“Nathan, you need to get to the hospital. It’s Elise.”
My blood ran cold. My grip on the wheel tightened, and my stomach sank like I’d just fallen from a great height. “What happened? Where is she?”
“She’s okay, Nathan,” Kelsey quickly added, cutting me off. “But she’s hurt. Pretty badly. I don’t know the details, but she’s in the ER. You need to get here. Now.”
My hands went numb, the phone slipping slightly in my grip as I tried to process her words. The rest of the world seemed to blur around me.Elise hurt?My thoughts were a tangled mess as I fumbled to get the hospital’s name before I ended the call.
The drive felt like it took an eternity. The red lights, the endless cars in front of me, the world around me moving like it had all the time in the world while I was stuck, immobilized by the terror that had just gripped my chest.
This wasn’t just some random incident. This was Jax’s doing. I was sure of it.
My heart pounded in my ears, the anger rising in me like a tidal wave, but underneath it was the overwhelming panic that if I didn’t get to her fast enough, I could lose her.
I finally made it to the hospital parking lot. My hands trembled as I pulled the car into a space, slamming the door shut as I bolted out of the car, my legs carrying me toward the entrance.
Inside, the sterile scent of antiseptic hit me immediately, making my stomach twist. I was already half-rushing toward the reception desk before I realized the nurse was talking to me. Her face was neutral, cold even, as she looked at me over the counter.
“I’m here for Elise Alexandre,” I rasped, struggling to stay calm. “She was just brought in. I need to see her.”
The nurse’s eyes flicked over me, unimpressed by my urgency. “Are you family?”
My jaw clenched.No, but I will be.
“I’m her fiancé,” I lied, the words leaving my mouth without hesitation. I didn’t have time for red tape. Elise needed me, and I was going to see her whether they liked it or not.
The nurse sighed, typing something into her computer before glancing back up. “She’s in the ER. Room seven. Down the hall, to the left.”
I was already moving before she finished speaking.
The hallway stretched out in front of me, each step feeling slower than the last. My heart was hammering, my breath short. The closer I got, the more that sick feeling in my gut twisted.
Then I saw Ryan.
He was standing outside the room, his face grim, arms crossed over his chest like he was physically holding himself back. The moment he spotted me, he straightened.
“She’s inside,” he said, voice low.
“What the hell happened?” I demanded.
Ryan hesitated, and that hesitation was answer enough.
“It was Jax.”
The words landed like a punch to the gut. My vision went red and my hands curled into fists. I knew it. Iknewthat bastard was a threat, and I still left her alone.
“I told you not to leave her side. Where the fuck were you?” My voice was rough, barely controlled.
Ryan sighed, running a hand through his hair. “She insisted on going up to the office alone. There was no reason for me to believe she was in danger. I don’t know how Jax was able to slip through security at Edge Records, but I promise you boss, I’ll figure it out.”
I didn’t wait to hear more. I trusted him with the most important person in my life and he failed to protect her. “You’re fired.”
I shoved past him, pushing the door open so hard it hit the wall. And there she was.
Elise.
Lying on the hospital bed, her skin pale against the white sheets. Her hair was a mess, her lip split, a dark bruise forming along her cheekbone. A bandage wrapped around her head.
She turned toward the sound of the door, and the moment our eyes met, something in me broke.
