Page 490 of End Game

Cami's eyes open.

Not fully.

Just enough.

They move past the nurse.

Past the ceiling.

Then find me.

Her forehead creases.

Recognition struggles through whatever fog she's in.

I step close enough that my hand finds hers as the stretcher clears the ambulance. “Hey, baby.”

Her fingers barely close around mine.

Her mouth moves. “Husband.”

One word.

Soft.

Dry.

Barely there.

It almost fucking kills me.

“Yeah.” My voice cracks. “I'm right here.”

Her eyes close again.

The receiving nurse moves beside the stretcher.

I let go.

Every cell in my body screams not to.

I do it anyway.

Because I'm not her medic.

I'm not part of this team.

And the fastest way to get myself thrown out of my own wife's room is to forget that.

I know the mechanics of this encounter. That doesn’t mean I get to control the roll.

Ronan climbs out behind them.

I catch his shoulder as he passes. “You okay?”

His face says no.

His mouth says, “Yes.”