Her lashes lower.
I lift my head enough to look at her. Really look at her.
“I’ll get him. I’ll gut him. But first I’m marrying you.”
She stares at me.
I don’t even think before I say it again, because almost losing her has burned every useless hesitation out of me.
“Marry me.”
Her brows pull together, she shakes her head. “No.”
I go still.
Then I laugh.
I can’t help it. I laugh harder, the sound breaking out of me like something unhinged, because she’s alive. She’s awake. She’s in my arms saying no to me like she’s got all the time in the world to argue.
Her frown deepens. “You’re so loud. What’s funny?”
“You,” I say, still laughing a little, my forehead dropping to hers. “I hate that fucking word.”
Her eyes are barely open, but I see the spark anyway. The edge. Theherof her.
“But from you?” I murmur. “It’s perfect.”
She makes a weak little sound that might be disapproval. Might be confusion. Might be the beginning of a smile. Then her face pinches, pain cutting through the fog.
I shift immediately. “What hurts?”
She gives me a look so offended I almost grin again.
“What do you think hurts, idiot?”
“Okay. Fair.”
I reach for the call button with my good hand. A nurse can deal with the pain meds. Everyone else who comes into this room can deal with whatever the fuck they need to deal with. Butno oneis movingme.
Her head settles under my chin again, her breathing shallow but steadier now.
“You scared me,” I say quietly.
The words slip out before I can stop them.
Maybe I would have, before. Maybe I would’ve swallowed them, made them into anger, buried them under orders and threats and something easier to survive.
Not now.
Her eyes close again, but she’s still awake. I can feel it.
Her voice is little more than a breath. “Good.”
I bark out a stunned laugh. “You’re a menace.”
She huffs quietly. “Sorry I left. I was going to come back. I changed my mind”
I look down at her. “Beda—”
