“Shoulder wound, through and through. They stitched her up and will keep her overnight for observation. Then it’s a psychiatric facility. The courts will decide if she’s competent enough to stand trial.”
It wasn’t enough. How many lives had she destroyed? All while playing the concerned aunt.
Nausea swept through me, and I knew I’d lose whatever food I had in my stomach. I launched myself from the chair and ran for the single bathroom around the corner. The door banged open, and I sank to the floor, emptying my stomach in heave after heave.
Cool hands pulled my hair away from my face. “That’s enough. There’s nothing left,” Hayes said softly.
I ordered my body to stop, to put an end to the motions. But it was as if some part of me thought this was a way to fix everything. Finally, the heaving slowed, then halted altogether.
I rested back on my heels, and Hayes flushed the toilet. He helped me to my feet, guiding me over to the sink. As I rinsed my mouth, he poked his head out the door. “See if you can find some mouthwash.”
I kept rinsing, trying to cleanse the foul taste. Finally, someone brought a travel-sized mouthwash. I swirled it around in my mouth until all the horribleness was gone. If only it could clear everything else, too.
Hayes gripped my shoulders gently and turned me around. He ducked down to meet my gaze. “You hold on. There is so much left to fight for. Don’t quit on me. We’ve been in tough spots before, you and me. We’ll make it through this, too.”
My eyes filled, and I let my head fall to Hayes’ chest. He wrapped me in a hug. “Boden is fighting for you. You fight for him right back.”
“I will,” I croaked.
My body trembled, and Hayes pulled open the door to the bathroom. “Let’s get you sitting down.”
As we stepped out into the hallway, we caught sight of two women in scrubs striding towards us. “Boden Cavanaugh’s family?”
I gripped Hayes’ hand so tightly, I was sure I’d leave bruises. “I’m his girlfriend.”
The older woman nodded. “I’m Dr. Padman. Mr. Cavanaugh’s surgeon. He’s still in serious condition, but I was able to repair the vein tear and remove the bullet. The next twenty-four hours will give us more information.”
“He made it. He’s alive.”
The woman’s mouth curved, and she patted my arm. “He’s alive, and Nurse Smith can take you to him.”
“Go,” Hayes said. “I’ll fill everyone in.”
I nodded, already moving to follow the nurse down the hall. I didn’t say a word as she led me to the elevators and took us up several floors. I kept up with her, step for step, as she led me to the ICU and buzzed someone to let us in.
She stopped in front of an open door. “He has a machine breathing for him, along with a few other things helping him function in all the ways he needs to without putting stress on his body. I know they’re scary, but they’re helping.”
“Thank you.” The words didn’t sound like they had even come from my mouth—nearly unrecognizable to my ears.
Nurse Smith moved to the side, and I walked in.
The sight in front of me stole all the air from my lungs. So many tubes and wires. A bandage covered his entire chest. His face was swollen. And I couldn’t see those eyes.
Boden was almost unrecognizable. Yet some part of his soul called out to mine. That flame was still there, and it pulled me closer.
I moved as though I had no control over my limbs. Striding across the linoleum floor and sinking into another of those awkward chairs. I landed with a jolt of my spine but barely noticed.
The hand closest to me had nothing but a hospital bracelet on it. I took it in mine. The warmth of his skin had tears slipping free and cascading down my cheeks. I swore I felt the beat of his heart in that hand.
“Fight,” I whispered. “Please, fight. I can’t lose you.”
46
Boden
The burningin my chest started dragging me out of the swirling darkness. The pain was a hot branding iron. Intense and unceasing. I tried to back away from the feeling, but a hand squeezed mine. Hard.
“Boden. Come back to me.”