“He’ll have to get over it,” Olivia huffs, waddling to one of the chairs to lower herself down. Poor woman looks about ready to pop. Her husband watches her with concern, the love between them a tangible thing in the air. A stab of jealousy hits me in the chest. I had dreamed of that kind of love once upon a time, wanted it so badly that I dated men who weren’t right, gave them parts of me they had no right having, and got hurt time and time again. I suppose it wasn’t all bad. I dated a guy called Felix a fewtimes who ended up marrying my sister, Shelly, after I called it off. Nothing had happened between us other than one kiss, and they were perfect for each other. They ended up getting married within a year of meeting.
I grew up with love everywhere; my parents have been madly in love for over forty years, my sister is happily married, my best friend is with the man of her dreams, and everyone here right now has it too.
“He’ll refuse,” Killian sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“He doesn’t have a choice,” I finally talk, and eyes whip my way as if they had truly forgotten I was there to begin with. “It isn’t just him who needs to be cared for. If the doctor is right and his mobility becomes compromised, who will feed Lily? Bathe her? Change her?”
“She’s right,” Willow gives me a soft smile that has an apologetic touch to it.
“He can stay with us?” Savannah suggests.
“He’ll hate that even more than someone staying with him,” Killian glances over his shoulder at me. “You’re working for him now, right?”
“I don’t do nights,” I immediately say.
“Kill,” Savannah touches his arm in an attempt to draw his attention away from me. A sweat breaks out across the back of my neck.
“Not even for double the salary?” He broaches.
“I don’t really care about the money,” My arms tighten around Lily.
“You said it yourself; he needs someone there all the time. He’ll hate having any one of us there with him, but Sloane…”
I look to Savannah for help, but I see it on her face too. I’m the only one here who could do it, and yeah, Dean would hate it as much as I would, but that didn’t matter as long as Lily was taken care of. Still…
I open my mouth to refuse again, but a nurse interrupts me, and in the next second the room empties.
Dean’s awake.
Chapter Fifteen
The meds pumping through me make my head swim, my body feels too light and too heavy at the same time. It’s a struggle to even move my fingers, and as my brother and our friends filter into the room, all I can do is watch them with my eyes, vision fogged at the edges.
There’s a distinct ache in my shoulder, and my arm is in a sling, the bandages covering the bullet wound tight against my skin.
After the last of them comes in, I expect the door to close, but then Sloane steps through, her head down, my daughter bundled in her arms, but she looks pale, fragile even, and quiet, too fucking quiet.
“Sloane,” My voice comes out rough, covered in gravel. Her eyes snap up, landing right on mine. There’s a spatter of blood on the front of her shirt, more on her hands, and panic overwhelms me, enough that the machine hooked up to my body beeps frantically.
Did she get hurt!? Why the fuck is no one helping her!?
“I’m not hurt,” She tells me urgently, “It’s your blood, it’s not mine.”
Fuck, I’d said it out loud. These fucking drugs are messing with my head.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her directly, ignoring the several sets of eyes that volley between us. I’ll rip them all a new one soon for fucking leaving her like this. Did they not see that she needed fucking help!? I wasn’t the only one there on that damn street. I’m no stranger to bloodshed, but Sloane…
“Nothing,” She lies.
My eyes narrow on her, “Come here.”
Her brows draw low, “What?”
Who does Sloane have? I know she has Savannah, but that’s not enough. She needs more.
“Come here,” I demand, harsher this time.
Her ocean eyes narrow, “Just because you got shot doesn’t mean you get to be all controlling.” But she listens and edges her way toward me. “The only reason I’m even listening right now is because of Lily.”
