“I had a shot,” he says.
“Okay…” I say slowly.
“I missed,” he finishes.
The room seems to narrow.
“You…ohh, Bran.” The look of defeat in his eyes makes sense now. “Is he still out there?”
He meets my eyes, unflinching. “Yes.”
I close my eyes, forcing back the tears.
“I was afraid I would hit you.” He drops his face into his hands. “Then I was afraid not to shoot, afraid he would just toss you in the car and leave. It was the single-most terrifying moment of my life, Tink. I could’ve taken an easier shot, killed him withmore certainty, but it would’ve put you in more danger…and I just…couldn’t.”
My stomach flips. I swallow, hard. “I’m…so sorry, Bran—”
“Look at me,” he says.
I do.
“This isn’t me askin’ you for a gold star,” he says. “You get to be mad. You get to say you wish I’d taken him out. There’s a part of me that wishes it too.” His thumb brushes my knuckles. “But if you’re askin’ if I’d make a different choice with a different split second? I wouldn’t. I’ll always take your heartbeat over his blood.”
My eyes sting.
“That’s a very unfair thing to say to a girl you’re sleeping with,” I mutter, voice watery.
A shaky laugh slips out of him.
“Well,” he says. “Good. Maybe it’ll keep you from kickin’ me out of your bed.”
“Hospital bed,” I correct. “Do your job, Kelly, this is a professional environment.”
He huffs.
There’s a knock on the doorframe.
Jack steps in, hat in his hands, lines carved deep into his face. He looks like he hasn’t slept in weeks, even though it’s been…what? Hours?
“Hey, Gentry,” he says softly. “Look who decided to rejoin the land of the conscious.”
“Didn’t want to miss the drama,” I say.
He exhales, something like relief flickering.
“How you feelin’?” he asks.
“Like I licked a bus window,” I say. “Headachey. Floaty.”
He steps closer, eyes softening.
“You scared the hell outta me,” he says quietly. “Again.”
“I scared myself,” I admit.
He reaches out like he’s going to pat my hand, then seems to remember Bran’s got a death grip on it and settles for squeezing my shoulder instead.
“You rest,” he says. “Docs say once they flush the last of whatever he used, you’ll be yourself again. And then you and I are gonna have a very stern talk about hallway protocols.”
