Chapter Fifty-Five
Cora
“Ihave been waiting for her my entire life; I just didn’t know it. I never believed I could deserve someone to love me, let alone someone with as much light in their soul as she has.”
Is that Atlas?I try to find the source of the voice but can’t see anything.Am I dead?
“And Noah?” I think it might be Seth, but I can’t be sure.
“He’s a bonus. She’s the other half of my miserable soul. She doesn’t know it, but she saved me; they both did. I’ve killed to keep her safe, and I’ll do it as many times as I have to.”
Oh, Atlas.He always believed he wasn’t worthy of love, but he gave himself so freely to me and Noah.Wait, did he say he killed someone? Oh my God, where’s Noah?
I feel pressure on my hand and will my body to move. I can feel all of my limbs, but my brain can’t make anything work. Starting to panic, I hear a beeping sound.Is it my alarm? Am I dreaming?
“Cora!” I think it’s Atlas’ voice shouting. “Baby, open your eyes. Seth, go get a nurse.”
Keep talking, I demand silently. I’ve missed his voice so much. I feel a hand across my forehead and face. I’d know that touchanywhere. Forcing my eyes open, I immediately shut them. The room feels too bright, and a stab of pain shoots through my skull, causing me to groan.
“Come on, pretty girl. Show me those eyes. The ones I know our five babies will have,” he pleads.
“Lights,” I croak out, not recognizing my voice.
“Shit. Hold on.” I hear shuffling and then feel a hand again. “Try now, baby. Come back to me.”
Tentatively, I open my eyes again. Everything is blurry at first, but it doesn’t hurt as much as before. I turn my head to the side when I feel a hand, and Atlas’ smiling face fills my vision.
“Cora, baby. Thank God, Firefly.” He leans down, pressing kisses to my face. I faintly sense his touch, but my head feels like it’s swimming.
“Noah?” I cry. I need to know where he is.
“He’s good. He’s with Kash. You did good, baby, so good.” He kisses my hand again, tears welling in his eyes.
Nodding, my eyelids start to flutter. I’m so tired, and now that I know Noah’s okay, I can rest again.
“No, baby, wait. The doctors are coming in. Stay awake for me,” he begs, his dark eyes full of concern.
I hear more people coming in, and a nurse moves Atlas to the side, earning a glare.
“Well, he wasn’t exaggerating,” she says with a smile. “You really do have beautiful blue eyes, Cora. He’s been going on about them for a week now.”
“A week?” I mumble.What happened?“I need Noah.” I need to see he’s okay.
“I already texted Kash. He’s coming,” Atlas promises.
“Welcome back to the land of the living, Care Bear.” Seth smiles sheepishly.
“Cora, I’m Dr. Chase. Can you tell me where you are?” An older man in a blue button-down under a white coat is standing in front of me.
Looking around the room, I take a wild guess. “The hospital.”
“Do you know what happened?”
The memories of the basement flood back slowly, like watching a car accident in reverse. Going shopping, my car, the basement, and Aidan and Bea.Oh my God. Bea. Did I…? No, I can’t think about that.
Tears pool in my eyes, and I don’t stop them as they flow out. “I killed Bea,” I cry. I can feel her blood pooling down over me again like a warm blanket, and I panic.
“No! Get it off me.” I start shoving the blankets away from my body and cry out when my arm catches.
