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Reed’s little hand slips into mine and I glance down.
“Let’s go,” he whispers. “She’ll be okay.”
I cling to the hope he’s right. We walk to the SUV and hop in the back. When he slips right beside me, I wrap my arms around him. Killing Ray, I thought the fight was over.
It happens it was just the beginning.
* * *
The shadow of fear covers me, filling my head with the worst cases. Everyone tries to reassure me, but I can’t hear anything in the heavy fog. I can’t look at Everly without the irrational part of my brain spewing anger. This isn’t her fault. I want to scream that no one is telling us anything. I want to take another run, but I can’t leave.
Needing something to do, I’ve gotten up at least ten times to get a cup of coffee, only to take a sip and throw it in the trash. It tastes like mud. Every. Time. But I can’t stop.
Max taps me on the shoulder and I peer over at him. He juts his chin and I follow the direction. I shove up from my seat as a doctor walks toward us. Running my hand across my rough jaw, I meet him halfway.
“Are you Ellie Keyes’ family?”
“Yes, I’m her husband.” I lie knowing they won’t give out information to non-family members.
“And I’m her sister,” Everly says, walking up beside me. She’s wearing scrubs, her clothes so soaked with Ellie’s blood, she had to change. The smear of blood she missed on her jaw makes me cringe, the ache in my chest intensifying. I squeeze my eyes shut and jerk away, so I can’t see it.
He grips his hands and notices me observing him, so he crosses his arms over his torso and settles. He blows out a heavy breath, bracing himself for the aftermath of bad news. “She was in shock by the time she got here caused by internal bleeding, the loss of blood was extensive. The bullet hit her small intestine, so we had to remove a piece. We stopped the bleeding and removed the bullet. The amount of blood she lost and infection is our main concern. Her body is still in shock. She’s in ICU and stable for the moment.”
I run my hand through my hair, gripping it. ‘For the moment’ replays in my head. I turn, all eyes on me, waiting for an update. My body breaks out in a cold sweat, my mouth dries like I swallowed sand.
“I’ll tell them,” Everly whispers as she turns to walk away. Her heavy steps echo in my head.
I spin back around, hoping the doctor didn’t leave. His sympathetic eyes meet mine. “Can I see her?”
He nods, flattening his lips. This has to be the worst part of his job. Once a person dies, they’re gone. You can’t apologize. But the emotions from telling the family has to weigh him down.
“We’ll let you know when we have her set up in her room.” He places a hand on my shoulder. “She’s a fighter, but she needs to keep fighting.”
She’s the strongest person I know, she’s a survivor and she’ll be again.
Ellie, fight for you.
For us.
Chapter Forty-Four
Everly
I knew what the doctor was going to say before he said it. I feel it in my bones. Death. It’s like our nervous system is bound by an invisible string. I’ve felt like this once before. The day of my accident. I thought I had the flu and was on my way to the doctor. Out of nowhere, I was gasping for air and then darkness. When I woke, everything was different. I was different.
It’s strange to feel someone else’s emotions and not know them. We’re bound by something so supernatural, it’s surreal. And now I’m going to lose her. Tears spill down my cheeks and I lean forward onto my arms. She found me and the only memory I’ll have is her saving me. Wayne leans over and slides his hand into mine, squeezing. “I’m sorry,” he mumbles into my back. I shift to his chest and he holds me while I let out the emotions I’ve been clinging to, hoping I was wrong.
Ellie is dying.
Last night was the longest night of my life. I was in labor for seventeen hours and it still didn’t compare to last night. Every time the emergency room doors opened, no matter how close to sleep I was, I would jump up, ready for news. But none came.
No news is good news, I kept telling myself before settling back in, waiting for the next false alarm. But here we are, eight in the morning, Max has brought everyone breakfast and we’re all anxiously awaiting an update.
When the doctor comes out telling us she made it through the night, I almost respond with, ‘I know’ but rather kept that to myself. Wayne walks up to my table with my favorite drink from Starbucks in hand.
I smile, grateful he’s here. “Thanks.”
He bends over, kissing me on top of my head and returns the smile before walking away. I watch him pass the sliding glass doors, exiting to the outdoors, the tension in his shoulders weighs heavily on my heart. We haven’t talked. He has no idea what happened at Kase’s before we were whisked away to a hiding place. He’s in his own hell trying to keep it together but be supportive at the same time.
