Three Thousand Miles - Jealousy (book #2 of Three Thousand Miles Series)

  Three Thousand Miles- Jealousy

  Book two

  Of the Three Thousand Miles Series

  By

  Deila Longford

  2012

  Author contact

  Blog: http://deilalongoford.blogspot.co.uk/

  Email: [email protected]

  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Deila-longford/341582502598985

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeliaLongford

  Acknowledgements

  ~For my family~

  One

  I awake to blinding lights that my eyes cannot fully adjust to. I reach out my hands and feel that I am on some kind of bed. I shift around but I can hardly move. My legs feel numb but I can still feel them. My arms ache and the pain that I have in my lower abdomen is excruciating. I try again to open my eyes and this time I force myself to focus, I see that I am in a hospital room. The walls are white and there is a distinctive smell of chemicals –a smell I remember from the last time I was in hospital. I see that there is an empty seat sitting by my bedside. There is also a small table with a coffee cup on it and a black Chanel bag. I slowly and painfully slide myself up a little in the bed and I look over at the door, which is slightly closed. I can hear people talking out in the hallway, I cannot make out what they are saying but the voice is familiar to me. I wonder of how long I have been here. I take my mind back to the last thing I can remember. Michael and I were in the car and we were going to Columbia so that I could sit my exams. I close my eyes and Michael’s gorgeous face flashes in my mind, the roar of the Lamborghini’s engine I can still hear it now. The rate at which my heart was beating as Michael and I ran for our lives, I can still feel the sweat that pulsated my body. The long, thin-faced man that followed us until he shot us. I can still vividly see his cheeky wink that he gave before he pulled the trigger. I close my eyes and I can feel tears about to pour from them. From the guilt, I have for taking Michael with me that day. It was my fault that he was shot. If anything has happened to him, I will never forgive myself. I open my eyes and I see the door push back slightly I can hear a woman talk and I recognise that it is my mom. The door opens fully and I see her walk in, her face is gaunt and there is worry in her eyes. She is wearing black skinny jeans, a black sweater her hair is golden, and in a perfect bob, she has her sunglasses pushed back into her hair. As she looks at me, her tears begin to stream down her face.

  “Alanna, my dear!” she says as she rushes over to my bedside and gently hugs me. “Oh Alanna, how are you feeling?” I move my body slightly and the pain I feel is overwhelming, however, I do not want to alarm my mom so I say.

  “I am a little sore but I am fine,” she hugs me again and her tears have become worse.

  “Mom I am fine, please do not cry,” I say my voice is shallow and I grit my teeth trying to not show the pain.

  “Alanna, do you know what has happened to you?” My mom says as she moves slightly back from me. I sigh and say.

  “Yes I know that I was… shot,” tears again start to run down her face and her voice is shaken as she speaks.

  “It was a horrendous random attack and the police are trying their best to find the culprit but Alanna sweetie, I am not going to lie to you, the police think that the chances of finding however did this awful thing is slim-to-none,” she says. Nevertheless, I know who did this to me and I know the reason, however, there is no way I would ever tell my mom.

  “Mom is Michael okay?” She smiles at the sound of his name.

  “Yes he is fine he wasn’t as hurt as you were the doctors said that he saved your life!” My mom beams at her words.

  “Where is he?”

  “His father flew to New York and moved him into a private hospital I am not sure if he is still there.”

  “And what about Jackson,” my mom looks nervous as she considers her next words.

  “Sweetie, he didn’t make it,” I gasp in horror and I have to try hard to fight back my tears.

  “That’s awful,” is all that I manage to say. I cannot contemplate the fact that Jackson died because if me. I feel my heart beat double in speed and I can hardly breathe.

  “Mom how long have I been here?” She sighs and reaches into her black Chanel handbag to take out a tissue.

  “Today is Monday and you have been here three weeks today.”

  “I have been here so long was I asleep all that time?”

  “Sweetie you were badly injured you lost a lot of blood and you had to have emergency surgery to remove the bullet. The doctors thought it would be best for you to sleep for a while to give yourself time to heal.” I cannot take this in I feel the pain and it must be real.

  “Can you please go and get Adrian?” My mom’s face changes and she hesitates before she talks.

  “Sweetie, Adrian is not here.”

  “What? Where is he?” She moves closer to me and takes my hand.

  “Alanna he hasn’t been here since you were admitted no one has seen him we don’t know where he is,” I gasp and I feel that this cannot be true. He would not leave me he said he would never do anything to hurt me.

  “Mom, please tell me where he is!”

  “Alanna, I don’t know,” she says in a broken voice.

  “He was here in New York the day I was hurt. He was going to meet at college he wouldn’t just leave me!”

  “I don’t know what to tell you, he hasn’t been here, Alanna,” I shake my head this cannot be true.

  “Has he even called?”

  “He calls the hospital almost every day but no one knows where he is. He just asks if you are ok then he hangs up. Alanna, is there something you want to tell me about him?” I feel nervous and I fear that my mom knows something. “What could I tell you?” I say in a rattled voice.

