The nurse looks between us with raised brows, takes in my bloodstained clothes and the expression on my face, and wisely excuses herself. “I’ll give you two a minute.”
The second she’s gone, I’m at Blake’s side. I stop myself from touching her, scared that I’ll hurt her somehow.
“Hey, Angel,” I manage.
“I’m okay.” She reaches for my hand, lacing our fingers together. “I’m okay, I promise.”
“Your head?—”
“Scalp wounds bleed like crazy. You know that.” She squeezes my hand. “No fracture. Mild concussion. Eight stitches. I’ll be fine. I think it was the taser that got me.”
She slides over a bit, making room for me, and tugs on my hand. “Are you sure?”
“Come here.”
Gently, I sit beside her, holding her hand like an anchor. I meet her gaze, willing myself not to break the hell down again.“I was so scared.”
Admitting that out loud is probably the second most difficult thing I’ve done today.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
I lean in and brush my lips across hers, inhaling her scent, thanking whatever being is in the universe for letting her be okay. “It’s not your fault.”
It’s mine.
I keep that thought to myself. She’s okay and that’s all that matters now.
We lean back against the bed and she touches her bandage gingerly. “What happened after I went down? The last thing I remember is Lexi with the taser.”
I tell her everything.
Me bursting into the room, letting Lexi run, Patton with the gun, Lexi coming back to save us. The drive here with her blood soaking through my shirt while Leon talked me off a ledge.
Once I’ve caught her up, she squeezes my hand. “So Lexi came back? She helped?”
“She tased Patton right in the spine, then told me to tell you she’s sorry.” I run my thumb across her knuckles. “Then she disappeared. Leon and them are going to the address now to take a look, but he sent cops there right after I got you out.”
“I hope she made it out too.” Her voice is quiet, but she means it with all her heart, I can see it in her eyes.
“Blake—”
“I know, I know.” She meets my gaze. “She hurt me. But she was desperate. Her family sold her into marriage. Probably to some monster, not that it matters. She saw one chance and she took it.”
“You’re right. And I’m done wanting to see her six feet under. But if you didn’t make it, that may have ended up differently.”
“I’m okay.” She lifts our joined hands to her lips, pressing a kiss to my bloodstained knuckles. “We’re okay.”
“And Leon should have answers for us any minute. I hope that Patton asshole is spending his Christmas behind bars. But honestly, I don’t give a fuck about anyone else right now. The doctor said we can go home soon.”
Blake nods. “Yup. I just got my concussion protocol lecture and they’re working on the discharge papers.”
“Good. Let’s get you home. We have cozy Christmas plans to get to.” I glance at the IV still in her arm. “I’ll go get someone to take that out.”
“Antsy, Freddy?” she teases.
“Something like that.” I smile, loving that she’s back to her normal ball busting self.
“Hey, by the way, did you grab my bag?”
