The door is closed from the outside as Tormentor hops in the passenger seat, Lucifer behind the wheel.
“Stay with me, little mouse,” I whisper, brushing a strand of hair from her face. My heart threatens to shatter at the sight of her bruised and bloodied skin. “I’ve got you now. You’re safe.”
Nightmare works quickly, checking her vitals and assessing the damage. His hands move with practiced precision as Lucifer speeds down the road, the SUV bouncing violently over uneven terrain.
“How bad?” I manage to ask, my voice barely recognizable to my own ears.
“Multiple contusions, possible internal bleeding,” Nightmare mutters, not sugarcoating it. “Her breathing’s shallow. Pulse is weak but steady.” He presses gauze against a nasty gash on her cheek. “Hold this.”
I do as instructed, applying gentle pressure while he continues his assessment. Every bump in the road makes me wince, imagining the pain that she’s endured at the hands of those responsible. I should’ve taken my time with them, but I didn’t, I had to get to her.
I keep my eyes on Della, taking in everything, but I hear Tormentor on the phone. He’s talking to Maddox, telling him we found his sister. The conversation is quick and to the point. He doesn’t go into detail. He then makes another call, I don’t pay attention this time.
The fear of how I could have lost her clogs my throat because I know she’s not out of the woods yet.
After what feels like hours, Lucifer pulls up to the ambulance entrance of the hospital. There are nurses and a gurney waiting. The back door on Nightmare’s side opens, and Della is taken from me. Nightmare throws himself at me, keeping me from rushing after them.
“You gotta let them work, VP,” he mutters as I fight to get out, to follow my woman. “They’re gonna do everything possible to save your ol’ lady, Shadow. I swear it.”
The SUV starts moving, making me lose my shit. “Where the fuck are you going?” I roar, fighting Nightmare to jump out.
“Parking this fuckin’ cage so we can get the fuck inside,” Lucifer says, his voice far too calm for my liking.
How can he be so damn calm when they just kept me from following my woman?
A moment passes before Lucifer has the SUV parked. He gets out and opens my door before Nightmare moves. I jump out only for Lucifer to pull me into him, hugging me tight. “You’re my brother, and this shit is rough right now, but remember, Shadow, she needs you to keep your cool. You go in there, out of your mind crazy, they’ll kick your ass out, and you won’t be able to get to her,” he says, breaking through the haze. “We’ve got you. Della’s gonna be okay. I’ll bet you all my damn money that she’s gonna be all right. You gotta believe it.”
Breathing heavily, I nod. I need to keep my shit together for Della.
“You good now?” Lucifer asks.
“Yeah,” I croak out.
“Good, now let’s get inside.”
Without another word, I nod, feeling helpless. All I could do now was wait to hear that Della was going to be okay.
I lost track of time and stopped checking after the third hour. Several times, my brothers took turns making me go outside and have a cigarette in an attempt to distract me or to help calm me down so I didn’t do anything to get myself kicked out of the hospital.
After the first hour, a nurse came out and informed us that Della had been rushed to surgery and gave us directions to the surgical waiting room, where we’ve been waiting since.
Maddox came down to sit with us. I haven’t been able to speak a word. It feels as if I were to try, I’d come unraveled. In the short amount of time I’ve been with Della, she’s become my everything. Without her, they might as well put me down.
“Della’s gonna pull through,” Maddox says, his voice raspy and haggard. “She’s a Meadows. She’s strong. A lot stronger than I give her credit for.”
“She’s gonna be a King,” I tell him. “She makes it out of this, I’m marrying her.”
“Think she’ll say yes?”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll convince her one way or another.” She makes it through this, I’m going to get the ring, and when she’s healed up, I’m asking her—no questions about it.
“Don’t think you’ll have to do much of that, brother. You ask her, she’s gonna say yes.” It’s good he’s saying that, cause I won’t ask for his blessing. Though it is something I should do. I’m just not.
“Meadows’ family,” the doctor calls as he enters the room.
We all stand, but Maddox and I step forward.
“I’m Della’s brother, and this is her fiancé,” Maddox tells the doctor.
