“You’re welcome.”
When he left the room, Axel sat back down. My brain caught on to something. “Do you have a game?”
He snorted. “Tomorrow. But Karlsson’s got it. I’m not going anywhere.”
I shifted in bed. “Axel, I’ll be…”
“No,” he cut me off. Running his fingers through my hair, he scanned over every inch of my face. I could see how worried he was. “I’m not leaving you alone until I’m convinced that you’re okay. Please don’t ask me to change my mind.”
“Okay,” I said. “I won’t.” Looking into his tired eyes, I gripped his hand. “Before this happened, I would have foughttooth and nail for my independence. I would have insisted I was okay and could take care of myself. Pushing you away was exhausting, and I don’t want to do that anymore.”
The tension in his shoulders relaxed. “That’s progress.”
I smiled until I remembered Edith. “How is she? And the others. Edith needs…”
“She’s taken care of, love. I left her with Decker, then sent my father to make sure she got settled.” He looked down at my bandaged hands. “Decker took Edith to his house. She wants to see you, but I thought we could video call. Leanne will get her settled at the Covington until things are sorted out. My father made arrangements for everyone to stay there.”
“Really? He was there?”
“Yes. I called him.”
“I’m glad you weren’t alone.”
His brow pulled together. “He kept me from being arrested, and he took over when I got in the ambulance with you.”
Before I could ask more questions, our conversation was interrupted by the nurse. “Mr. Vaughn, they’re ready for you upstairs, so we’re going to take you up.”
Axel stood but never let go of my hand. His expression dared anyone to ask him to let go. When I settled upstairs, he still looked worried. When I complained about my throat, the nurse brought me a popsicle to ease the pain.
“Are you okay?” I croaked.
He sat down by my bed and took my right hand. His expression was introspective. Something heavy was on his mind. “I can’t do this again. My heart won’t take it. I’m going to need you to marry me.”
My mouth fell open, and I dropped the popsicle. “Shit,” I muttered.
He chuckled, then handed it back to me. Axel took my bandaged hand to his mouth to kiss my fingers before bringingmy hand to his cheek. “I love you, and I’m going to need you to be mine forever. Legally. On paper.”
I blinked at him as my eyes pooled with moisture. Maybe I hadn’t heard him correctly. Oxygen deprivation might have caused hallucinations. “I’m not sure I heard you correctly.”
Axel’s eyes teared up. “Let me clarify. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I can’t go through this type of thing again, only to be told I’m not your next of kin. I want to be your permanent emergency contact. I want a family with you, a dog, and kids. I want to change your name and give you the world. Dance with you in my arms under the stars for the rest of our lives. My life means nothing without you. Marry me, love, and let me give you the life you deserve.”
Axel was the person I’d longed for my whole life. “I guess I heard you correctly.”
Axel shrugged, trying to hide a smile. “I know it’s not the most romantic place to propose, but I don’t wait for moments. I seize the day. And today is that day. What do you say, Luca Vaughn? Will you marry me?”
As terrified as I should have been, I wasn’t. And I knew the right answer. “Yes.”
His expression was heartbreakingly sweet. He stood over my bed and took the dripping popsicle away. Gently sweeping my hair out of my face, he leaned down. His mouth tipped up in a smile before lowering it to mine. Axel was going to be my forever.
I rested my eyes periodically while he made a few calls. Drinking him in, I watched him transform from the sweetest human on Earth as he cared for me, to the team captain checking in with Karlsson and his coach before shifting to a business mogul making plans to house the seniors as long as needed at the Covington. He refused to leave the room, glancingperiodically at me between calls, making me fall even deeper in love with him.
When he was finished, he came back to my bedside. “You should eat. What would you like? I’ll order delivery.”
This was what the rest of my life would look like. Axel being Axel. “I’ll take anything they’ll allow me to eat.”
He stood. “I’ll check with the nurse. Are you up to speaking with Edith on a video call? She’s very worried.”
“Of course.” I wiggled my fingers at him. “Give her here.”
