Page 102 of Open To Negotiation

“I’m going to head up to check her scans and make sure she’s settled in her room. I’ll be around all night, let me know if you have any questions.” With a nod Lane left the room to go take care of my girl.

Fuck.

Even though I was losing her, she would still always be my girl. I was sure there would never be anyone else for me.

“I’ve informed the staff that you are all allowed to stay past visiting hours and don’t worry about the two at a time rule. You can all be in there.”

“Appreciate it, Pearson,” Oli said as he patted the man on the shoulder.

“Knight Enterprises funds a lot of research and pro-bono work for the hospital, it’s the least I can do. Let me show you upstairs.” We left that waiting room to head up a few floors. “I’ve let the staff know you’re here. The minute Miss West is in her room, they’ll notify you.”

Oliver walked him to the elevator and they shared a few more words as I took a seat in a chair. Resting my head against the wall, I closed my eyes.

“You okay?” Asher asked as he took the chair beside me. The others closed in as well.

“Fine,” I bit out.

I needed to see her to be sure she was still alive.

See the rise and fall of her chest for myself.

“You heard the doctor, she’s okay,” Asher tried reassuring me.

I shook my head but didn’t open my eyes. “Jaxson, what have you found out?” I asked as I heard a chair scrap to join our circle. I was guessing Oli was back.

“Officers are being held downstairs so as not to bother us until she’s ready, but they want to speak with her. They mentioned that the marks on the ground and position of the car lead them to believe it wasn’t an accident.” That did have me opening my eyes.

“Someone fucking hit them on purpose?” I growled.

“They don’t know. Aubrey’s in surgery, the boyfriend is here, but I can’t get more information. The driver of the other car is also in surgery. The car was totaled. Quinn will be the first one to wake up and hopefully be able to provide some answers.”

“I want—”

“Dane is three minutes out with a team. We’ll have people stationed on the floor and at her door,” Jaxson answered, having read my mind.

“They stay until we figure out what the fuck is going on.”

“Could this have anything to do with why you’re pushing her away?” Noah asked.

Did I think my dad had her driven off the road and risked her life? I wouldn’t put that shit past him, but it was unlikely when she was in a car with Max and not alone or with me. Plus, I was doing what he wanted, there was no point in threatening me any further.

“No,” I answered in a clipped tone and pinned him with a glare. “Stay the fuck out of it, Noah.”

Silence descended at my raised voice, a few of the guys glanced at each other but I just looked at the ceiling.

Dane showed up quickly and he and Jaxson went to secure the floor, hallway, and her room, leaving a guy at the elevator. When Jaxson came back, he cleared his throat and I looked over at him.

“Luke sent me pictures of the car… if you want to see it.” I saw them all watching me closely, waiting for me to lose it. Which was fair, I was on a very thin ledge. I nodded and he hesitated a beat before he passed me his phone.

I locked my jaw as I swiped through a few pictures of the car. The front side of what I assumed was Max’s car was totaled. You could tell the passenger side had taken the worst of the damage. The door on the front passenger side was missing, likely needing the jaws to get it off.

It was crazy that Quinn had walked away with only the injuries she had considering where the impact was. I shoved the phone at Asher, knowing the others would want to see it and stared off into the distance.

I ran through my list of how this was different than when my mum died.

It was just me then, when she got admitted for the last time I lied to her. Told her I’d called Noah’s mum but I hadn’t. I wanted what I knew would be my last time with her to be just for me. She was too out of it to ask questions, to ask for Jane. I sat and held her hand as she went in and out of consciousness.

She whimpered in pain, the sound haunted my sleep for years. I sat there as the monitor went flat and her heart stopped, right after she managed to mutter that her love for me kept her going.