Chapter31
Garrison
Acouple of cracked ribs and a concussion later, and I’m spending one night in the hospital.Turns out, my injuries are a lot less than they should have been.I sent Katelyn home earlier with Weston, who’ll sleep on the couch and make sure she and Thomas are safe.
They caught up with Marks, and Jack said they have enough to put him away for a long time, but it’ll still take some time before I’m confident Katelyn and Thomas are safe.She would have stayed here if it weren’t for her son.He’d refused to leave without her, which was the final straw in her agreeing to go get some actual sleep.
Aside from some bruises on her face and injuries to her wrists and ankles where she’d been bound, Katelyn was in the clear.As I’d hoped it would, my body absorbed most of the shock from the fall.
Thank You, Lord.He saved us out there; there’s not a doubt in my mind.
There’s a soft knock at my door, and it swings open.Dressed in a hospital gown, using his IV pole for a cane, Sawyer walks into the room.He peeks behind him, then gently closes the door and crosses over toward my bed.
“You supposed to be up?”I ask him.
Without answering, he slowly lowers himself into the chair.“I hate hospitals.”
I laugh.“I’m not overly fond of them either.How are you feeling?”
“Alive.Thanks to you.”He’s quiet for a moment, something unusual for Sawyer most days.“I’m sorry, man.I tried to save her.They came up on us so fast.And then there was the gun?—”
“Are you seriously apologizing?”I sit up a little straighter, hissing through clenched teeth when the movement jars my injured ribs.“You did save her, Sawyer.She’s alive because you put yourself at risk and took the hits.If you hadn’t been there—” I shake my head.“I don’t know what would have happened to her.”
“For a moment there, I really thought I was done.”He takes a deep breath and looks up at me.Behind his sarcastic exterior, Sawyer Maddox has a heart of gold.
“Katelyn says you were Mr.Optimistic.”
He snorts.“Yeah, well, can’t lose my charm even in the face of death.I have a reputation to uphold.”There’s a weight on him now that’s not typical.
“You talk to Anastasia yet?”
He shakes his head.“I told Zane to tell her I wanted to rest.”
I arch a brow.“Really?”
He shrugs.“She’s with him now, and I think it’s time I start coming to terms with it.He’s all right, I guess.And he cares for her.”
“Sawyer—”
“Nah, it’ll be fine.I’ll survive.”He forces a smile.“After all, it’s just an infatuation, right?I mean, if it were love, I would have already said something.Look at you, friend-zoned for what—a week—before you did something about it?I keep hesitating, and I think it’s because I know we’re better off as friends.”
“You sure about that?”
He takes a deep breath.“No.But I’m going to work on getting okay with it.”
The door opens, and Rose storms in, a frustrated look on her face.“Sawyer Maddox.What do you think you’re doing out of bed?”
He winces.“Busted.I’m sorry, Rosie, I just needed a walk.”He fakes a pout, the old Sawyer slipping back into place.But I know him well enough to still see the heartbreak.I’m honestly not sure how he does it.I spent three months pining after Katelyn, and most of that time, she barely knew I existed.
I couldn’t imagine seeing someone every single day.Being friends.And loving them while they loved someone else.
“Yeah, well, you can take a walk right back to your room, boy.”
“Get him, Rose,” I say with a smile.
She shakes her head as she helps Sawyer to his feet, but there’s a smile toying at the corners of her lips.
“You get some sleep, Demo,” Sawyer says.“See you tomorrow.”