Chapter 9: Chapter 9

ODETTE

I woke up to pounding on the front door. Groaning, I got up, trying not to jar my head too much. Wren wasn’t home, so I had no choice but to answer it.

“I’m coming. Stop knocking,” I yelled.

Swinging the door open, I glared at the person behind all the noise.

“Why are you here so early?” I asked angrily.

Reece had promised to come by and take me to get my car.

“It’s not early. It’s ten in the morning. You have a pretty nasty hangover, don’t you?” he asked.

“Just a headache,” I lied.

“Have you had anything to eat?” Reece asked.

“No.”

“Go shower, and I’ll make you some breakfast. You’ll feel better once you’re clean and fed,” he suggested.

“I’m not a dog,” I snapped. I wasn’t sure why his statement annoyed me as much as it did.

Reece laughed at me. “Are you always this grouchy in the morning, or is it just the hangover?” he joked.

“Just shut up and cook,” I demanded.

Reece went toward the kitchen as I headed down the hall to the bathroom.

The shower felt amazing. It was so amazing I found myself trying to fall back to sleep, so after I washed my body and hair, I decided I needed to get out.

There were a few things I was embarrassed by in my life. One was my last relationship, and the second one happened just now.

My brother’s guest tub was higher than most are used to because it was made to soak in. So, when I went to step out of the tub to grab a towel, I didn’t clear the tub like I thought I did. My foot caught the side of it, causing me to trip. I tried to grab the shower curtain, but that didn’t work either. The next thing I remembered was lying on the bathroom floor with a shower rod and curtain lying on me while Reece was yelling through the door, asking if I was okay.

I must have hit my head because there was blood coming out of my forehead and onto the floor.

“I’m going to break this door if you don’t answer me… Odette?… I’m coming in,” Reece yelled.

Reece broke the door open and made his way in.

“Are you okay?” he asked in a panic.

“Give me a minute. Could you turn around?” I asked.

I didn’t want him to see me naked.

“No, if you want to get up, I’m going to help you.” He did just that. He helped me up without hesitation while I pulled the curtain around me.

“Your head is bleeding badly. I’m going to take you to the hospital. Here, hold this on your head. I’ll get you some clothes, and then we can leave,” he stated.

My head was feeling foggy, and I felt like I was going to throw up.

“I don’t feel good,” I told Reece as he came back in.

“You probably have a concussion. I’m assuming you hit your head on the counter as you fell. Here are your clothes. Do you need help?”

“Just make sure I don’t fall over,” I pleaded.

For him to make sure I didn’t fall over, he would have to look, but he was nice enough to only look at my face. He brought underwear and a bra, but I wasn’t going to bother with the bra. I put the shirt on first and then bent over to put on the underwear and shorts he got me.

“This is so embarrassing,” I mumbled.

“Why?” he asked.

“Who falls in the shower?” I said as I felt my face flush.

“You,” he joked.

“Don’t be funny, Reece. I’m serious.”

“There is nothing to be embarrassed by. Do you need help walking?”

“I’m a bit dizzy, so I may need help,” I stated.

“I’ll hold on to you while we walk. Make sure you keep the rag pressed on your head. It looks like you hit it hard.”

“Can you text Wren? He’ll be home soon, and I don’t want him to freak out when he sees the bathroom.” I was worried about what he would think happened if he saw the blood on the floor and the shower rod and curtain on the floor.

“When we get to the hospital, I will.”

Reece’s driving made my stomach more upset. He was driving over the speed limit and passing cars. I think we made it to the other side of town in record time.

We walked to the check-in area. Reece ensured I was taken care of and was in the back with the doctor in no time.

“How are you feeling, Ms. Hart?” the doctor asked.

“Fine. My head hurts, and my stomach is upset, but that’s it.”

“All right, let’s take a look.”

He had me remove the rag and poked around the wound a bit.

“You’ll need a few stitches, so we’ll get you cleaned up and stitched. Then we’ll want a scan to make sure there isn’t any trauma to your brain.”

“I came with someone. Can I have him back here with me?” I asked.

“Sure, tell the nurse his name, and she’ll go get him.”

After she got the doctor, the nurse left to get Reece for me.

“I’m afraid of needles,” I admitted to Reece.

Reece let out a laugh.

“Do you want me to hold your hand?”

“I know you’re joking, but yes, I do.”

Reece walked over to me and grabbed my hand.

“Better?” he asked.

“Much.” It was the truth. I felt calmer with him nearby. I didn’t feel as on edge with his hand in mine.

“All right, let’s get you stitched up,” the doctor said as he sat in his chair.

The doctor rolled his chair to me and cleaned the cut on my head.

“You may feel some pricks,” he warned.

Overall, it wasn’t too bad, and it only took a few minutes. Reece held my hand the entire time.

“You’ll have to go back to the waiting area while we take her for some scans,” the nurse informed Reece.

“That’s fine,” he told the nurse. Then he looked at me. “Winston is on his way.”

When Reece left the room, the atmosphere felt like it had changed and become dark with his absence. That feeling scared me. It meant he had the power to hurt me, and I didn’t want anyone to have that kind of power again.