He exhaled hard and lowered his forehead to hers. Because for a few moments there, he wasn’t sure he’d hear his name from her lips again.
But he had. Because she was alive. She was safe.
33
Ethan watched the small flickers of Maggie’s eyelids as she slept. She wore an oxygen mask and was receiving antibiotics through an IV. She’d woken a couple of times since arriving at the hospital, always hazy and unfocused.
He hated it. All he wanted was for her to look at him andreallysee him. Tell him that she was okay.
He’d almost lost her. The knowledge haunted him. Played over in his mind like a nightmare he couldn’t wake up from.
What was the time? Three in the morning? Four? He had no fucking clue. All he knew was that he wouldn’t be sleeping. Not tonight. Not for a single second.
He hadn’t suspected Nel. Not once. He’d gone on two fucking dates with the woman and nothing. He wanted to kick his own ass. If he’d seen something,anything, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.
Ward had come in, wanting to talk to Maggie. Ethan had all but shoved him out of the room. She wasn’t up to talking to anyone. Not yet. Ward had more than enough to arrest Nel.Thatshould be his focus.
A knock at the door had Ethan’s head shooting up. He expected it to be a nurse or doctor.
Instead, Polly stepped in. She wore a hospital gown because they’d decided to keep her overnight. Her eyes were red-rimmed.
“Hey. I wanted to come earlier, but I wasn’t sure how she was doing.” Polly’s gaze landed on Maggie, and she paled.
“She’s okay,” Ethan said quietly.
Polly nodded before sitting on Maggie’s other side and taking her hand.
“The doctors gave her strong pain meds and she’s on antibiotics. They’ve made her tired.” He studied Polly. “How areyou?”
“Physically, I’m fine, but… God, I feel like the worst friend in the world. I should have been watching the house. I was there to have her back and instead I was texting Joel. I was distracted by a man, just like…”
Ethan frowned. “Polly?—”
She shook her head. “I made a mistake. It won’t happen again.”
“This isn’t your fault.”
She didn’t respond. She didn’t even nod.
They remained like that for another twenty minutes, both of them just watching the woman they loved, as if they were scared she’d suddenly disappear.
When Polly yawned, Ethan looked back at her. “You should sleep.”
“I should.” She stood, but instead of walking right out, she rounded the bed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Thank you for bringing her back to us, Ethan. I’m glad she has you.”
The door closed behind Polly. He knew he should sleep too. At least get a couple of hours. But he couldn’t. Not yet.
He lifted her hand and pressed a long kiss to her skin. “God, I love you, Maggie.”
His phone vibrated with a text, and he wasn’t surprised to see it was the team’s group text. After everything that had happened tonight, it was unlikely any of them were sleeping.
Ryan: How’s Maggie?
Ethan: Asleep and on oxygen. Doctors are monitoring her vitals. Chest X-ray showed everything’s okay.
Connor: That’s good.
Zac: And how are you, Ethan?
