“Nope,” we all answer in unison.
Her brows raise and her lips pucker. “Okay, well, when your sister came in, she was in very bad shape. She wasn’t responsive, and her pulse was very weak. She needed three rounds of NARCAN in the ambulance, and we pumped her stomach upon arrival.”
A pained sound rumbles in the back of Delaney’s throat.
“It’s been very touch and go for the last few hours, but she finally started breathing over the ventilator, and her stats seem to be stabilizing. She’s not out of the woods yet. We won’t know if there any mental deficits until she wakes up, but it’s looking up.”
I sigh in relief as Delaney tears up and collapses into Knox’s arms. When she gets ahold of herself, she wipes her face and turns back to the doctor.
r /> “Are we able to go see her?”
She nods. “Just try to be quiet. Forcing her to wake up before she’s ready could cause more damage than good.”
We all follow her toward Tessa’s room, including Easton, who limps behind us. Delaney stops at the door, covering her mouth as she cries at the vision of her sister. It’s heartbreaking, honestly, to see someone so strong look so fragile.
“Go,” I tell her. “She’s going to want you when she wakes up.”
She looks up at me and her brows furrow. “Aren’t you coming?”
I shake my head. “I’ll wait out here. I’m not entirely sure she’ll want me in there, and I’d rather not make her uncomfortable.”
It looks like she wants to argue, but instead, she nods and goes inside—taking up the seat at Tessa’s bedside and grabbing her hand. I lean against the nurses’ desk, staying where I can see her but making sure not to intrude. Come on, Cherry Bomb. You’re stronger than this.
28
TESSA
I’m honestly not sure what’s worse: the stabbing pain that feels like it’s piercing my brain, or that incessant beeping. I groan, trying to will it to stop. Someone gasps, and the hand holding mine tightens.
“Tessa?”
Delaney? It takes a minute, but I finally peel my eyes open to find my sister sitting beside me.
“Am I hallucinating?”
Tears spring to her eyes and she covers her mouth as she shakes her head. She practically jumps to hug me, only for her to pull away, give me a little shake, and then hug me again.
“You’re such an idiot! What were you thinking?”
I don’t get a chance to answer before she’s back to hugging me.
“Ugh, I’m so glad you’re okay.”
As she sits back down, I see Knox beside her. He looks so relieved, yet so fed up with my shit. I smile as sweetly as I can manage, and it works like a charm. He chuckles and shakes his head, getting up to hug me.
“You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?”
The room looks familiar, and it takes a minute before I realize, it’s the same kind of room Knox was in after he was shot—or rather, after he jumped in front of a bullet to save my sister. I’m in the ICU.
My breath hitches as my eyes land on Asher. He’s standing by the nurses’ desk, with his gaze locked on mine.
“How long has he been standing there?” I ask Delaney.
She glances back at him and sighs. “Since they told us we could come see you. He won’t move from that spot. He doesn’t want to come in because he’s not sure you want him here.”
“If you don’t want him here, just say the word, and I’ll be more than happy to kick his ass out,” Easton pipes up.
I hadn’t even realized he was standing there. I don’t have much recollection of what happened, but I remember something about him being there, frantically calling my name. Pills. Fuck, the pills.