Never the Same

Chapter 35

A week.

Another long, boring, almost depressing week more I have spent in the hospital all because Luca wanted to make sure I was fit enough to be at home. Dr. Watts was more than willing to let me go home four days ago but Luca was having none of it. He kept making a point to Dr. Watts that I wasn't eating or drinking enough, but I was. He just didn't see me doing so because he wasn't with me all the time and he wasn't around when the bins were being emptied with all the empty food packets.

I'm fine. I feel a lot better than I did, that's for sure. Dr. Watts even assured Luca that I was more than ready to be discharged by showing him the different test results that he ran on me when I was first admitted, to the ones he ran on me just yesterday. Both show a massive difference in my health from where it was to where it is now. It was only then that Luca took a step back and finally gave up with trying to keep me in hospital.

I can see where Luca is coming from with wanting to make sure I'm on the mend. I can see why he even had the security system in all his properties upgraded. I can even see why he hasn't actually brought Louisa to see me in the hospital which I do admit to being upset about, but knowing that I get to finally see her when we go home today makes up for it.

"Luca, don't you dare." My warning goes unheard as Luca lifts me into his arms as soon as he helps me out the back of the car and carries me towards the house. I squeal, mostly out of shock but also in a little bit of pain. "Luca, I can walk."

"With crutches," he reminds, walking up the stairs to the front door that's been opened for us.

"Still means that I can walk."

"Not well, though, and not for a couple more weeks until the pains in your arms and ribs subside completely."

"I'd still like to give them a go on my own."

"Whatever you say, baby." He carries me into the living room and sits me down on the couch, making sure my legs are laid out across it. He fluffs the cushion that's behind my back and moves another so it's under my legs so they're raised. "I'm here for a reason."

"So you keep telling me."

He crouches down next to me. "Do you need anything?"

"Other than for you to stop fussing over me, I don't think so."

"And that isn't going to happen anytime soon."

"Mr. Madden," Lyla interrupts suddenly, entering the living room with a small package and a set of keys, "this package came earlier and your new car was delivered yesterday. It's sitting in the garage for you."

Luca stands and accepts the package and the car keys. "Thanks, Lyla."

"Your father also wanted me to remind you of the meeting with your lawyers at one-thirty," she adds before walking out the room.

I reach out for Luca's left wrist and check the time on his simple, yet expensive, Chopard watch. I let his wrist go and sit back with a smug look on my face. "That starts in ten minutes." I point to his casual attire. "And you aren't dressed for it."

He smirks and shakes his head. "I didn't want you to crumple my shirt."

"Just admit that you forgot all about the meeting."

"On a different note," he says quickly, changing the subject, "I got you this."

He holds the box out to me. I take it and look it over.

"It's a new phone," he informs. "Thought you could be doing with a new one after Terence took your old one and the police took that after he was arrested."