Page 91 of Contentious

Did he? Not that he could tell. “Happened?”

“You were stabbed and had five hours of surgery.”

Stabbed. What? “No… narcotics…”

“Your family was here and told us you’re in recovery. We’re managing your pain without narcotics.”

“Cresley.”

“Who?”

“Cresley and Ty. Safe?”

“No one else was hurt in the incident. I’ll let your family know you’re awake. They’re very eager to see you.”

He tried to remember what’d happened, but the last thing he recalled was kissing Cresley. “Need to see Cresley.”

“I’ll tell them.”

Exhausted from the effort it had taken to speak, he closed his eyes and sank back into blissful oblivion. The next time he woke up, his parents were hovering by his bedside, looking as if they’d survived the apocalypse. He couldn’t figure out why. What was wrong?

It took a second to remember he’d been stabbed and had five hours of surgery.

“Oh thank God.” His mother smoothed the hair back from his forehead the way she had when he was little. “Thank God you’re going to be okay.”

“You gave us a hell of a scare, son,” Corbin said gruffly.

It was surreal to see them standing together in a united front, as if they hadn’t waged a decade of war against each other once upon a time.

“Cresley…”

“She’s safe. Julian and Isla took her to the rental where Isla had been staying. The LAPD is still looking for Beckett.”

Marlon Beckett.

The lights had come on in the backyard.

He’d gone to find out who was there, and Beckett had stabbed him.

Twice.

He remembered now.

“It was him.”

“We know, son. There’s a manhunt underway in the Hills.”

Lot of places to hide out up there.

“The guy who was watching…”

“He never saw Beckett. They figure he scaled a fence and came in the back way.”

“Tell Cresley…” He closed his eyes. “I want to see her.” She’d be blaming herself, and he didn’t want that. It wasn’t her fault.

The next time he opened his eyes, Julian and Griffin were there, hovering like a couple of old ladies. The thought made him smile.

“What are you grinning about?” Julian asked.