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She never finished the sentence. Her laugh cut off abruptly, and her hands left my body.
“Raina?” I asked, frowning in confusion as I glanced over my shoulder.
But she wasn’t there.
My heart stopped solid in my chest. I spun around, unable to find her. Panic clawed its way up my throat, and my voice broke as I repeated, “Raina!” with more urgency this time.
She didn’t answer.
“No.” Slapping the water off, I chanted, “Shit, shit, shit,” as I grabbed the first towel available and half-dried myself. All the while, I streaked through her bathroom to explode into the bedroom.
“Raina?” I called, hoping she’d merely popped into another part of the apartment for something. “Raina!”
When she didn’t answer, I shoved my way back into my clothes, cursing when my still-wet body made it harder for me to pull my jeans on.
After I was fully dressed, I grabbed my wallet and keys as well asherkeys, then I did another sweep through the rooms. I even checked her mini balcony. But Raina was gone.
“Please don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead,” I begged as I sprinted down the stairs and out to my truck.
Saturday mid-morning traffic was a pain in the ass, but I managed to make it to the hospital without killing myself.
And by the time I made it to her room on the fourth floor, I was flat out of breath.
But I hurried inside just as Darlene turned from her bed.
“Well, there you are,” she greeted, clearly not surprised to see me. “I was expecting you any moment now since you always seem to know when she has a big change.”
“Is she…?” I held my breath, afraid of the answer.
But the nurse smiled. “She’s coming out of it. Her brain waves were so steady and strong last night that we started to wean her off the ventilator, and…” Stepping aside, she showed Raina to me completely.
“Holy shit,” I croaked. “She’s breathing on her own.” There were no tubes connected to her mouth, just two little prongs resting in her nostrils. And she was just lying there peacefully as if she was merely taking a nap.
“Has she woken up yet?” I asked, stumbling forward on shaking legs.
“Not yet.” Darlene clasped my shoulder as I passed by. “But I expect she will anytime now.”
“Oh God,” I breathed. “Oh, thank God.” She was going to make it.
“I’ll give you two a minute,” she told me. “Maybe you can coax her into opening those precious eyes of hers, huh?”
I nodded and smiled vaguely at her before she left. Then, I swallowed and took Raina’s hand. It was so warm and solid and real. And I couldn’t seem to contain all the excitement whirling around inside from knowing she could wake up at any moment. I squeezed her fingers as I sucked in a breath and tried not to cry.
But dammit… She was going to live.
“Did you hear that?” I asked her. “All you need to do is open your eyes. I don’t even care if you remember me or not; I just need you awake and alive, okay?”
When she didn’t answer, I begged again, “Live, Raina.” I leaned down and pressed my brows to hers. “Please don’t leave me.”
Then I brushed my lips softly across hers. They were slightly chilled, and I could feel the air hiss from them as she exhaled.
So very glad that she was breathing on her own, I pulled away, only for her to suck in a sharp breath.
“Wha—?” I jerked the rest of the way back, blinking at her face as her eyelashes began to flutter.
29
FOSTER
