Page 134 of Devour

“Can you tend to his injuries in the same room as his girl?” Fox asks the doctor, but his tone makes it clear that it is more than a suggestion.

The doctor looks between us. He glances at Fox. The doctor is a Raven, and he knows who Fox Sinclair is.

“Fine.” The doctor motions me to follow him as he grabs her gurney to continue through the double doors. “But you’re getting checked out, and if you interfere with my staff, I’ll have you removed.”

I hold up my hands in a show of agreement, but if he does something I don’t like to my girl, I’ll snap his neck and get another fucking opinion.

I follow the gurney through the doors and into a room where they transfer Saylor to a bed. The team moves around her—cutting away the rest of the bloody gown, cleaning the wound on her side, and hooking up monitors. The beeping starts. It’s steady. That sound is the only thing keeping me from ripping them apart.

I hate that any of them are seeing my girl naked, but with all the blood on her body, they have to clean her and check for more wounds.

A nurse urges me to sit on the bed beside Saylor’s. She lifts my shirt and starts pressing along my ribs. I grab her wrist on instinct from the pain and because I don’t want anyone fucking touching me who isn’t my girl.

“I need to assess the damage.” She’s probably in her forties and is trying to keep me calm. She holds her other hand up in some show that’s supposed to make me trust her. “You shouldn’t have left earlier. I saw your X-rays.”

“I don’t give a shit about my X-rays.” But I let go of her wrist and let her work. She keeps pressing along my ribs and every touch makes me clench my jaw. But I keep my focus on Saylor across the narrow space between the beds.

“You’ve got at least four breaks now.” The nurse shakes her head. “Your recovery time is going to be longer.”

“And I’ll still tear this place apart by my-fucking-self if something happens to her.” I motion toward Saylor.

She gives me a look that says she wants to argue, but she’s smart enough not to. She wraps my torso in something tight. It’s supposed to help, but it just makes it harder to breathe. I let her do it because I’m not leaving this room. If cooperating keeps me here, then fine.

The doctor finishes stitching Saylor’s side. The wound is closed, but there’s going to be a scar to remind her of all the bullshit she’s been through. I should have protected her better. I’ll never fucking let anyone touch her again. If she thought I was a possessive asshole before, she hasn’t seen anything yet.

“She’s stable.” The doctor steps back and strips his gloves. “The laceration was deep, but we’ve been able to get it cleaned and stitched. She’ll need fluids and rest. We’re going to monitor her overnight.”

“I’m staying with her.”

He chuckles. “I figured as much.” He glances at the nurse who just finished wrapping my ribs, and he nods his approval before motioning to the bed beside hers. “You should try to get some rest too.”

The room goes quiet after they leave. It’s just me and Saylor and the beeping monitors. I reach across and take her hand. She doesn’t squeeze back, but she’s warm and her pulse is steady under my fingers. I stand by her bed and press my lips to her forehead.

Fuck, I love this woman so goddamn much. I need to see those pretty green eyes so I can make sure she never forgets it.

CHAPTER 57

SAYLOR

Idon’t know how long I’ve been out, but when I open my eyes, Axl is the first person I see.

He’s sitting in a chair beside my bed with my hand in both of his. His shirt is off, and his torso is wrapped in white dressing. There’s dried blood in his hair and bruises across his jaw. He’s the most beautiful, perfect thing I’ve ever seen, and he’s alive.

Tears fill my eyes before I can stop them. They told me he was dead. I refused to believe it, but I was also afraid to hope that something might finally go our way.

“There’s my girl.” His voice is rough, and he brings one of his hands up to brush his tatted knuckles against my cheek. “You scared the fuck out of me, little heathen.”

“I thought you were dead.” My throat is dry, and my voice comes out barely above a whisper. “I thought I’d never see you again.”

“I told you.” He brings my hand up and presses his lips against my fingers. “In this life and all the next ones. You’re never getting rid of me.”

He holds my hand against his mouth for a few seconds. When he pulls back, his blue eyes are intense.

“Axl—”

“I have so many things I need to say to you, baby, and I was so scared I wouldn’t get the chance.” His voice is thick, and he doesn’t let go of my hand. “Saylor Reign Carter, I love you so much. And I’m a selfish prick who will do whatever it takes to have you because I don’t want to know a single day of a life without you. That’s what you get when you pick me, Saylor. I’ll kill every fucking person in the world if it comes down to you or them. It’s always been you, and it’s always going to be you.”

My chest tightens, and tears sting my eyes.