  “Did he break up with you?”

  “No he was on his way to be with me he loves me. I don’t understand why he is not here, will you please get me my phone?”

  “No Alanna, you’re not up to that, I better go get the doctor you need to be checked over,” my mom says and walks out the door. I rest my head on the pillow and a gentle tear comes to my eye. I wish that Adrian were here and I cannot lose him he is my world.

  “Miss Hart how are you feeling,” the male doctor says as he enters the room with my mom by his side. I sit up straight and quickly wipe away my tears I look to him and say.

  “I am little sore but I am ok… I guess,”

  He walks over and takes my hand, he flips it and checks my pulse as he does I can’t help but stare at this doctor. He is gorgeous, so young his dark hair and eyes are beautiful, and I lose myself in the dark richness of his exotic skin. He smiles at me and says.

  “I know this must come as a shock to you but you are fine now. It will take a while longer for the pain to go away and I will give you some pills for that. However, you will have to do some physiotherapy, it was quite an impact and your muscles have weakened but I have every belief that you will live a long, healthy life. It will just take some time to get you back to the way you were.”

  I smile at him and I say

  “How much longer do I have to stay here?” He laughs as he replies.

  “A while longer, I am afraid,” I sigh and he writes down something on his clipboard.

  “Do you think it would be ok if I had my phone?” I say in a sweet voice but before he gets the chance to answer, my mom interrupts.

  “Now Alanna let’s not try to do too much, too fast, you need time to rest.” I don’t look at her I know she is only doing this because she doesn’t want m
e to call Adrian. I look to the doctor, he sees the look of despair on my face he stares into my eyes, and I stare back, he begins to talk in a soft but masculine voice.

  “Miss Hart, please rest, now I will send in the nurse to check you over again, goodbye for now.” He says and I feel that he is a little uneasy he walks very fast out of the door until he is out of sight. My mom walks over to a dark grey closet at the opposite side of my bed and opens it with a key. She takes out a fresh nightdress and my wash bag. She walks over and lays them on top of the bed.

  “Darling I am so happy that you are ok, I have never been so scared in my life!” I look to my mom and I wonder if Adrian was scared, does he even care about me anymore? I cannot think of all the possibilities and my heart aches as I realize that he may be gone for good.

  The nurse, called Melissa, is now in the room she has poked and pulled at me in every way. She has slid me out of the bed and I am now sitting on the edge.

  “Miss Hart it’s very important for you to move around you need to familiarise yourself with the way you used to move so in your own time please try to stand up,” my heart races.

  “What if I can’t do it?”

  “Then don’t worry it’s your first time trying so don’t be too disappointed if it doesn’t work the first time.” I look to her as I put my hands at either side of me. I push down on them and try to force my legs to lift me up. I feel pressure and pain coming from my abdomen, I do not want to fail, I want out of here as quickly as possible. I try this time with more power and I start to rise up and again the pain I have is excruciating but I look past the pain and I stand fully up.

  “Oh Alanna,” my mom shouts as I stand there looking at her and the nurse.

  “Now miss Hart do you think you can walk?” I nod to her and I start to put one foot in front of the other. I walk about half a step and I stop.

  “What’s wrong?” Melissa says,

  “It is sore when I try to move”

  “Can you sit back down, I will get the pills”

  “No, I will stand if that’s ok?” She nods to me and gets me two little white pills and a small glass of water. I hand the glass back to her and again try to walk. I close my eyes slightly and I grit my teeth from the pain. I move slowly across the room and I turn and walk back.

  “You are doing great miss,” Melissa says with a smile. I look over at her and my mom and at how they look so happy and at the same time, I feel so sad.

  I manage to go the bathroom and brush my teeth Melissa helped me change into the new nightdress. She walks me back over to the bed and I climb in.

  “Would you like some lunch?” she says as she hands me a menu.

  “Yes, that would be great.” I select some food and the nurse heads out of the room leaving me alone again with my mom.

  “You did very well today Alanna I am proud of you!” I smile at her.

  “Mom how is Dad and Penelope? Have they been here?”

  “Yes sweetie, but your dad is away on a business trip and your aunt Melanie has Penelope. They miss you and your father has called every day since he’s been away.” She says proudly.

  “Where has Dad gone this time?” My mom pauses before she answers.

  “Sweetie he is in London,” I gasp, as perhaps my dad knows where Adrian is.

  “Mom how long has he been away?”

  “A few days, he won’t be back until Friday.”

  “Do you know who his meetings are with?”

  “No darling, you know I don’t get into the business side of things.” My mom really is no help and I need my phone. If I cannot get Adrian to talk to me then maybe Michael will.

  “Has Michael called lately?”

  “No, he hasn’t I have not heard from him since he left this hospital. You know I owe everything to him.”

  “Yes mom but do you know anything about where Adrian might be?” She exhales and I can see she is getting a little annoyed.

