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“Did I do something? Did I do something that hurt you?”
“You did nothing wrong, Matt. I promise.”
“I did. I know I did. I can feel it.”
“Look at me. I’m okay. You’re going to be okay. Everything else we can sort.”
The nurse appeared again, putting an end to our conversation. “Matt, we’re going to put you on an antibiotic drip for the next five days. You were left exposed for a few days and your body’s struggling. The doctor thinks your temperature is an infection, so we’re going to come down hard on it. We don’t want this getting worse or turning into sepsis. I’m going to put this needle in your hand, but I’ll put it on this side, so you can still let Frankie in there with you.”
“Thank you.” I offered her a smile, grateful that she could see how much I needed my Rogue God.
Once the nurse had left and Frankie stripped the covers from my bed, helping me cool down, she climbed in next to me.
“Do you still want to marry me, Rogue, or did I spoil that?”
“I meant what I said. You did nothing wrong. Of course, I still want to marry you. I want a lifetime with you, Bear. Nothing, and I mean nothing, has changed.”
“So why were we standing on a riverbank in a storm?”
“If I tell you, you have to promise you won’t freak or try to run. You’re in no state and Thomas is sorting it all.”
Wrapping her hand in mine and pulling it to my chest, I promised her, knowing deep down that something awful was coming.
“It was Emma, Matt. Emma and Alfie.”
“What?”
“They found the person who killed them.”
I froze as the memories of how I ended up here crashed into my head. I struggled, needing to stand, to move, to go find out who killed my wife and son, which I guessed is how I felt that day in the storm, but this time, Frankie knew to expect it. She moved, straddling my thighs, so I couldn’t go anywhere, even if I had the strength to run.
“Hey,” she whispered, framing my face with her hands, soothing me. “Bear, look at me… Look at me. You can’t go anywhere. You’re too sick. Thomas is dealing with everything. I promise. Breathe. Look at me and just breathe. I can’t lose you again. I won’t lose you again because you feel like you need to do this on your own.”
She wrapped herself around me, stopping me from going anywhere, and I relaxed against her, letting her body consume me.
“I love you. Let’s get you better, and then we can take care of everything else.”
“I love you too,” I murmured into her hair. “I’m sorry you keep getting dragged into this.”
She sat up and shook her head. “Don’t you ever apologize. I choose you. Your history, your life, your heart. I choose it all, Bear.”
Frankie
“They’llbelettingyouout soon. What do you want to do when you’re back on your feet?” I sat on the foot of his bed, dressed in a short white sun dress.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean just that. What do you want for the future?”
“You, Rogue. That hasn’t changed.”
“Are you sure? I know you want to see Emma and Alfie’s killer punished. I get that. You need time to do that.”
“I want to make sure that fucker gets what he deserves, but that doesn’t change us. Why would it?”
I try to hide the wobble in my voice. “Honestly?”
“Always,” he reassured me.
