Just an Illusion - The B Side Page 3

  “It is a mighty fine ass,” Noah quips, making us all laugh.

  After they step into the hall, I gather my gown around me and make my way into the bathroom. At least the last time they came in to check my vitals they removed that stupid IV, so moving around is much easier.

  After relieving myself and washing my hands, I go to Noah’s bed and climb in with him. He scoots to the side and wraps his arm around me, hissing with the movement. “Noah, it’s okay, I’ll go back to my bed. You really should stay still if you can.”

  “The hell I will. I might not be able to do much, but if I have to lie in bed for a week or more, I’m going to at least be able to put my arms around my girl.”

  “Okay,” I reply, kissing him softly before reaching across the table and grabbing my phone. It only takes a second for them to come back in after I text Sawyer it’s okay.

  “It’s bad, isn’t it?” Noah questions after Sawyer and Wyatt perch themselves on my bed.

  “It depends on your definition of bad,” Wyatt answers truthfully.

  “What’s the last thing you remember?” Sawyer asks.

  “Leaving the club with everyone. Mac and Ryan were checking the cars. After that, it’s all a blur.”

  “We left. Me, J, and Mac. The cars were clear.”

  I pick up where Sawyer leaves off. “There was someone screaming. Ryan told us to get in the car and call 911 while he went to check it out. You had me climb in first, and you were right behind me, but then …” I’m choked up even thinking about it.

  “Then what?” Noah presses.

  “Then she hit you on the back of the head with a gun. Split your head wide open and knocked you out cold.” I absolutely hate having to tell him this.

  “Sara?” he whispers as he clutches me tightly.

  “Yeah, it was Sara,” I confirm.

  “Crazy bitch left you on the ground bleeding out.” Sawyer picks up my slack and continues the story. “She had Princess at gunpoint when we got back. Ryan hit the panic button as soon as the screaming started, so we turned around and came back. Sara was …”

  “What, Sawyer?” Noah pleads.

  “Damn, Noah, she was insane. She was about to kill her. Her finger was on the trigger, and the gun was pressed against Princesse’s head. I thought we were too late. I thought we were going to lose you both.” Sawyer takes a deep breath and moves to the window overlooking the city below. When he turns around, anger flashes in his eyes.

  “She was almost successful. If Mac hadn’t taken the only shot he could get, this would be a different conversation. Even so, it was a long few minutes before we knew if Princess was okay. There was so much blood.”

  Noah trembles against me as he begins to understand what Sawyer went through last night. Not only because of Sara but because of his past.

  Sawyer continues, “After Mac shot Sara, her body flew into Princess with such force. There was so much blood everywhere. I had to get inside the car and pull Sara off her just to make sure she was alive.”

  Noah grips me even tighter, but I still feel him shaking. “I’m okay, though. Just a superficial gunshot wound. It’s my battle scar,” I say, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

  “And Sara?” he asks tightly.

  “She’s gone, Noah. I’m so sorry.”

  Sawyer and Wyatt throw daggers at me with their eyes, and Noah exhales on a sob. He pulls me closer and kisses the top of my head repeatedly. “Don’t you ever be sorry for living, Mel. If it weren’t for me, you’d have never been put in that situation.”

  “Fuck no. Don’t put that shit on yourself. Sara’s death is Sara’s fault. That bitch was crazy, and the tragedy here is she never got the help she needed before she died. But this isn’t something either of you could have prevented.”

  “What he said,” Wyatt agrees, pointing to Sawyer.

  There’s a knock at the door and Dr. Martin comes inside.

  “Noah, you’re looking a bit better this morning. How’s the head?”

  “Hurts but I’ll live.”

  Dr. Martin smiles wide. “You sure will, which is a good thing because I need someone to feed me next Thanksgiving.”

  Noah chuckles. “I’ve got your back, don’t worry.”

  “I have some good news, Ms. Greyson. We received all the labs back from the deceased, and her blood is clear of any infectious diseases and STIs. You won’t need any long-term antibiotic therapy or drug protocols. You got lucky.”

