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“Don’t say that. You’d still be you. It would just be you with some... adjustments.”

“Get real. You’d see the missing limb first. You’d never get past that.”

“That doesn’t say much about your opinion of me.”

“It’s not you. It’s my opinion on life. And I wouldn’t blame you. I wouldn’t blame anyone if they looked at me and saw a mess. If I lose my career, I’ve got nothing. And I’ve got no one who... ah, fuck it, this really is the drugs making me talk like a numb nut.”

“Go on, what were you going to say?”

Ranger heaved out a sigh. “I’ve got no one to love me.”

Eden’s gut twisted, and she looked away. She’d never gotten serious with Ranger. He was right. They’d always kept things chilled. It’s how she handled her relationships with guys. Enjoy yourself and get out before trouble hits.

“Eden, you’re a great girl. You could have it all if you wanted. Don’t wait till it’s too late, like I have.”

“You really are talking shit. It’s not too late for you. I bet, in six months’ time, you’ll be back in the cockpit wisecracking everyone and fooling around.”

“I’ll still joke around, but I’m making changes. I have to. You should too.”

His words were like a sucker punch to the gut. It was the first time she’d been called out on her behavior. Ranger was shining a huge, glaring spotlight on her life and pointing out her failings.

There was a knock on the door, and a nurse entered the room. “My patient needs his rest.”

“Sure. Can I come back and see him again?” Eden said.

“I insist on it,” Ranger said. “And bring Blaze next time. And go see the other guys too, if you can.”

“They can’t have visitors at the moment,” the nurse said. “Maybe in a few days.”

“You look after yourself.” Eden squeezed Ranger’s hand.

“I will. And you think about what I said.”

Eden left the room and walked along the corridor. A longing for something she could never have spiraled through her, and it squeezed the air from her lungs.

A life with Blaze. It would be full of happiness and laughter. He’d always have her back. He’d always be there for her whenever she needed him. It would give her a security she’d never felt before. She could taste that future almost as strongly as she could taste the antiseptic in the air of the medical center.

Eden pulled up short, her eyes widening as two medics hurried toward her, holding Blaze between them.

He was covered in scratches and bites and had a doggo chewing on his arm.

***

Blaze laughed. He wasseeing two of Eden in the corridor, staring at him with wide, beautiful eyes.

A sharp pain stabbed through his arm. He looked down and growled. That damn fuzzy thing was still attached to him. It had sunk its teeth in and refused to let go. And the harder it bit, the more venom flooded through his veins like acid.

“Hang on. We’ve got you,” one of the medics who was keeping him on his feet said.

“Are you real?” Blaze said to Eden as they passed her.

“Of course I’m real. Why is there a doggo eating you?” She walked alongside him.

He tried to raise his arm, but the doggo growled and bit even harder. Its gray fur was puffed out and its thin, leathery wings splayed. It had no plans to let go anytime soon.

“What did you do to make it so mad?”

“Nothing! It found me. It was in my room,” he slurred out.