Page 1 of Reckless Kisses
Chapter :: Chapter One
Knox
“Why don’t you discharge me this evening?I feel perfectly fine.”I gave the blonde doctor one of my charming smiles.Usually, it got me exactly what I wanted, but from the way she raised her brow, it clearly wasn’t going to work on her.
I was feeling dizzy and out of sorts but was still hoping I could get the hell out of here soon.
“Mr.Sterling, you’ve been in an automobile accident.As I told you, we’re still waiting on some test results.You’re my patient.I decide when you go home, and it won’t be tonight.”
I dropped my head back on the pillow as a wave of nausea hit.The hospital bed wasn’t very comfortable, and I basically felt like shit.
“All right.It was worth a try.But doesn’t the fact that I’m exceedingly charming tell you that I feel fine?”I grinned.
She narrowed her eyes.“We have to rule out internal bleeding and a serious concussion.Those can show up hours after an accident.”
I sighed.“Okay, fine.How long are visiting hours?”My family was blowing up my phone, asking when they could come by.
“Until 10:00 p.m.”
“Perfect.Thank you.”
“If there’s anything else you need, press the red button.”
After she left, I grabbed my phone that was lying on the tray table, the movement almost making me puke.After settling myself, I looked at the screen, and the image blurred in front of my eyes.I had to blink several times to clear my vision.The hot doctor was clearly right—it was safer to stay here.
The accident hadn’t even been that serious.This morning, my brothers and I helped our dad move into Mom’s house.When I left, I didn’t pay enough attention to a flashing red signal.I’d stopped, then drove through, and someone slammed right into me.The airbag blew up instantly, hitting my face and pushing me back in my seat.Unfortunately, I hadn’t yet put my seat belt on, as I was too busy adjusting the air-conditioning on the car screen.
Maybe I did black out a bit, because the next thing I knew, I was being loaded into an ambulance.They brought me to the nearest hospital, and I’d been here for about two hours.As soon as my vision was good enough to type, I texted my brother Finn.
Knox: Got a green light for visits until 10 PM.
I’d intended to message my parents and my other brothers as well, but a headache was beginning, and I knew Finn would tell everyone else.I closed my eyes, trying to remember what the hell actually happened, but it was all a blur.
Tomorrow morning, they’d better discharge me early.I ran my own company, so I could do as I pleased, but I liked to start the week hitting the ground running.
On Monday mornings, I also had a weekly brainstorming session with my brothers.We were the owners and board members of Sterling Investments.My oldest brother, Chase, set it up when I was still in college.I joined him after graduating and coded most of the software for our online platforms.But now that Sterling Investments had grown by leaps and bounds, we’d added others to the board, as well as a large management team.Chase and Duncan were co-CEOs and were still involved in day-to-day operations, but the rest of us had a consulting role for the most part.
“I think this is where he is.”Mom’s voice resounded from the corridor.
That was fast,I thought, glad to see them as they stepped inside my private room.Mom immediately came to my side of the bed.
“Were you camping out in front of the hospital?”I asked them.
“Obviously,” Dad replied.“As soon as we found out, we all rushed inside.”
“Which drove everyone insane,” Chase replied.“I tried everything in my power to get them to tell me what was going on, but no one relented.”
“They’re all very resistant to the Sterling charm,” I agreed, trying not to wince.Damn, my head was banging like a drum.
“How are you feeling?”Mom asked.
“Fine,” I fibbed.
She looked at me intently.I didn’t look fine.I knew that much.The left side of my face had taken the full brunt of the airbag.I was sure I’d have a black eye tomorrow if I didn’t already.
“What happened?”Finn asked.
My brother and I looked a lot alike.Dad often joked that we should have been twins.We were both big, even taller than our four older brothers, though we all had brown hair in various shades.Finn was usually like me in personality too.Nothing could stress him out.But right now, he looked unnerved.
