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“Don’t think like that, man. She has you and Mandy this time.”
“I should’ve made sure Jessica left town after she confronted Zoe. I tried to avoid the drama and now my girl is broken.” He ran his fingertips over her swollen face. “We love her. She has to understand that. No matter what it takes, we’ll get her through this.”
“First of all, dude, it isn’t your fault Jessica is anut. You didn’t know. Hell, it’s beenyearssince she left. Who knew she’d suddenly fixate on her imagined territory like this?”
Rick stared at her still form and Nate knew she was barely recognizable. Zoe was bruised and swollen everywhere.
“Bill and I will trade off keeping an eye on the job sites and protecting your family. We also have Noel and that’s no fucking joke. Don’t think about anything but Zoe getting better.” The friends shared a hard hug. “Hang in there and call me for anything. I’ll stop by my place and head to yours. She’s strong. Don’t let her forget that.”
Nate nodded and knew he could trust his two oldest friends to do whatever it took to keep his daughter safe.
Then there was his sister. Noel was crazier, and more dangerous, than either of them.
* * *
Zoe opened her eyes and then tried to open them again.
When the realization that her eyeswereopen sank into her groggy mind, she began to scream. Someone stroked her hand, kissed her forehead, and smoothed her hair.
Nate…
Knowing he was there but unable toseehim absolutely broke her. She tried to get out of the bed. There was no way she could live like this. Why wouldn’t they let her die?
Now her world wassilentanddark.
Nate held her shoulder gently, his lips against her hairline, his tears falling on her cheek. The fight left her on a hard gasp.
She went still and stopped screaming. She couldn’t take the tears,histears, knowing how he must hurt for her.
He gripped her fist, gently pried it open. He signed against her palm but she couldn’t focus, couldn’t get her mind past the fact that she would be insolitary confinementfor the rest of her life.
She wouldnotlive dependent like a child. It was bad enough to receive the pitying looks and know the whispers she could no longer hear wereforher,abouther. This was too much to bear. SheknewNate. She understood the man he was. There was no doubt he’d insist on caring for her. He would become hernurse.
Oh, hell no.Enough. Just enough.
Every part of her hurt and tears slipped from the corners of her eyes into her hair. “I won’t do this, Nate. I won’t. Don’t ask it of me.”
* * *
Nate tried to get through to Zoe but she was a knot of fear, her body twisting on the sheets. He was in a state of near panic trying to calm her. The machines attached to her started to beep but she didn’t hear them as her heart rate climbed.
He kissed her. Anywhere on her face that wasn’t injured. He ran his stubbled jaw over her bare skin. Moved his hand over her body through the sheet, touching any place on her he knew wasn’t hurt. Her leg, her arm, her abdomen.
Repeatedly, he touched her, loved her,willedher to calm.
She began to settle and still he touched her body as he worked to reach into her heart. Her muscles gradually loosened and she cried silent tears.
Careful not to put weight on the wires attached to her, he signedI love youinto her palm again and again.
At last, she whispered, “I loveyou, Nate. Y-you can’t love me anymore. I don’t want you to.”
He signed, “They say it’s temporary.”
She laughed sadly. “That’s what they said about my hearing. The hoping made it so much worse.”
Nate refused to give up. “Zoe, you’re going to be alright.”
The tears were fresh now, her whispers more urgent. “I thought it was bad not being able to hear Maximus purr, hear Mandy laugh, hear you whisper to me. Now I can’tsee. It’s dark, quiet. More terrifying than anything I’ve ever known. My only connection to you is touch.”