  “I don’t understand,” Noah says, confused. Dr. Martin looks to Sawyer, realizing he may have said more than he should have.

  “When Sara was shot, we were inches apart. Her body slammed into mine, that’s how I got the bullet wound. Her blood basically drained out of her onto me. Until Sawyer got her off.” I spare him the details about my eyes. He doesn’t need to know any of that.

  “Motherfucker.”

  I’m not sure I’ve ever heard Noah use that word in anger before, but I guess it’s appropriate for the circumstances.

  Dr. Martin tries to ease the tense atmosphere. “I’ve written out all your discharge instructions and went over them with your parents and Sawyer this morning. I gave Amelia a breakdown of them last night. If you have any questions, you know how to reach me. Someone from psych will be down to ask you each a few quick exit questions and then you’ll be free to go home. Noah, you’ll need to follow up with a doctor or neurologist in the next week, but if you need anything in the meantime, you know how to reach me.”

  “Thanks, Dr. Martin.”

  “Always a pleasure, Noah, but next time let’s keep you out of my ER, okay?”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Dr. Martin turns back to me. “Ms. Greyson, do you have any questions?”

  “No, Dr. Martin, but thank you.”

  With a nod and a smile, he pats Noah on the leg and makes his exit.

  “Sawyer, get Mel some fucking clothes and get us out of here. I’m done. Do whatever you have to do and get us the fuck out of here.”

  Wyatt and Sawyer exchange concerned glances. I’ve never heard Noah talk like that to anyone except Sawyer the night he did drugs.

  “Mom’s got clothes for you both out in the hall,” Sawyer replies softly, obviously unsure how to deal with Noah’s mood.

  “I’ll get them,” Wyatt offers, and pops out into the hall.

  “It’s going to be okay, Noah,” I try reassuring him, but he shrugs me off.

  “None of this is even close to being okay, Mel. Not by a longshot.”

  When Wyatt brings the clothes back in, he and Sawyer leave quickly so we can get changed. Noah hisses as he tries to sit up.

  “Here, let me help you.” I offer him my hand, and he looks up at me with tear-filled eyes.

  “I should be helping you, not the other way around. I fucking failed you last night. I’m so sorry.” Noah’s shoulders shake with uncontrolled sobs, breaking my heart. Crouching in front of him, I lift his head and cup it in my hands, carefully avoiding his bruise.

  “Don’t do this, Noah. You could never fail me. You pushed me into the car, you covered me with your body, protected me from what was coming, even if you didn’t know it. This isn’t your failure, Noah, it’s just something that happened. We’re still here and we’re okay. A little worse for the wear, but both alive. Don’t use this as an opportunity to push me away. Not after I bared my heart to you last night.”

  Pressing our lips together softly, I use my thumbs to wipe away his frustrated tears. I’ve never seen him like this. I know the doctor said he could be emotional, and I’ve got all the patience in the world for this man. “I love you, Noah, and we’ll handle this together. Let’s just get home, okay?”

  He presses his lips against mine and hugs me close. I’m trying to not lose my balance as I let go of his face and reach around his waist to hug him back.

  Belle’s Post-Shooting Update

  Slammers!

  It’s your
girl Belle with your latest update on Noah and Mel. As you’re well aware by now, Noah Weston and Amelia Greyson, were in an altercation last night, along with their bodyguard Ryan Goodall. Thankfully, they’re all going to be fine with some TLC.

  As you may have already heard, there was also a fatality at the scene. The identity of the person is being withheld until their family is notified, but rest assured it is not a member of BAD or anyone from their family or crew.

  I’ll give you more updates as they’re available, but please take a few moments today to hug your loved ones tightly. Crazy things happen in this world, and none of us are exempt from them.

  Live today like there’s no tomorrow.

  Xs and Os

  Belle

  We’re In This Together

  When we left the hospital, Sawyer and Wyatt pushed our wheelchairs side-by-side while Noah and I held hands the whole way to the car. Times like these are when I really hate the media. As soon as we’re pushed outside, paparazzi and fans are screaming, yelling, and crying as they try to get Noah’s attention. Poor guy is wincing like crazy. Can’t they tell he’s in pain?

