Ash sighs. “I’m just so glad you’re okay. Can you not do anything else to scare me like that?”
“As long as Sheriff Lennon keeps Dax’s brother behind bars, I won’t have another reason to risk my safety.”
“By the way, I saw Hope in the hall earlier. She gave me the heads-up about LJ, and I took care of him.”
“What does that mean?”
“That you don’t need to worry about yelling at him. He knows not to step foot in this hospital.” Ash smirks. “Before he hung up on me, he said, ‘like I’d want to go to such a diseased, flea-ridden place.’”
I laugh, unsurprised. “Certainly not the description he used when trying to become my date for the gala.”
“I thought he’d be one less headache for you to deal with.”
Guilt swells inside me. “I’m sorry what I did caused Christie to leave.”
“It’s okay. I’ve been on the phone with her. Her family is happy to come back now that Sheriff Lennon has the crooks behind bars.” Ash leans down and kisses my head. “Love you, sis.”
“Love you, too.”
“Vanessa?” my mother’s voice enters the room.
Anger flames inside me, and I swing around to the doorway. I’m caught off guard when I find her standing beside my father.
“I’ve already heard this,” Ash whispers. “I’ll leave you to it.”
Before I can reach for him, Ash walks out of the room.
I stay firmly seated in my chair, glaring at my parents. “What are you two doing here?”
Mom steps forward. “Your father knows everything.”
I pivot between the two. “What?”
Mom nods solemnly. “After you left us in the hallway, I was shattered. Coming home, my goal was to make you and Ash happy. I was overzealous about it because I wanted you on my side when I had divorce papers drawn.”
My heart aches. “That was your plan?”
Mom blinks back tears with her false lashes. “I couldn’t stand the idea of you and your brother hating me.”
I sigh. “I don’t hate you, Mom.” I turn to Dad. “When she says you know everything?”
“Switzerland and the tutor,” he replies solemnly. “I had an inkling long before because of the growing distance in our relationship.”
My shoulders slump as a wave of sadness drags me under. “Oh, Dad. I’m sorry.”
He sighs. “It’s not your fault, darling.”
Gradually, all eyes fall on Dax. Mom and Dad creep closer to the bed, and Mom’s the first to comment, “I know he’s special to you, Vanessa.”
“I love him, Mom.”
“Sheriff Lennon has other witnesses who say Dax was a victim too,” Dad says. “A young girl, and one of the older bikers.”
My heart skips a beat. Stella and Boscoe.
Dad squeezes my shoulder. “If he fought to get you out while suffering with this illness, he must really love you. Any man who can protect my daughter like that, I can accept.”
A tear rolls down my cheek. “Oh, Dad, thank you.”
