Groaning, I wiggle in my seat as Sebastian starts to laugh.
“The hospital is coming up. As soon as we get in there you are going to get checked out, okay? Then we’ll go and sit with our family.”
Sebastian starts to turn into the hospital parking lot when it dawns on me that he said ‘our family.’ He chuckles when he notices the look on my face.
“Carla, they are ‘our’ family. Even if there was nothing happening between the two of us, they would still be ‘our’ family. Don’t you realize Mom has fallen for you? On the days when you’ve gotten out of going to their place for dinner with Ramon, she always fusses about you not being there.” He laughs. “Ramon has taken some nagging because of you.”
“He never said anything.” Why wouldn’t he have told me? I only avoided going because it was one of the days I was feeling down about my brother and I didn’t think I could handle seeing Sebastian.
“Don’t worry. It was fun watching him squirm and trying to explain without really giving anything away.” He jumps out of the SUV and runs round to my door. Opening it he reaches in and takes hold of my hand. “Ramon is brilliant at getting around Mom and when we were kids, he was the one who we always nominated to ask permission for things. Because he always had an answer for everything.” He chuckles. “Now on that note, let’s get you checked out before we go and find out what’s happening to Lily.”
Chapter 28
Sebastian
I can’t take my eyes off Carla, who has been in deep conversation with my mom ever since we arrived on the maternity floor.
I’d had to bully her a bit when she’d seen the doctor because she refused the scan they had wanted to do for checking there was no internal bleeding. Pulling some strings, I managed to get the scan done within fifteen minutes of her finally agreeing to it. In the past I’ve never used my wealth to get what I wanted, but on this occasion for my woman I pulled out all the stops and connections I had to get everything moving.
At least we know there is no internal damage when she was restrained by the seatbelt and the air bag exploded in her face.
She has bruising, mainly under her clothes apart from a black eye, which has been forming since the accident. Seeing her all bruised when the doctor examined her made me want to go out and hunt the fucking bastard down and show him what happens when he messes with my girl.
“What the hell are you thinking about with that look on your face?” Ruben nudges me as he stands beside me in the waiting room having only just arrived.
“The fucker who hurt Carla.” I glance to him before looking back to her. “He’s going to pay for what he’s done to her in the past and before he can harm her again.”
“You love her.”
It isn’t a question – it’s a statement so I say nothing.
“Let me know if you need any help. Any help at all. You got me?” Serious Ruben doesn’t appear all that often, but he’s out in force as he speaks to me. “I know what it’s like to want to protect someone from threats that you have no idea which direction the next one’s going to come from.”
I frown listening to him, having no idea what the hell he’s talking about. When has he ever been in this kind of situation? I know he has problems asking for help, but surely he wouldn’t handle something like this on his own, at least I hope he wouldn’t.
Before I can ask him about it, Ramon comes running into the waiting area, looks around and spotting Carla getting to her feet, walks over and pulls her into his arms.
I can hear her sniffling into Ramon’s shoulder as he holds her tight. Standing against the wall, near the window, I can’t help the surge of jealousy that runs through me. Fighting it back, I try and stay put, but my feet have a mind of their own and I find myself standing next to them with my hand rubbing up and down Carla’s back to try and calm her down.
Ramon meets my eyes above Carla’s head as she pulls away. I don’t waste any time by pulling her straight into my side and placing a kiss to her head.
“Don’t worry brother. I know whose woman she is, but just remember she’s like a sister to me and I’ll beat the crap out of anyone who hurts her. And that includes you.”
Carla gasps beside me, but I know where Ramon is coming from. He knows my past history with women and my preference for one-night stands. A part of me wishes he could see my thoughts so he’d know just how much I’m in love with her, and part of me is relieved he can’t considering the thoughts that I have buried, about what I want and intend to do to her when she’s recovered.
I also need to get the image of Carla’s hands rubbing up and down my groin out of my damn head. If she hadn’t been injured and it had been dark, I might have pulled off the road because I’d wanted her mouth wrapped around me so damn badly.