A week? “A week?”
He looks up at me, wide eyed. “Elle, you’ve been in an induced coma for the past four days, hooked up to a ventilator to help you breathe. The bullet nicked your lung, and you bled out.”
I gasp in shock. A whole week of my life is gone, just like that. He stands up and leans over me, stroking my hair away from my face.
“Hey, it’s okay, hon. You’re out of the woods now. The doctor is happy with how you’re doing, and will be by to explain everything to you soon.”
I nod. My throat feels like it has closed up.
“I’ve been here the whole time. I couldn’t bear to leave you again. I’m so sorry.” He comes closer and gently brushes his lips against mine. All I’ve wanted since he left was to feel his lips on me again. I lift my hand and gingerly place it behind his neck, pulling him back towards me when he tries to move away.
He smiles as he goes to kiss me again. I can tell he’s being careful, but his touch feels tender and soft, like he thinks I’m going to break.
His forehead leans against mine; as he looks down at me. “I missed you so much, Elle,” he murmurs against my lips.
“Missed… you… too,” I whisper. Damn, it hurts so much.
Brax stands up and sits back down in the chair beside me, not once letting my hand go.
“How are you feeling?”
I move my hand around to show that I’m feeling so-so. He leans forward again and sweeps my hair back off my face. “I missed you,” I whisper again.
He sits there, like he’s trying to commit my face to memory again. “I missed you more.”
I shake my head, not believing that it is possible for him to miss me more.
“Well, I would show you, but considering you’re struggling to breathe, we might have to take a rain check,” he replies with a cheeky smirk.
I start to giggle, then suddenly wince in pain. “Ow.”
“Shit, are you alright? Damn, I can’t stop hurting you, can I?” He shakes his head and frowns. “I hope to hell you’ll let me make this up to you because it’s killing me to see you like this, babe, knowing that it’s my fault.”
I shake my head at him. “No,” I wheeze as I feel my eyes get wet again.
“Shh, you’re okay.” He reaches over to cup my cheek in his hand. “No more blame,” he whispers before leaning in again and gently brushing his lips with mine.
“You need to rest, and your medication is going to make you fall asleep. I’m just gonna see Shay and update him. You sleep, and I’ll be back when you wake up. Is that alright?”
“Yeah,” I reply, my speech slurring as the meds start kicking in.
I hear a chuckle in the darkness, “I love you, sweetheart,” he says as I hear his footsteps walk out of the room.
I sigh, unable to open my eyes to see him leave, but knowing that he can see the small smile on my face.
Brax came back.
I wake up, startled, a short while later.
“Brax?”
“Hey, sleepyhead. He popped home to clean himself up. There is a friend of yours in the waiting room, though. Would you like me to get him for you?” that nice nurse, Beverly, asks, standing beside me. She’s taking my blood pressure again; that is probably what woke me up. She removes the cuff, and offers me some more ice chips.
“I’ll just pop down and get him for you, Elise. You need to rest, though, so I don’t want anyone upsetting you, okay?” I nod in agreement as she turns and leaves the room.
A few moments later, Shay walks in the room. He takes one look at me and shakes his head. “Shit, babe. I’m so sorry, Elle. I should’ve stopped him.”
“What do you mean?” I whisper. It doesn’t seem to hurt my throat as much if I talk quietly.
“The shooter. He must’ve already been in the building because I didn’t even see him go in. But I had a feeling something was wrong, and when I heard the gunshot, I raced upstairs. I knocked him out, but he got away while I was helping you.” He grabs a chair and drags it over next to the bed, “I’m so sorry,” he says again.
“Shay, it wasn’t your fault.”
“It shouldn’t have happened. Not to you,” he says shakily, his voice almost breaking. He seems to be taking this really hard.
“Brax?”
He shoots his head up, grabbing my hand at the same time. “I sent him home to have a shower and a nap. He’s been here 24/7 since he got back. He did tell me to say that he loves you and that he’ll be back soon.” I give him a weak smile. “His brother, Devon, drove him up. You’ll get to meet him soon, no doubt.”
“Brother?” My head is going fuzzy again. I’m guessing that Beverly gave me some more medication and that it is starting to kick in. All of a sudden, it seems really hard to do anything.
“Yeah, babe. Brax will explain later, but you need to rest. He’ll be back here in no time,” he says quietly, reaching up and stroking my head.
“Why did Brax say I was in danger?” I ask, my words coming out very slowly.
“Don’t worry about anything, Elle. We won’t let them hurt you again,” I hear him say as my eyes go blurry and darkness envelopes me once again.
When I wake up, the room is dark. All I can see is the red line of the heart monitor and a haze of light coming from the doorway. I look around, starting to panic when I can’t see Brax.
“Hey, sweetheart. I’m right here,” he says from the other side of me. He must have moved the chair closer to the bed when I was sleeping.
“I was scared you wouldn’t come back,” I say breathlessly.
He reaches for my hand, tucking it in between his. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here to stay. It’s you and me against the world now, hon.”
I try to take a deep breath and calm down, causing pain to spike through the bottom of my chest. “I hope so,” I wheeze.
“Hey, you gotta take it easy. I’m not leaving you again. Ever. You’re my today, tomorrow and my forever if you’ll still have me.”
A huge smile grows over my face. “I’ve never wanted you more, Brax, and I don’t see that changing in this lifetime.”
“Glad to hear it, darlin’,” he drawls, melting my heart and any resolve I had to quit touching him. I lift my hand and crook my finger at him, asking him to come closer.
“I need you to show me,” I say quietly so only he can hear.