Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“Was he still conscious when you got here?”
“Yep. Conscious and demanding we check to make sure you’re okay. Are you okay?”
“No.”
“Me either,” he agreed, exhaling hard. “Come on, let’s sit. You look ready to pass out.”
The floor did feel unsteady under my feet. And my head was racing so fast that I was getting dizzy.
So when Croft grabbed my elbow, I let him lead me toward the set of seats near his parents.
“Livvy, this is Carmen,” Roderick introduced. “She saved our son tonight.”
Liv reached out, grabbing my hand. “I hate having to meet you this way, but I love you for making sure I didn’t lose my firstborn tonight.”
We fell into silence then, all of us lost in our thoughts as we waited for news from the doctors.
I stared down at my hands, hyperfixating at picking the blood from under my nails and around my cuticles that Fallon missed.
I was so distracted by it that I missed the doctor moving into the room until Rune’s family was jumping to their feet.
I couldn’t bring myself to rise. If it was bad news, I didn’t trust my legs to hold me.
“He’s in recovery,” the doctor launched right into it. “Everything went as expected. Rune is conscious and his vitals are good. I have every reason to expect a full recovery. Of course, we do have to consider the possibility of infection, but we will be watching very closely.”
“Can we see him?” Liv asked.
The doctor shifted his feet. “He actually requested…”
“Go ahead, Carmen,” Roderick said, understanding. “We’ll see him once you’ve checked in.”
I offered them a small smile. “Thanks.”
The doctor led me to a small room with an open door. Even from outside, I could hear the monitors beeping. They seemed slow and steady. Which was comforting as I hesitated in the doorway.
“Go on in. He’s been asking about you nonstop since he got up,” a nurse said at my side. “He’s not going to calm down until he sees you.”
That bolstered me up enough to step inside.
“Baby.” Rune’s voice was rough as he tried to sit up, but fell back with a hiss of pain. The machine beeped faster and faster.
“Don’t move,” I said, rushing forward. “You’re going to pull your stitches.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m not the one in a hospital bed with a hole in their stomach.”
“Carm…”
That damn soft voice nearly did me in.
I fought back the sob and moved to the side of the bed, reaching for his hand. “I’m fine.”
“You’re as white as the sheets.”
“You look in serious need of some iron yourself.”
“Sit,” he demanded, patting the mattress at his side.
“I can’t stay long. Your mom, dad, and brother want to see you, too.”
“You saved me.”
“Technically, Vas saved you.”
He winced at that.
I couldn’t imagine it was a good thought that your baby brother had to kill someone for you. No matter how hard their lifestyle was.
“You would have if he hadn’t shown up.”
“Yes.”
“How did you know?”
“I saw them pull up. And I couldn’t call or scream… I just had to try to get to you.”
“You did good, baby.”
“I figured it was my turn to save you.”
“Hopefully for the last time,” he said, his hand reaching for mine and giving it a squeeze.
“Are you okay? Really?”
“Yeah. Moving around is gonna suck for a while, but everything the doctor and nurses said seems good. I’ll be here for a few days, though.”
“Can I stay with you?”
“You don’t need to do that. You can stay at the clubhouse and wait for me.”
“I don’t want to. I want to stay with you.”
His eyes went soft.
“Then, yeah, you can stay.”
“You need to ask.”
“I don’t.”
“You’re not in charge here.”
“No, but my cousin is. Trust me, you can stay.”
“Okay. I’ll stay then. But I’m gonna let you visit with your family first.”
“Okay,” he agreed, but pulled my hand until I leaned over him. “Thanks for coming to save me.”
“Thanks for not dying,” I said, getting a little laugh out of him.
His lips pressed to mine softly, but I pulled back quickly. “I’ll go get your family.”
Someone from Hailstorm led me to a small break room in the hospital ward where I made myself a coffee as I waited, then led me back to the room once Rune’s family headed out.
When I made it back to the room, another bed was already butted up to Rune’s his good side. And he had my phone in his hand, smiling at the screen.
“There she is,” he said, smiling as he panned the phone toward me to reveal my sister’s face.
My eyes widened, but I tried to force a convincing smile.
“Hey!” God, that sounded fake even to my own ears.
“Is that blood on your shirt?” Sofia asked as I made my way across the room, kicked off my shoes, and climbed into the bed beside Rune.
“It’s a long story,” Rune said.
“A long story that ends up with you guys in a hospital. Again.”