The paramedic glances at Tierney, who’s barely conscious. “She’s lost a lot of blood. We need to get her to the hospital now.”
I climb into the ambulance before anyone can stop me.
During the ride, while they’re working to stabilize her, Tierney’s eyes float open. She looks right at me, and my heart sputters. There’s no love there. No trust. No forgiveness.
Just emptiness.
Like I’m a stranger.
“Don’t...” she says in a ragged whisper.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t... pretend... to care.”
Then she drifts off again, and I’m left staring at the woman I love while machines monitor her failing vital signs.
The woman who just sacrificed herself for a man she thinks has been using her from day one.
FOUR HOURS LATER
I’ve paced this hallway so much over the past few hours that I think my shoes have worn a groove in the linoleum floor. Tierney’s surgeon approaches from the left and my heart leaps up to punch a hole in my throat.
“Mr. Viacava,” he says. “The blade missed your wife’s major organs. She’s extremely lucky. If that blade had entered a few inches to the right, the outcome would have been very different for her.”
The weight of his words crashes down on my chest, suffocating me.
“When can I see her?” I choke out.
“She’s in recovery now. But...” He hesitates and looks around. “She’s been asking that we don’t allow visitors in to seeher.”
“But I’m her husband.”
“I understand that. But she’s been very clear about her wishes. We need to honor them.”
The hairs on the back of my neck prickle. “Let me talk to her.”
“Mr. Viacava, please understand. She’s been through significant trauma. Both physical and, from what I understand, emotional. She needs time to process everything.”
Time. Like time is going to fix the fact that she discovered I was supposed to manipulate her into betraying her family. Like time is going to erase the hurt in her eyes. I drag a hand down my face, fucking furious. “How long does she need to recover?”
“Physically? She could be discharged tomorrow if there are no complications. The wound will need care, but it’s not life-threatening.”
Tomorrow. She could leave New York tomorrow.
And knowing Tierney, she will.
“Can you at least tell her I’m here?”
“Sure, I can do that.”
Then he disappears down the hallway, and I’m left pacing like a caged animal. Kingston and Reign are handling cleanup at the apartment.
Connor’s been located and is on his way to the hospital. And I’m stuck out here in limbo while my wife recovers from a stab wound she took to save my worthless life.
It takes everything in me to sit in the waiting room and not punch the fuck out of the closest vending machine.
The fucker who stabbed her deserved more than a bullet to the skull.
