Page 96 of Branded Betrayal

I take the elevator up to Wyatt’s floor. He was moved out of the ICU a few days ago and is now in a private room, where he’ll stay until his physical therapy program is complete.

Wyatt’s voice floats into the hallway, and my lips quirk up when I hear a high-pitched laugh. Another nurse fawning over him, I’m sure. They parade in all day with any excuse to take his vitals, read his chart, ask if he needs anything. He’s a charmer for sure. Always had girls wrapped around his little finger. He’s just got the kind of charisma that draws people to him. And once they’re close, they never want to break free.

A blessing and a curse, I suppose, depending on who you draw in.

I push open the door and swallow a smirk. Not one but two nurses are practically draped over the bed, hanging on his every word in that exaggerated drawl of his.

I step into the room, and the nurses scatter, nearly tripping over each other. I wink at Wyatt, and he shrugs.

Once they leave, I drop into a chair next to the bed. “How’re you feeling today? Did you get a sponge bath from those two?”

“Nah. I graduated to taking my own showers, unfortunately.” He chuckles, settling back against the pillows.

“Sorry to hear that. I’m sure the nurses are too.”

He shrugs, shifting on the mattress. His face pinches with pain. “Fuck, that hurts.”

“You okay?” I spring up from the chair.

Wyatt nods. “Yeah, just the normal healing process, I guess.” He looks at me for a long minute. “You see Savannah lately?”

I drop my eyes down to the black-and-white square tiles and sit back down in the chair. “Yeah.”

“Heard there was some crazy shit that happened over at Red Rock with cattle getting out of the pastures.”

“You heard right.”

“You know,” he says. “I know things haven’t been great between us since you got home. And I appreciate you coming here every day to check on me, to be here for me.”

“I fucked up, Wy.” I drag the heel of my boot along the crack between the tiles. “Leaving you was wrong, and I’m sorry. You were right to be pissed and hold a grudge. I’m here now, though. And it might be too little, too late, but I really hope that’s not the case.”

Wyatt grins. “I think we can work things out. But what about Savannah? Will she be as forgiving? Because there’s definitely something brewin’ between you again. I always suspected you had something for her back in the day.”

I shake my head. “Yeah, well, I think I really messed things up this time. I lied to her, about who I really am, about things I’ve done.”

“So you made mistakes. We all do. People forgive.”

I bring a hand to the back of my neck. “Yeah, but I hurt her. Bad. And I don’t know if she’ll rebound from that.”

“I saw the way she looked at you, B. The way she’s always looked at you. It’d have to be some pretty serious shit for her to turn her back on you forever.”

“Serious shit. Kind of an understatement.”

“Then I don’t even want to know about it. But if she means enough to you, you have to find a path to her forgiveness.”

“The truth will kill her. And she’ll hate me forever, probably more than she does now.”

“You never know till you take a shot, right? Give her the choice. And then you’ll know for sure if you were meant to be with her or not. If she loves you, she’ll find her way back.” Wyatt gives me a pointed look. “You love her?”

“Yeah. Always have.”

“Then get your ass out there and make amends. Whatever you’re tangled up in, untangle yourself and tell her how you feel.”

I stand up from the chair, my heart floating up in my chest. “She said she needed a few days to think.”

“When did she say that?” he asks.

“A few days ago.”