“She’s been shot,” he said hoarsely. “Please help her.”
The nurse went into immediate action, yelling for a stretcher. As soon as one was hastily wheeled over by an orderly, Silas gently laid her down and the nurse took over, shoving him back. But Silas refused to leave her. The nurse argued furiously that he was impeding in her care and it finally took the efforts of four of his brothers to wrestle him back to the waiting area, where he began his long vigil.
Forgotten was Drake’s meeting with the Luconis, determining what the potential threat to them was or even apprising Drake of his conversation with the mole planted deep within the bowels of the Vanucci organization. All Silas could focus on was Hayley and the fact that she had been shot, and every minute that no one came out to give him an update on her condition, he died a little more.
29
Silas sat in the darkened hospital room holding Hayley’s limp hand, exhaustion taking its toll on him. It had been the longest night of his fucking life waiting for word on her condition. And then the ER physician had come out and reported that she had indeed been hit by one of the bullets that had riddled Zander’s body, and she was being taken straight to surgery to remove it from her lower abdomen.
Maddox had painfully recounted to Silas and the others how Hayley had seen the car—and the guns—aimed in their direction before he, Justice or Zander had and that she’d launched herself at Zander in an effort to protect him. Maddox and Justice had been grim and pale upon learning she’d been shot, and Silas knew well the guilt they felt for thinking they hadn’t been able to protect her, because Silas shared it.
His brothers had remained in the waiting room until Hayley was brought out of surgery and into recovery and waited still until she’d been moved to a private room, still groggy and out of it from the anesthesia. Every single one of them had filed in to see her and ensure for themselves that she was alive and breathing.
As soon as she’d come around, her respirations immediately increased, her blood pressure rose and she became diaphoretic. Thenurse had been quick to administer IV pain medication and Hayley had been out ever since, resting peacefully and pain free.
His brothers had urged him to get some rest, even volunteering to take turns sitting at her bedside while he slept a few hours, but he’d refused, adamant that he be with her every moment and that he be at her side when she finally regained consciousness and was aware of her surroundings.
He stroked her fingers and the inside of her wrist, then lowered his head, closing his eyes to remove the images of her bloody and falling and his haste to catch her before she hit the floor and injured herself further. The same images that had tortured him all night.
His head jerked upward when he felt her twitch and then heard her restless movement followed by the whisper of her ragged breath. He surged to his feet, leaning over the bed so he could stare into her eyes the moment she awoke. Her eyelashes fluttered sluggishly and the tip of her tongue darted out to rub over dry, cracked lips.
When her eyes finally opened, they were unfocused and dazed. A small gasp of pain escaped her, her eyes growing bright.
“Princess, are you in pain?” he whispered urgently. “Should I call for a nurse?”
Even as he posed the question, he reached for the call button and depressed it. As he waited for the nurse’s arrival, he stroked a hand through Hayley’s hair and then lowered his head to press his lips against her forehead.
She moaned again and he could see her open her mouth, trying to speak. He gently hushed her.
“Wait for pain medicine, sweet girl. It hurts you too much to speak right now. Wait just a minute and then you’ll feel much better,” he soothed.
Her gaze finally became focused and when it settled on him, recognition flashed and just as quickly her eyes filled with tears. His gut clenched tightly and his throat knotted thickly with emotion.
“Please don’t cry, princess,” he choked out. “You’re breaking my heart.”
The door swung open and Silas glanced up in relief to see a nurse approaching the bed with a cheerful smile.
“I see you’re awake, Miss Winthrop. Can you tell me how you’re feeling?”
“H-hurts,” Hayley rasped.
The nurse gave her a sympathetic look and then deftly inserted a syringe into the IV port of her hand. She checked Hayley’s vitals and then told Silas that the doctor would be making his morning rounds soon and would give an update on her condition as well as how long he expected her hospital stay to be.
As soon as the nurse left, Silas turned his attention back to Hayley, who was lying on the bed, eyes fluttering closed as she sighed with relief.
“Better?” he asked as he gathered her hand in his once more.
Her eyes came open and settled painfully on him. He knew he’d have to apologize quickly and hope she forgave him for completely failing her.
“Who is she?” Hayley demanded bitterly.
Silas reared back, surprised and puzzled by her question. “Who is who, princess? I don’t understand.”
“Evangeline,” she hissed.
His eyebrows went up even further. “Drake’s wife. I told you that, remember?”
Hayley turned her gaze upward, refusing to meet his stare any longer. Her lips were trembling and he could see the moisture welling in her eyes that had nothing to do with her physical pain.
