Ch. 14 Stay With Me

Kind of long but a lot happens.

 

Ch 15

Upon returning home to his condo, Kent fired all of the staff of maids, cooks, and gardeners and took about two hours cleaning the place himself. It was painstakingly mind numbing, but he felt better doing these things on his own, even if he did ruin two loads of laundry in the process.

Feeling exhausted from cleaning, he flopped down on his black leather sofa and flipped on the TV. It was three in the morning but he didn't want to go to sleep just yet. He was about to change the channel from the news to sports when he blinked upon seeing the familiar sight of apartments. Crappy apartments, the same ones Erica lived in. S**t why was this on the news, Kent thought to himself? He pressed down hard on the volume of the remote control so that the sound blasted.

"Less than an hour ago two of Shade View's residents were attacked, one brutally murdered pronounced dead on the scene. The intruder has not been identified, but is reported to have stolen several goods, including the tennants watch," the newscaster reported in front of the caution tape wrapped apartments.

"Who is it?" Kent shouted at the screen, immediately overcome by the image of Erica wearing his Superman watch.

"Names have not been released but police are still searching for the suspect-," Kent turned off the TV and stood up and began pacing back and forth trying to think of what to do.

Could she really be dead? Just like that? He knew he had to get there immediately, he knew he had to see what was going on even if it meant seeing something he didn't want to. He grabbed his keys and practically flew down the three flights of stairs, before he knew it he was speeding into the night in his Porsche hoping to God she was okay. The long drive was torture, and he tried to speed up even more without killing himself.

After running two red lights, he finally reached the apartment complex, and was blinded by all of the police lights, news reporters, and everyone else at the crime scene. He searched for a spot to park but there was absolutely nowhere to go, and he illegally parked halfway in the middle of the street. He looked around with a crowd of people standing outside, some in their pajamas who were obviously residents, and some who had crawled out of the bars just to see the scene. The whole complex was surrounded in caution tape and it looked like nobody could go in, so Erica had to be outside. Kent got out of the car and scanned everyone, but she was nowhere in sight.

"Okay everybody move out of the way!" someone ordered.

Kent sharply turned around to see two EMT's rolling a gurney, he cringed when he saw that it was covered, with a glimpse of blood stained feet poking out. They rolled the gurney down the steep stairs carefully as people got close as possible to check it out.

Kent sprinted up to them past the caution tape not caring, and immediately joined their side.

"Who is this? What is this persons name, you need to tell me!" he demanded.

"Son this is a crime scene, get back onto the curb right now!" the techinician ordered.

"At least tell me what unit it was," Kent pleaded.

"13 B, we can't give the name, now get out of the way."

13 B, 13 B, Kent racked his mind as he backed away. He couldn't remember her unit but he swore it was a 13, he just wasn't sure of the letter. He pulled at his hair trying to get his stupid brain to work, and felt heaviness in the pit of his stomach that it was the exact unit.

"Please," he tried again now running up to the ambulance they were loading the body into it, "Is it a girl? Is her name Erica?"

"Did you hear us the first time? We are not allowed to give the name!" the EMT repeated.

"I need to know!" Kent roared, causing everyone to stare.

"Do you want me to have an officer remove you?" the EMT hissed.

"If you give me a f*****g name I don't give a damn what you do!"

Just when he was about to uncover the damn sheet himself, he felt a soft grip around his shoulder, and swiftly turned around. All of the worry escaped out of him as he exhaled at the sight of Erica. In reaction he pulled her tightly to his chest and burried his head in her hair.

"Ah, thank God, thank God," he kept repeating. With his hands still around her waist, he took a step back to look at her to make sure she was really there in front of him, and not in a body bag.

Erica stared back at him expressionless, not even blinking. Her hair was all over the place and she shrunk away holding one of her arms that was covered in long sleeves.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded coldly.

"I saw the news and I just...came here," Kent replied still in relieved awe that she was okay, and didn't even notice she had backed away.

"Well I'm alive, you can go back home now," she proclaimed as she threw her hands up, then cringed and quickly hugged her arm again.

Before Kent could decipher why she was doing that, another medical techinician approached her interupting them.

"Ok, we just need to wrap up your arm and we'll be done, the stitches can be removed in a few weeks and you'll want to change the bandaid every few days," the woman led Erica to another ambulance car and had her sit on the edge of it's open door. She took out a first aid kit and began preparing the bandage.

"What the hell?" Kent asked following them. "What happened?"

"Go home Kent," Erica ordered as she walked away.

Ignoring her he came to her side, and watched as she took off her sweater. She squinted in pain at moving her arm and the nurse helped her remove the sweater, revealing her forearm which had a deep gash all the way around it. It had already been stitched up but it still looked terrible.

