Page 167

My eyelids are so heavy I can barely keep them open, and when I try to move, I’m met with resistance from every muscle in my body. So, I refocus on Maverick, studying him for signs of injury. Both of his eyes are black, and there’s some dried blood crusted on the side of his cheek. But other than that, he’s standing strong. Thank You, Lord.

I try to clear my throat. “Are you okay?” I try to reach for him, but my arm is too heavy to move, so I stretch my fingers in an attempt to get closer. I need to feel him, need to know that he’s really here and I’m not imagining it.

“I’m fine.” He reaches out and takes my hand, the warmth of his touch soothing the chill in my bones. Holding my hand between his, he leans forward and presses his lips to the very top, lingering there for a moment.

Love blooms in my chest, love and gratefulness because God brought us here to this moment. The danger has passed, yet what was between us remains even stronger.

“I thought I lost you, Sadie,” he whispers. “I thought—” He stops speaking, voice cracking. “Why did you go after him? Why did you risk your life like that?”

How can he not know?

He’d been barely able to stand upright, bloodied and swaying on his feet—yet prepared to die for me.

So why doesn’t he understand that I’d do the same?

I clear my throat, but the words are still a hoarse whisper. “Because I love you. And I couldn’t watch you die.”

“I love you, too,” he replies. “But please, don’t ever do that to me again.” He pulls his hand away from mine and stands, then leans over the bed to press his lips to mine. The kiss is tender, but there’s a promise in the contact.

A promise for so much more.

He pulls away and takes my hand again.

The longer I’m awake, the easier it is to think clearly. I blink rapidly, trying to clear the rest of the lingering fog. “Darren?”

“He’s dead,” Maverick replies, his tone sharper now. “I gave my statement to Captain Leopold already, but he’ll want to speak with you, too. When you’re ready.

“I can’t believe it was him.” Tears return, burning in the corners of my eyes. “Bella and the kids⁠—”

“None of this is your fault, Sadie. Do you hear me? What he did was evil. It was twisted and dark, but it is not your burden to carry.”

I can hear the words he’s saying, and the logic is sound, but I can’t help it. My thoughts are filled with the horror Bella will feel when she finds out what happened. When she realizes that her husband was a monster, and now he’s dead.

There’s no closure there.

No understanding.

“Baby, don’t go there.”

I shift my attention to Maverick. “I just—what did I do, Maverick? What did I do to make him think I would be okay with that? I barely even talked to him. Aside from the help he gave me after my parents passed away. I⁠—”

“Stop,” Maverick interrupts as he leans forward and runs his hand over my forehead. “You did nothing, do you hear me? Men like that, they’re predators. He fixated on you because of the darkness in him. Not because of anything you did.”

The door opens, and Maverick looks up. I follow his gaze, blinking away tears as a woman in dark blue scrubs comes in, a tablet in her hand.

“Miss Eaton, it is good to see you awake.” She crosses over toward the bed, a friendly smile on her face. “I’m Doctor Malorie. Are you feeling any pain at the moment?”

I shake my head.

“Good. If that changes, have your boyfriend let us know, okay? Or, if he’s not in here, you can press the call button on the side of your bed.” She points to a button with a red nurse on it.

“I’ll be here,” Maverick says.

“I figured as much,” Doctor Malorie replies with a smile. “The blade caused a laceration to your liver, and you had significant internal bleeding, but we were able to control it and repair the damage. What your friends did for you at the scene saved your life.”

I look over at Maverick. His eyes are closed, his head bowed forward.

“Thank you,” I tell her.