I knew that voice. It took me precious moments to place it. Laiken.
Dark hair. Amber eyes. Skin like gold. Strength. Vulnerability. The largest of hearts.
I fought against the darkness, trying to move towards her light. She’d become a beacon, almost from the moment I met her. From the first time I saw into her soul in that photo.
My eyes fluttered, the bright lights making them sting. Laiken squeezed my hand harder. “Boden?”
“Hey,” I croaked.
A second later, she placed a straw between my lips. “Tiny sips. You’ve had a tube down your throat. That’s why it’s sore.”
The cool liquid tasted like heaven, but after a few swallows, she tugged it away. “The nurse said not to give you too much, or you could get sick.”
My mind whirled as I tried to put the pieces together. Images flashed in my mind. Running with Laiken. Hiding in the office. Gilly. The gun.
“You’re okay? You aren’t hurt?” I tried to sit up, but white-hot pain had me letting out a curse instead.
“Don’t try to move.” Laiken’s hands were on my shoulders as tears pooled in her eyes. “You were shot. You shielded me.” Her voice cracked as she spoke, the tears sliding down her cheeks. “You almost died. Your heart stopped.”
Shit.Things had been closer than I could’ve imagined, but none of it mattered. I lifted a hand to her cheek. “Tell me you’re okay.”
“Thanks to you.” She leaned her forehead against mine and simply stayed there for a moment. When she straightened, I didn’t miss the strain of pain tightening her features or the bruise and healing gash on her face.
“You’re hurting.”
She shook her head. “I’ve just been sleeping in a cot in here the past few nights. That’s all.”
“Why didn’t you go home?”
Laiken looked at me as if I had a head injury instead of a shot to the chest. “I wasn’t leaving you.”
“Get in this bed,” I ordered.
She let out an exasperated sigh. “You have staples in your chest. I’m not getting in your bed.”
“Only on one side.” The pain was localized; on my left side. I could tell that now. “Come here.”
Slowly, Laiken pushed to her feet and rounded the bed. Her movements were stiff, and I knew she was in more pain than she was letting on. First thing, I would call Addie and get her to take Laiken home—just as soon as I assured myself that she was okay.
Laiken carefully perched on the edge of the bed.
“Lay down.”
“Spoiled movie star,” she muttered.
I chuckled but immediately regretted it.
“Don’t do that,” Laiken said. “Do you need a nurse? Pain meds?”
“I just need you.”
She melted at that, slowly lowering herself to my side and curling around me. Her fingers linked with mine. “I was so scared.”
My chest burned, but this time it had nothing to do with my injury. “I’m so sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. I’m the one who’s sorry. I didn’t see it. There wasn’t a moment where I thought Gilly could hate us all that much.”
I swept my thumb back and forth across the back of her hand. “I don’t think anyone saw it.”