my best reassuring smile. I get lost in the depth of her eyes, both now a mixture of terror and excitement.

"He's gone," I repeat as I lean down, placing my lips against hers, thirsty again for that feeling. When it starts to become overbearing I pull back.

"Let's get you home," I tell her.

"Home," she says softly. "I like the sound of that."

We make it to the front of the hospital and I reach down, opening the passenger door for her. Sliding myself into driver's seat I start it up, pulling slowly out, the hospital getting smaller and smaller in the rear view mirror.