"So you were the one that got attacked," Kent breathed. He knew that feeling in his gut was right, he knew something bad had happened, and even though it should have been a relief that just her arm was injuired he began feeling enraged.

"It's kind of funny really. The burglar saw that my aparment was empty and broke in next door," Erica conveyed dryly.

"God he could have killed you. The dead guy was in 13 B, and you were in...,"

"13 C," Erica finished for him.

"Well where is this f**k? Why haven't they found him yet?" Kent yelled at no one in paticular.

"If you're worried about your watch don't be. It's upstairs, although no one is allowed back up yet," she said as the nurse tightly wrapped her arm in a bandage.

"Oh Jesus Erica I could give a f**k about the watch. I'm just glad you are okay, I-," somehow he was unable to finish the sentence. Until now he had totally forgotten about who was mad at who, about all the crap he said to her, but obviously she hadn't. She still seemed livid, and rightfully. But right now he couldn't think of what to say to fix it, he just wanted to comfort and hug her. Couldn't he skip all the apology bullshit? It wasn't that easy, and he realized that for once he wasn't getting what he wanted like he always seemed to.

"Alright, take care of that arm," the nurse said closing her First Aid kit.

"Is there anything I can take for the pain? Just anything?" Erica nearly begged.

Kent felt his heart twinge in his chest.

"No I'm sorry, you'd have to go to the hospital to get medicine. You can ride in the ambulance if you like?"

"I'll be okay," Erica nodded. Plus she knew those bills would rack up, and she certainly couldn't afford it.

"I can pay for it," Kent offered.

"No," Erica replied firmly. "I'll be fine."

She hopped out of the ambulance, walked past Kent and to an officer on the scene.

"When can we go back upstairs?" she asked tiredly.

"Not for another several hours, they are investigating the whole property."

"Oh alright, I'll wait" Erica sunk to the curb cradling her injured arm.

"What the f**k are you thinking? You can't go back up there," Kent exclaimed quickly catching up to her.

"Yes I damn well can! And I will! So just go home!" Erica shrieked.

"Are you stupid? He could come back and kill you. Why don't you just-hm, well why don't you just..."

"Just what?"

"Just stay with me."

"Stay with you?" Erica almost laughed. She looked up at him from her sitting position like he was a nutcase. "You are the biggest a*****e in Los Angeles. I'd rather take my chances with a burglar than be with you. I didn't ask you to come here, I don't need your little handouts, just go away!"

"It wouldn't be a handout, and you wouldn't have to be with me," Kent replied gently in an effort to calm her down. "I moved, you could be there by yourself, no a******s, no burglars."

"What do you mean?"

"I moved back to my old condo, my dads place is completely empty. You can stay there Erica, you can leave when you want and you don't have to feel afraid, it's safe."

"Oh yeah, cause its Malibu right? And nothing ever happens there, it's just perfect," Erica spat.

"No, thats not what I meant. You can just get a good nights rest there, I mean you can't even go back in for three hours right?"

Erica sat contemplating this. The last thing she wanted to do was take anything from Kent ever again. It gave him power, it made the things he said to her in the car the other day okay, but at the same time she was exhausted, and wanted nothing more than to just go to sleep, and she knew even Kent's couch was probably more comfortable than her little cot. Plus she had to get up early tomorrow.

"If I do this, do you promise to never hold this over my head? To never tell Marcus?"

"Yeah, I swear," Kent replied sincerely.

Erica reluctanly stood up and walked ahead of him towards the Porsche. She rolled her eyes at herself for doing this, but it wasn't like she had any another choice right now.

"Good," Kent nodded and followed her. He opened the cardoor for her and placed his hand on the small of her back, afraid she was going to break if she moved around too much.

"I can get in myself," Erica hissed.

Kent went around to the drivers seat, took one last look and feeling thankful as ever he started up the car. They drove in silence for a few minutes, but knowing it was at least a forty five minute drive to his fathers house Kent didn't want this awkwardness the whole time, plus he was genuinely concerned.

"How is your arm? We can stop in a drug store if you want."

"It's fine, I'll live."

A traffic light turned from yellow to red and Kent slowly approached the stop. He snuk a look at Erica, trying to glance at her through his peripheral vision but ended up turning all the way around without knowing it.

The moonlight subtly washed over his dark features and Erica couldn't help but notice his stare even through her intent focus straight ahead.

"What?" Erica finally exclaimed.

"I'm glad you are okay you know. I would never want anything to happen to you."

