Her fingers trace along the edge of the blanket as she nods slowly, meeting my gaze.
“Silas… I’m not sure what the future holds for us right now. There’s still so much I need to process and I need you to understand that.” Her voice trembles slightly as she takes a deep breath. “Right now, I just want you to heal. We can figure out the rest when you’re strong enough.”
Nodding in understanding, I squeeze her hand. “That’s all I need… just the chance to work this out with you.” Ember offers a small, tentative smile. “One step at a time.”
Though I’m relieved she’s here, the question of where she’s been all this time and why she’s been avoiding my calls, gnaws at me.
“Ember, where’ve you been? It’s been a living hell without you,” I ask, watching her carefully.
She pauses, then answers softly, “I’ve been staying with my dad in Sturgis.”
“I figured you might’ve gone back home, but not knowing… it was driving me crazy.” I hesitate, then ask, “Did you… go see her?”
“Yeah,” she murmurs, her voice heavy. “I went to my mother’s grave, spent hours just… talking to her. I needed some answers, Silas. Clarity.”
“About us?”
“Not just us.” She exhales. “About everything. I thought maybe if I talked to her, I’d understand what to do. But, Silas…” She falters and I see her struggling. “When Londyn called and told me you’d been shot… and that you might not make it, I…”
“Ember, I’m so sorry,” I murmur, overwhelmed with guilt. “I never wanted to put you through that.”
Her eyes glisten and she looks at me, her voice barely above a whisper. “In that moment, everything else faded. I just… my heart sank and I realized… I’m not ready to lose you.”
Seeing her so vulnerable makes my throat tighten.
“I’m here. And, Em, you being here means more than you know,” I tell her, bringing her hand to my lips for a kiss.
“It’s time for you to get some rest,” she says gently. “I’ll come back later to check on you.”
I catch her hand before she can move. “What if I’m not ready for you to leave?”
“You heard the doctor, Silas,” she teases, a small smile on her lips as she stands. “You need to rest so you can continue healing.” Leaning down, her lips brush softly against mine, lingering just long enough for me to close my eyes and savor her warmth.
“I’ll be back later,” she promises, heading to the door. I may be laid up in this hospital bed, but watching Ember’s ass in those jeans makes my dick jump back to life. Fuck, she looks good and I can’t wait to feel her in my arms again.
Just then, she glances over her shoulder, catching me eye fucking her ass and I shamelessly meet her gaze. “Silas…”
“Yes, baby.”
Her voice is soft. “I love you.”
Her words catch me by surprise, but I respond without hesitation. “I love you too, Em.”
The door closes behind her and a weight lifts from my chest… lighter than I’ve felt in weeks. I can’t believe she’s here, ready to give us a shot, and maybe rebuild what’s broken. Before I can process it fully, Steel steps into the room, his usual serious expression softening a bit when he sees me.
“Hey, Mav. Thought I’d check on you now that Ember’s gone. That had to be a huge surprise.”
“Shock is more like it,” I reply, still reeling from her visit. “Can’t believe she came back, but fuck man, it took me nearly getting killed,” I laugh, wincing at the pull in my chest. Steel chuckles at my joke, but I know he can see the relief on my face.
“How’re you feeling?” He asks, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. “We’ve all been waiting for you to come back around.”
“Like I’ve been run over twice, but it could be worse.” I reply, shifting in bed. “What’s the word on the mules?”
“We’ve got things on lockdown for now. Everyone’s accounted for and we adjusted the routes. Everybody’s holding things down pretty tight,” Steel replies.
“Good.” I nod. “Glad to hear it. What about Jameson? Any word from him?”
Steel raises an eyebrow. “Funny you mentioned him. He called, wanting to check in on you.”