  Noah is one of the most generous celebrities I’ve ever met. He never has an issue talking to fans or stopping for selfies or autographs. He might be ready to live his life, but he knows he owes his success to the people who buy his albums, and he’s never once acted above them. But today, for the first time in all this madness, I find myself wishing they would just leave him alone.

  A few reporters are trying to get my attention because I’m a story now, too, but I’m good at ignoring them—I have for years—and the only person I want to give a statement to has a direct line to BAD’s fan base at her fingertips. After security ushers us safely into the car and we pull away from the hospital, Noah releases a loud sigh of relief.

  “Police escorts?” I say to no one in particular as I notice them all around us.

  “After last night, they want to be sure you get home safe. I’m sure they’d like a statement, too, but Tony is waiting at the house to make sure that doesn’t happen until you’re ready,” Sawyer answers as he drives.

  “Why are you driving?”

  “You’re just full of questions, huh, Princess?” I catch his smirk in the rearview mirror, but he schools it quickly. “Mac and Ryan wanted to be here, but I told them to wait at the house. They both feel bad and they’ve been through a lot.”

  Noah squeezes my hand with a sad look on his face. I didn’t really think about the fact Mac killed someone last night—someone he actually knew and spent time with, even if she was crazy.

  “Do they have families? Mac and Ryan?” I don’t know why I’m suddenly so chatty, but I feel like conversation is important right now.

  “Not locally. Mac’s family is in Washington, and Ryan’s is in Arizona. Both of them have been with us for years, and I think they’re looking forward to having some downtime to date and stabilize their lives a bit,” Wyatt answers.

  “Are they going to be out of a job?” My high-pitched tone makes even Noah chuckle lightly.

  He brings my hand to his lips and kisses it tenderly. “No, babe, we’ll still need security even if we’re not touring. They’ve agreed to stay with us for the immediate future.”

  Knowing they’ll be around makes me feel much better. That was one of the worst things about losing my dad: knowing everyone was out of a job.

  “Penny for your thoughts?” Noah says softly, and I shake myself out of my funk.

  “They’re not worth that much.”

  He squeezes my hand tighter. “They’re worth a million times that. Come on, Mel, tell me what you’re thinking.”

  “I was just remembering how after my dad died the staff and crew were all suddenly out of work. I felt awful and made sure they were all paid for a full year.”

  “That was generous.”

  This topic is not my favorite; I’m going to get choked up if we keep talking about it. “No, it was necessary. They were family and they lost their patriarch. It was hard on everyone.”

  The car is suddenly quiet but not uncomfortably so. I enjoy the silence before we get back to the house and are bombarded with well wishes and questions. Sooner than I’d hoped for, Sawyer turns the car up the drive and he and Wyatt help us out of the car. I’m fine, I don’t need help, but I accept it hoping Noah will be as gracious.

  Tony is waiting on the front porch and when he sees the detective behind us step out of his car, he jumps into action. Tony walks briskly to the detective’s car, engaging him in conversation. I’m beginning to see Tony is worth his weight in gold.

  “You’re here!” Karen exclaims happily with fresh tears running down her cheeks.

  “Shh, Mom, my head,” Noah tells her as he hugs her tightly. Rory, Diane, Owen, Mac, and Ryan are all sitting at the table, and they look exhausted. Belle, Darren, Anna, and Eli are all on the couch.

  “Eli? What are you doing here?”

  He rises and walks over to me, pulling me into his warm embrace. “I just got you back into my life and you almost get yourself killed. Where else would I be? Did you tell him?”

  Eli being here makes this whole thing real. It suddenly hits me how lucky we were last night. My tears begin to fall as I hug him back. “Yeah, I did, and I should thank you for pushing me. If last night had gone differently …”

  “Shh, it didn’t, and that’s all that matters. Noah, how are you feeling?” Eli asks as he steps back and Noah slides his arm around my waist.

