Lina looked down at me with shining brown eyes. Her smile chased away the darkness threatening to dominate my vision. It was so cold wherever I was, but her eyes, and her smile let in a brief reprieve.
I reached for her, but my hand went right through her face as if she were a ghost.
“Lina?” I called out to her, but my voice was nothing but a whisper. My throat ached and my chest was heavy.
I glanced around, but there was only darkness, so I zeroed in on her face again. The smooth curve of her pale skin over high cheekbones. How her champagne hair dusted along her forehead and long, silky locks coiled her neck and rested on her chest.
She leaned forward as if knowing I needed her close, to feel her body. This time her subtle curves formed to my hard body. Raising my heavy arms, I welcomed her onto me. She nuzzled her face in my neck, peppering kissing along my cold skin.
“I love you, Lina. So much.”
She was safe now. So was Mom. I’d finally beaten that prick and my girls were safe. That was all that mattered. Even if I died, which it felt like I might considering how heavy I felt, I could die happy knowing I’d saved them.
Maybe Heaven would welcome me even though I was guilty of killing Issie. Maybe taking care of people and helping them would atone for that. But I really wanted to be with Lina.
The ring. Yes. I had to give her the engagement ring I’d been holding onto for so long. When I’d seen her come in that alley, flanked by Drey, Bill and George—wait, where was Marshal? How’d Bill get involved?
“Lina!” I tried to call out, but my voice was now gone.
“Hunter!” Her voice penetrated the blanket of black void sucking me in. “He’s waking up. Hunter. It’s me, Lina. Hunter!”
Soft fingers touched my face, brushing from my temple to my jaw. Then tender lips. I turned toward them, searching out more of the melon taste.
“Oh yeah, he’s having a good dream.” That voice sounded like Drey’s. “He’s going to be just fine and ready for some action.”
“Come on, kid.” That was Bill’s voice.
Where was I? What was happening?
“Clear the room, I need to check—”
“No. I’m not leaving,” Lina said.
“Miss, you need to—”
“I said I amnotleaving. Work around me if you need to. Hunter, come on. Wake up. I’ve been activating our wonder twin powers all day, it’s about freaking time you listened.” Fingers dragged through my hair. “I’ve got your ring right here. They won’t let me put it on you, but I’ve got it on my thumb. Come on, Hunter.”
Tugs to my left side sent jolts of pain across my gut, and I went to bat whatever was causing it away from me.
“Calm down. Just checking things out.”
“Hunter. Open your eyes,” Lina said, then kissed them. “Please?”
As if I couldn’t disobey her, I opened them. She was less than three inches from me. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she had dark rings beneath me. Tears welled as she smiled. “There you are.”
“Lina,” I said, my voice finally working. Maybe not all together working, but it sounded more like a voice that time.
She closed her eyes and tears streamed over, a couple dropping on my face. “Oh, sorry.” She wiped my cheek. “Thank God.”
“Hunter, can you look at me please?” A foreign voice entered the conversation, and I glanced to my side. A woman with black hair pulled back in a braid stared down at me. She flashed a light in my eyes. The grip of a blood pressure cuff tightened around my bicep. “Can you tell me your full name?”
“Hunter Amos.”
“What day is it?”
“Depends, how long have I been here?”
Lina laughed, but the nurse huffed.