  “Alanna I have already told you I don’t know anything. Anyway, maybe it’s better this way.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Maybe you should take this time to break free of him,” I cannot believe what she is saying she has no idea how much I love him.

  “Mom I don’t want to break from him I love him and he feels the same way, I can’t be without him!”

  “If he cares, then why isn’t he here with you?” She says in a very harsh tone. I am surprised at how she is acting I never thought that she would feel this way about Adrian.

  “I can’t think of a reason why he is not here but I now there must be one or he would be.”

  “Alanna you can’t base your life around him you need to be who you are and you certainly don’t need him to define you.”

  “But I love him you don’t understand!”

  “Then tell me how you feel! I know he is a stunning guy but please tell me there is more to him than that!”

  “Yes there is more: I am not shallow it’s not just his looks that I see!”

  “Then what do you see?”

  “I see his kindness and his vulnerability. I see how he loves me and how I am the air that he breathes. He is the first person that I have met that does not care about material things. He is not out to show off he is not that sort of person and I am completely besotted with him!” I fight back a tear as I think of his face, his glowing green eyes, his light chocolate hair, his smirk and the way he raises his thick dark eyebrows when he talks. The way he looks at me and calls me baby. “I don’t know what to say it seems that he wants to distance himself from you. Do you know why he would do that?” Yes, I know why: he feels guilty now that I have been hurt and he tried so hard to protect me but he could not - is what I want to say but instead.

  “The only thing I can think of is Michael,” my mom again smiles at sound of Michael’s name and I think that maybe she has a little thing for him!

  “Alanna it’s obvious that Michael cares for you, does Adrian know how Michael feels?”

  “Yes, he knows I have tried to explain to him that I love him and not Michael. But he always has doubts about everything he does and I feel that could be the only reason he has stayed away.”

  “Adrian maybe feels jealous that it was Michael that took the bullet for you and not him.” I sit up further in the bed and my mind dashes full of thoughts about Adrian. What if he thinks that I blame him for what happened? What if he thinks that I don’t want him here with me? I cannot bear this I need to contact him.

  “Mom I know you want me to rest but I can assure you that I won’t do that until you give me my phone.” She sighs as she takes the closet key from her pocket. She stands up and walks over to the closet, she opens it and starts to pick through the clutter that is inside. Finally, she comes back over to me and in her hand; she has my iPhone and my white Blackberry. Before she gives me them, she takes my hand.

  “Alanna, if he doesn’t come back to you then he is not worth it. Promise me that if he doesn’t respond you will forget him and move on.” I want my phone so desperately that I agree to what she says.

  “I have to go now sweetie, is there anything I can bring you?”

  “No, I am fine will you be back later?”

  “Yes around five,” she kisses me on the forehead while she lifts her handbag from the table. She walks over to the door and smiles back at me as she heads out of the room.

  When she is gone, I switch on the blackberry first and wait impatiently as it loads. When the screen comes on, I immediately check to see if there are any missed calls but there are none. I also check my texts but again there are none. I load my emails and sign in to find that I have over one hundred unread messages. I quickly scroll through them to see that I have a message from everyone except Adrian! My heart breaks as I come to fact that he has not contacted me. My stomach aches from the pain but the agony I feel about losing Adrian is far superior. I go out of my emails and into the call log; I seek out Adrian’s number and push send. I hold the phone to my ear as it rings and I hop
e for my sanity that he answers. The phone rings constantly but he does not answer. I hang up and try again but still no answer. After ten missed calls, I decide to text him instead. I quickly click on the message tab and I compose a text to Adrian,

  Adrian I have tried to call you but you do not answer. I am worried why you are not here with me. The last time we spoke, you were here in New York and I cannot tell you how happy that made me. I want you to know that I am going to be fine and I do not blame you for this in anyway. I miss you and I need you please Adrian let me know that you are safe and that you still love me. I will not live without you, as you are my world. I love you and I will wait for your call all my love Alanna!

  As I hit send, I cannot hold back my tears, they are flowing freely down my face, and I sob for what seems like hours. My tears finally stop and I pull myself up into the bed. I go back into my emails but there is none from Adrian. Thinking of my friends and of how worried they must be I open an email from Sophie to read,

  Alanna I am so worried about you, I have been to your bedside every day and I cannot wait to hear your voice again. Everyone is wishing for you to get well soon. We all miss you and we are all waiting for you to get better and start to boss us around again!

  Instead of replying to Sophie’s email, I decide that I will call her. She obviously does not know that I have woken up and I want to hear her voice I also feel that maybe she could know where Adrian is.

  “Hello Alanna!” Sophie says and her voice is loud and gleeful.

  “Yes Sophie it’s me.”

  “Oh Alanna I am so relieved that you are okay, you are ok aren’t you?”

  “Yes I am fine, a bit sore but I’m good.”

  “I am so glad to hear your voice I can’t believe what happened to you.”

  “I know it was awful. Sophie, have you heard from Adrian?”

  “Alanna, it was more than awful I thought you were going to die!”

  “But I didn’t I am fine and we have to move on from it now.”