  “I’ve seen better days, but I’ll live. Thanks for coming, I know it means a lot to Mel.”

  Eli shoves his hands in his pockets and shrugs; he looks so much like the teenage boy I fell in love with in this moment. “I’m just hoping for a fresh slate for all of us from here on out. I’ve missed my best friend.”

  Noah releases me and extends his hand to Eli in a warm gesture of friendship. “You’re welcome anytime.” After Eli and Noah shake hands, Noah turns to the group. “Look, I know you’re all here because you love us and you were worried about us, but we’re fine. I do want to go lie down and talk to Mel for a bit. We can catch you all up on details later. Ryan, Mac, will you come to my room with us for a minute?”

  Mac and Ryan both wear impenetrable gazes, I’ve got no idea what they must be thinking or what Noah wants to talk to them about. Noah leads the way and kicks off his shoes the second he crosses the threshold into his room. Our room. I need to get used to that.

  “Boss, I’m so sorry,” Ryan begins with remorseful eyes.

  “Stop. Don’t even go there. I wanted a minute alone with you both to let you know how much I appreciate you putting your lives on the line for us. Last night was a situation we should have never been in. Both of you went above and beyond the call of duty, and I appreciate it more than you could ever know.”

  “But boss, if I wouldn’t have left you, she wouldn’t have gotten to you,” Ryan counters, clearly upset by the evening’s events.

  “Or she would have gotten to you first. She caught us all off guard and we all fell into her trap. What if that hadn’t been Sara’s friends? What if some girl was being raped and murdered over behind that dumpster and we all ignored it out of fear for our own safety? I don’t know about you, but I’d feel pretty fucking shitty about that.”

  God, I love this man.

  “Now, stop feeling guilty. You’re both getting raises. Sara isn’t a threat anymore and while I’m out of commission, I want you both to take some time off. Especially you, Mac. Where’s your head at after what happened last night?”

  Mac looks him square in the eye, but his stoic expression never falters. “I did what I had to do. It’s part of the job. Would I rather not have it on my conscience? Sure. But I’d do it again in a heartbeat. She was seconds away from killing Mel.”

  Noah pulls out two business cards from his pocket and hands one to each man. “Dr. Martin recommends this therapist. I’ll take care of the bill
, but you both need to go see her at least once, or as many times as you need to be okay with what happened. It’s not a suggestion, either. I want a note from her stating you saw her and you’re cleared for duty.”

  With mutual nods of understanding, they both turn to leave.

  “Guys, wait,” I call out behind them, and they turn back around. First, I pull Ryan into a quick hug. “Thank you.” Tears flood my eyes as he squeezes me back and when I hug Mac, they’re streaming down my cheeks. “You saved our lives last night … somehow thank you doesn’t seem like enough.”

  Mac clears his throat while hugging me back. “It’s more than enough. The fact you’re here to tell the tale is everything. I feel bad about Sara, but I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if something had happened to either of you,” he manages to say over the lump in his throat.

  When they leave, Noah releases an exhausted sigh. “Lay with me?”

  As if I’d deny him.

  “Can I get you anything first?” I ask as I kick off my shoes.

  “Right now, I just need you in my arms.”

  After Noah makes himself comfortable, I climb into bed and wrap my arms around him. Noah’s fingers glide through my hair as we lay together in silence. When Noah looks up at me with tears streaming down his cheeks, my heart breaks into a million pieces.

  “Talk to me, Noah,” I plead with him softly, staying mindful of his headache. He reminds me of a wounded child the way he clings to me and cries. I wish I could take all his pain away.

  “I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel,” he finally admits as his eyes meet mine. “I’m relieved we’re alive, I’m so happy you weren’t hurt more than you were, I’m pissed at Sara, but even worse, I’m sad she’s gone and I don’t know how to process that fact.”

  “Maybe you just have to let it sink in. You’re injured and your emotions are all over the place right now. But Noah, no matter what, you cared about her once, and even though she ended up having issues, you’re allowed to grieve no matter what anyone thinks.”