Stolen Hearts

Chapter twenty Eight

Delia was standing in one of the many, full emergency rooms staring at the woman sobbing in front of her. She was perched on the edge of the hospital bed in the paper gown Delia had given her. Two teeth were missing, her cheek was fractured, a black eye, a broken arm, cracked ribs and to top it off seven stitches in her forehead above her right eyebrow.

"You don't understand.....He's, he's a good man." She sobbed.

"You need to press charges, he will kill you if this keeps up." Delia said gently.

"He....he was drinking and....he just lost his job and...."

"There is no excuse for this," Delia said a little harshly.

There was a cop in the hallway and he wouldn't wait forever, if this woman didn't press charges then his hands were tied.

"I....I....I don't know," She wiped her nose with her good hand.

"This is the third time in two months you've been here, I can't always patch you up. He's going to kill you if you don't do something."

"He'll be so angry....if I..."

"So what? Push back, you press charges and you let him know that he can not treat you this way."

"I.......I just can't," She said with a sob.

"Fine, I'll have a nurse bring your release papers and tell the cop he can leave."

Delia shoved away from the cabinet she was leaning against with a shake of her head, make no mistake that man was going to kill his wife but she couldn't help the woman if she didn't want the help. She exited the room, glancing at the tall cop.

"You can go she's not pressing charges."

"Damn," He shook his head.

"I know, I tried." Delia said with a shrug.

She turned and started down the hall just as Vincent exited the locker room he saw her and stared towards her. Every instinct in her body wanted to turn and walk the other way but she stayed on course and he fell in step beside her.

"Dee, what the hell? I've tried to call you and you haven't answered."

"I've been busy."

"You've barely said two full words to me since we had dinner with your parents, are you avoiding me?" He asked.

"No, don't be ridiculous."

Yes, she was. She'd been avoiding him for days, he made her feel out of control and off balance and she didn't like it. She liked being in control and having her life completely in her hands and he took that from her and that was dangerous.

"Did I do something wrong? I thought dinner went well."

"It did, I've just had a lot on my mind."

She kept walking, briskly down the hall hoping he'd take the hint and leave her alone but he stayed with her step for step, refusing to let her off easy.

"Don't do this," He begged.

"Do what? I'm working."

"No, you're running. Your putting up your walls and your cutting out on me because you're scared. You let me get close and it scared you, it's okay, I'm scared too."

She shook her head but kept walking until her grabbed her upper arm, dragging her into a room and slamming the door shut. She glanced around they were in a small storage room but while one wall had metal shelves and cleaning supplies the other wall had a small cot with a pillow, blankets and a dart board above it.

"Do you sleep in here?" She asked.

"The Hospital said it was okay until I get a place but that's not why I brought you in here."

"How long have you been sleeping here?"

"It doesn't matter, Dee! Would you just look at me."

He caught her arms, forcing her to look at him instead of the surroundings of the room. She forced her eyes up to his.

"Dee, I'm in love with you." He said.

"You don't even know me," She said with a heavy sigh and shake of her head.

"Do you love me?" He asked.

"Vincent..."

"No, tell me. Do you love me? It's not that hard."

"I....I barely know you....people don't....I don't....you can't..."

He leaned forward and kissed her, sealing his lips over hers before she could say anything else. She melted against him with a soft whimper of surrender, he pressed her against the closed door just long enough to click the lock in place. Stumbling across the room, they tumbled onto his cot his hands making fast work of her clothes.

He pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it aside then his own shirt. Her hands roaming up across his naked chest and then dropping to his belt pulling it free. He leaned down for another long kiss.

"I do love you, I do...I do." She said miserably against his lips.

He leaned over her to rest her forehead against hers for just a minute before kissing her his hands dropping to her waist and pulling at the drawstring of her pants.