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“You are worth everything” my father says. “That’s why he loves you so much, because he knows you are priceless.”
“I’m ready to take him to surgery.” Dr. Bleacher steps into the room.
“It’s been forty-eight hours?” I look at the clock then around the room.
“Yep. I’ll take care of him now. You get some sleep, and I’ll come see you when I’m done.” He directs the nurses to get ready to take Leif out.
“Wait.” I pull from my father and lean over the rail of the bed and kiss Leif on the cheek before I move to his ear. I whisper softly so only he can hear me if he can. “I need you to finish thawing my heart. Come back. I love you.”
They wheel him out, and just like the doctor said, I lie on the sofa in the room and fall asleep while my father watches over me. When I wake up, my body aches, but it lets me know I’m still alive. I look at the clock and see it’s been several hours.
“Has he been in yet?” I look to where Leif’s bed is supposed to be and my heart drops into my toes with worry.
“Not yet,” my father says as he looks up from his phone. “I know how hard this is for you letting the others help you, but we are here for you. Leif needs you, and you need to heal.” He waves a hand to my waist, where I’ll have another scar. But I know my man doesn’t have a problem with those scars.
We wait, and each of us takes turns pacing.
“Anything on Thant?” I ask after a couple more hours, breaking the silence.
“Your brothers have him. They are playing with him for a bit while we wait to see what’s going on with Leif and you’re ready. He’s yours to finish off.”
I take a deep breath and let the sigh out. I know there are still others out there who could hurt us, but I want Thant for ordering the initial hit on me that caused Leif to get hurt. I want that man to suffer for what he did.
“Also, Julian messaged. Fasttrack was killed trying to escape custody from them. It’s almost done, darling.”
“Thank you, Otets.” My next breath is deeper.
I look toward the door when I see movement.
Dr. Bleacher is standing there. He looks as exhausted as I feel. Ryan told me he’s been here since we came in. He pulls off his surgical cap and takes a deep breath. He hasn’t looked up, but when he does, I see the slight tipping of his lips on the side. He’s a handsome man with startling green eyes that have a yellowish tint to them. His dark hair is brown, and he stands at about six foot three. He’s slender with a cut jaw and a cleft in his chin. He's going to be taking the title for eligible bachelor here at the hospital soon.
“He’s alive and will remain that way if I can help it. He’ll have to have a tube in his lung for a bit until it heals enough for him to breath on his own.” He pauses as he rushes toward me. I guess I got a bit wavy on my feet because my father is at my side immediately too.
“He’s alive.” It’s all I can say as I almost collapse in relief.
“Yes.” It wasn’t a question, but he still answers it. “He should be up shortly. I’ll be back in a couple of hours to check on him.”
“Thank you.” I wrap him up in a hug and can’t believe I did it. It’s a new feeling to want to comfort or embrace others. He pats my back and then steps back.
“I’m glad I could help you both.” He turns and walks out the door, and I watch as nurses watch him go. Yep, most eligible bachelor. Ryan was one of those before he claimed Jasmine.
* * *
Leif
Pain radiates throughout my body, and I know I’m alive because of it. I sense her before I feel her. She’s leaning over me. Her hair brushing my chest. Her smell invades my nose and takes the antiseptic smell away.
The woman I love.
My eyes open, and my vision is fuzzy for a moment before it clears. She’s touching me, and I want to tell her how much I like it, but my throat is tight. I can’t get anything out of it. If feels as if I gargled glass or something.
“Love.” My voice croaks, and she turns to look at me.
Her eyes have dark circles under them. She’s in a pair of lounge pants and a tank top with a button-up sweater over the top. My heart clenches because I almost lost her. She could have been shot and not me. Or I could have died. I reach up with my hand and touch her face, brushing her hair back. She turns and grabs a cup from the hospital tray at the end of the bed. She holds the straw to my lips and waits for me to take a drink. I take a sip and the coolness calms the scratchy feeling.
“I love you,” I tell her the most important thing first. “Marry me.” It’s not a question, because I’m not going to ask. I’m going to demand.
She smiles at me. “When you heal, I’ll marry you,” she says, and my eyes drift closed for a moment. The exhaustion wearing on me. I flick them open quick, and she’s still standing over me. “Kill him,” I whisper, and she nods. I want her and Franci safe so I can talk her into raising more kids with me. She won’t do that as long as she’s not safe or they are out there.