"I can't keep up with your moods, just save it Kent," she replied, staring out the window to avoid him, only to see his reflection in the glass. She saw his face droop in defeat, then the light went green.

Erica's eyes burned with exhaustion, and her head began to sway backwards. She promised herself she'd just close her eyes for a minute, and soon the sound of the wind blowing by the window became a blur.

Erica faintly heard the slam of a car door, and the opening of another, but she couldn't wake up enough to see if they were there yet. The scent of mint entered her nose and she felt her face fall against something firm yet comfortable. In order to see what was happening, she forced her eyes open and saw that they were already inside and she was being carried upstairs. She was in disbelief at how effortlessly he held her up. She stayed awake long enough to catch a glimpse of that beautiful black and white bedroom, but once he set her on the comfortable bed she became a goner.

All feeling was going away as she began dreaming. Even the soft touch of Kent's fingers smoothing out her hair wern't enough to keep her alert. Then suddenly, she felt a warm sensation, his lips brushing against her cheek and a very faint whisper of: "I'm sorry."

God she had to get up for this. Kent Whitlock actually apologizing? It was a historical event. Her eyes began to flutter open and the first thing she saw was his guilty face peering down at her.

"Did you just say what I think you said?" Erica asked dumbfounded.

"What? No! I thought you were asleep. Just forget about it!" Kent said through clenched teeth.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," she rolled her eyes and chuckeled.

"Did you also kiss me? Or did I just dream that?"

"Didn't happen," Kent crossed his arms over his chest and smiled mischeviously.

Feeling awkward he sat on the foot of the bed. His expression grew more serious and a wave of concentration washed over him.

"What is it?" Erica asked wondering why he was so pensive.

"I want you to stay here," Kent said decidedly. "It's safe here, unlike that shithole you live in."

She couldnt exactly argue that her place wasn't a shithole, but there was no way she was going to give in, not again.

"I can handle it."

"No you can't! Look you don't have to make a decision right now, but promise me you'll at least think about it?"

"Fine," Erica appeased him tiredly, and told herself she'd return home in the morning. She felt herself drift to sleep again, but with Kent still there it was difficult to completely fall asleep. The bed shifted as he stood up, and even though her eyes were closed, she could feel him coming closer. After what only seemed like a few minutes, she felt the same gentle kiss on forehead, and more light kisses across her temple, her hair, her shoulder, and her injured arm. Then she felt his hand grip hers tightly, and a firm, sincere kiss, placed on the top of her hand. Again, she had to wake up.

Kent's eyes slightly widened upon being caught. "Sorry, I thought you fell asleep again." he shook his head and began to pull away, but Erica took his hand back in hers and sat upright. With both hands she traced upward on the collar of his shirt and tugged him closer to her. All she wanted to do was fall into his arms and cry, and get the emotional craziness of the night out, but she couldn't stop staring at him. Why couldn't he be as beautiful inside? Or was he? She wanted to believe he was, but she didn't want to risk her heart again.

In an effort to cool her attraction she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for whatever was about to happen to just go ahead and happen. His face grew closer, and soon he was leaning his forehead against hers. She wondered if he was closing his eyes too. Even without kissing this felt wonderful. Suddenly, she felt him quickly pull away, his head, his body, everything. Alert, her eyes flew open and the room became filled with terrible sounding coughs. He was already at the other side of the room. One of his hands was pressed against the wall and the other clutching his side, his body bent forward. He coughed uncontrolably, and tried to apologize but was unable to make out the words.

"Are you okay?" Erica asked quickly standing up concerned.

"Yeah," Kent finally said, still trying to catch his breath.

"God, you are still sick! I told you that the other day!"

"No. Please lie back down, I'm going to go, stay as long as you'd like," Kent panted. Seeming embarassed he rushed out and Erica could still hear him coughing downstairs until the front door slammed shut.

Erica slowly climbed into the bed and laid back down like Kent had asked her to. Poor guy, she thought. Well at least she could finally rest, but for some reason, as tired as she was, she just couldn't seem to fall asleep.

Reviews

[ape domenigoni]

I love how everything's coming together, I can't wait! Great work. Hope you're writing more!

[Bud]

Looking forward to reading more! Your Talent is Amazing!

[LostInWonderland2014]

Please write more! Please write more soon! Soon soon soon! I want to read more soon!

[Nikki]

This was really good..I enjoyed reading it :)

[Kristen]

This was really amazing. It kept me interested and I was hooked from the first line. Im excited to read the next chapter and find out what will happen.

[LisetteCanWrite!]

This story is really good.. interesting.. compelling.. definitely look forward to the next chapter!! Keep up the great work!!! =)