My life hangs in the balance for hours. One by one, each person who was affected by today comes into the small sitting room where I’m waiting.
Trey, Jules, Mount, Keira and the baby, and a few others whose names I don’t know and honestly don’t care about right now.
Magnolia is all I care about.
The silence grows louder with each passing moment. I hope like hell every single one of these people are praying their asses off.
She has to pull through.
Reyes knew exactly what he was doing when he stabbed her. Right in the fucking kidney, and she lost too much goddamned blood. Not to mention, the accident could have killed her on its own.
Rory wakes up in her mother’s arms, and Keira coos to her. I’m so fucking glad she’s safe.
Then I begin the cycle of my prayers again.
God, please don’t take Magnolia away from me. She deserves to live. She’s a fighter. She deserves another chance. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.
As I make another bargain with God, one of the doctors finally comes into the room.
I’m on my feet in half a second. “Please. Tell me she’s okay.”
He removes the mask from his face. “We had a really tough decision, but—”
I rush forward. “Tell me she’sokay.”
The doctor takes a breath and nods. “She’s made it this far, and she’s by no means out of the woods yet, but we’re very hopeful. Especially, as I was going to say, because we decided not to remove the kidney.”
“What?” I blink and look at him. “But she got fucking stabbed.”
He scratches the side of his head and stretches his neck. “Yes, and research at the top hospitals has shown the incredible power of the kidney to heal, and that the patient is better off with it, even in its damaged state, rather than removing it. She’ll need lots of rest and care, because her injuries are extensive. But, as I said, we’re very hopeful she’ll pull through.”
Mount rises and comes to stand beside me. “You already know this, but spare no expense. Whatever it takes, do it.”
My jaw trembles with gratitude for the man I was willing to kill only hours before.
“Thank you,” I whisper as I turn to look at him. “Thank. You.”
Mount’s eyes are black as sin as they meet mine. “No one else is dying today. Not on my fucking watch.”
Forty-Nine
Magnolia
I’ve been swimming through a fog for what seems like forever when I finally manage to surface and open my eyes. Blinking a few times, I take in the dim light of the room as I try to make out anything familiar. It takes a few more seconds for my vision to clear, and I lock onto the only thing that matters.
Moses.
He’s asleep in a chair beside the bed, but in the most awkward position imaginable—leaning forward so he’s resting a hand on my leg and using his other elbow to prop himself up.
A rush of gratitude fills me as I stare at that hand.Thank God.He’s here.
I blink faster as emotion fills my tired eyes.
We’re both alive. Together.
I don’t know what shape I’m in, and frankly, as long as I’m not dead, it doesn’t really matter.Because we made it.
I shift under the soft white sheets, and Moses sits up immediately, like he’s attuned to my every move.