“I’m glad to hear that,” he said softly.
“I don’t want to die,” I whispered, and I began to cry. I wanted to be strong for me and for him, but I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. A coldness was seeping into my bones in a way I’d never felt before and I could feel my panic rising.
Tex’s grip tightened instantly. “You’re not dying. I won’t let you.”
“But—”
“I won’t let you. You hear me?” he said firmly. His eyes locked onto mine, fierce and steady. “You’re gonna be okay, sweetheart. I promise.”
I stared up into his handsome face, the colorful lights from the bar shining behind his head. My body was shaking and he pulled me further up onto his lap, trying to envelope me in his body heat.
“I’m scared,” I whispered. I felt so tired and so so cold. Maybe if I could just close my eyes for a little while.
“Hey, hey, do you trust me?” he reached down and with one hand he cupped my cheek against his palm. “Rowan, do you trust me?”
I blinked, opening my eyes. “Yes, with my life.”
And I did. I knew in my heart and soul and bones that he would protect me with everything he had. I knew he would give his life for mine. And I knew I was as safe as I could ever be while I was here in his arms.
“Then know that you don’t need to be scared right now, because you’re gonna’ be okay.” I blinked sluggishly. My eyelids felt so heavy.
“What if they come back?”
“They won’t, not right now, but if they do, then I’m going to kill them, sweetheart, every last one of them.” He said it with a certainty that should have scared me, and yet it didn’t. Not even a little bit.
“Okay, cowboy.” I sighed and nestled my face closer to his chest. “I’m so tired.”
In the distance, I thought I could hear sirens, but the sound of his beating heart drowned it out.
“I’ve got you,” he continued quietly. “Nobody’s hurting you ever again.”
My fingers curled into the front of his shirt. I clung to him like he was the only solid thing in the world. Because right then, he was. The pain in my arm pulsed harder, making my head spin, and I felt everything slipping away.
“I don’t feel too good,” I murmured.
“Stay with me, sweetheart.”
I pressed my face further into his chest, breathing in the familiar scent of leather and smoke and something warm that reminded me of safety. His arms wrapped around me tighter, and somewhere in the distance I heard sirens growing closer. Everything felt far away. Blurry around the edges.
“Tex…” I whispered weakly.
“Yeah?”
I hesitated, uncertain. The words felt fragile and dangerous, but the truth slipped through anyway, regardless of the fear I had of saying them. Because if I died now, it made no sense to hold back on anything.
“I think I’m falling for you, cowboy.”
His body went completely still and for a split second I thought he might say something, but the darkness rushed in before he could. The world tilted and the last thing I felt was hisarms tightening around me, and the soft press of his lips against my forehead.
Then everything went black.
When I woke up, everything was quiet. Too quiet.
Bright white light filled the room, and for a moment I didn’t know where I was. The steady beep of a machine echoed softly beside me—hospital, I recognized.
My memories rushed back in pieces.
The bar, the music, Tex singing.
