Page 58 of West (The Moral Compass 1)
Sunlight streamed through the window as I opened my eyes. I looked around the room. Kara was in the next bed sleeping. I felt relief. So much relief. I thought I’d dreamed of us being saved, but it was all true. The nightmare was all true. But we were alive, and that I needed to be grateful for. I could hear voices outside the room and strained to listen. It was West’s voice.
Now, Sutton, you know eavesdropping never goes well for you. Either get up and go and see, or stop listening.
Looking at the drips attached there was no way I could get out of the bed and get to the door, so I pressed the buzzer. West walked back in through the door immediately.
A smile beamed from his face. He didn’t look sad. He looks gorgeous, clean, handsome, sexy, andfuck, if I wasn’t stuck here, I probably would have pulled him into the bathroom. Jesus, this guy.
He ran his hands over his face. “Sorry, not had much chance for a shave, beautiful.” He winked.
“I actually really like it.Reallylike it. You look so fucking hot right now.” I smiled for the first time in I can’t remember. With flushed cheeks, I couldn’t meet his gaze anymore.
More voices outside the room distracted me. I tried to see past him to see what was going on. There was some commotion going on, but West never moved. He just stood by the side of my bed, holding my hand and looking at me.
“Feels a bit like déjà vu here, Sutton. Really think we need to limit these hospital visits for a bit,” He joked.
I was still somewhat distracted by the noise outside. His cheerfulness was throwing me off too. Have I not been to hell and back again? Has he not just lost his brother and God knows what else?
“What’s going on outside?” I asked still trying to see around his huge body.
“Oh, just some idiot that wants to come in and say hi. The doctors are trying to keep him out, but he is being pretty fucking persistent. I’ve told them he can’t come in until Kara is awake too. He ain’t taking no for an answer by the sound of it, though.”
“Who is it?” I ask, fear rising in my chest again.
“No one to be afraid of, beautiful. All is good, and I’m sure you will be pleased to see him.”
“Who’s… What?” Kara asked groggily. “And who is making all that fucking noise? I’ve been kidnapped, stripped, beaten, and thrown around. Can’t they have some fucking decency and keep the noise down?” she growls.
The door to the private room flies open, and in comes a porter pulling a wheelchair backwards. He spins the chair around.
Chapter 45
West
AfterI’dmadesureSutton was settled and going to be okay, I went on the search for information about North. What had happened? Where was he being kept?
Call it sibling intuition, but I couldn’t accept that he was dead until I’d seen his body.
I pulled out my phone and called South. Strange feelings hit me. I could hear his stupid ring tone playing. I swung around and there stood my Mum, South, and East.
“Ah, fuck. I’m so glad to see you all.” I look at Mum’s face. A picture of wisdom but the face of youth, she was all kinds of calm. South looked at me with rage in his eyes, and as I turn to look at East, she flings herself right into my arms.
“Oh, shit, brother, I’m so glad to see you in one piece. Not like the other one,” she cracks. Her voice was riddled with emotion.
I can’t make out what she means, and I can’t look at any of them. I got my brother killed. The reality hits me full-on in the chest. I don’t know how, but I end up on my knees on the floor in the hospital corridor. My head is in my hands and everything comes crashing through. I can hardly breathe. How can they stand here with me after everything that has gone down?
My mum puts her hand on my shoulder, and South helps me back to my feet. “Let’s go and get a coffee,” Mum says, and we head out the cafeteria.
Coffees are ordered, seats are taken, and Mum takes my hand. “North is alive, West. He lost a lot of blood and needs to rest, but the bullet hit him in the side and went straight through. There’s no organ damage. Just a few stitches and a few pints of blood and he will be right as rain in no time,” Mum explains with a wide smile on her face. “The clean-up crew did think he was dead though. Apparently, he kept passing out every time he came around at the sight of his own blood. I forgot how bad North was with blood.” She laughs.
My mother is actually laughing at this. I can’t take any more of this weird fucking day.
“Where is he? I need to see for myself.”
“He’s on floor seven, room 320,” East says. Of course, she would know. She knows where everyone is all of the time.
I get to the area where all the elevators are, but they are not coming fast enough. I see a sign for stairs and take off, taking two at a time. I need to see this for myself. I get three floors up and, Jesus, why did I not just wait for the lift? I reach the seventh floor and pull the handle to the ward. Looking around, I realise I’m on the same floor as Sutton, and her room is 310. Fucking hell, my brother was five doors away all this time.
Out of breath and breathing hard, I push open the door to his room. He’s fast asleep, but the monitors he is attached to tell me he is alive and doing okay. I take a seat next to him with the intention of staying five minutes and going back to Sutton, but I must have fallen asleep when loud bleeping wakes me up. I squint at the monitor, trying to work out what’s wrong.
