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She was quiet for a moment clinging to me as I held her to my chest. Then, in a voice so small I could barely hear it, she asked, “How can you love me?”
“How could I not?” I edged back enough to see her pretty face. “You fit with me, Kell. Feels like, the minute you stepped into my life, something clicked into place. Made me happy. Made me whole, just having you in my space. Makes it so, when you’re not, nothing feels right. Like I can’t breathe properly until I see you again. All I want is to make you happy, because being with you, seeing you smile, that makes me the happiest man alive.”
“Even when I’m such a fuck up?”
I cupped her cheek, forcing her to look straight into my eyes. “You’re not a fuck up. Don’t you ever talk about my girl that way.”
Tears welled in her pretty blue eyes. “I love you, Lee.”
“Love you too, baby. More than anything. Just want you happy and healthy.”
“Me too.” Her bottom lip trembled and I was tempted to swoop in and capture it with my own. “I want to be healthy again. I don’t want to fear going outside or being alone. I don’t want to think about hurting myself every time I open the silverware drawer.”
My spine stiffened as my heart clenched. “We’ll get you help. Whatever you need. More therapy. An adjustment to your meds. You want someone with you when I’m not there, we’ll do it. We’ll find someone to watch over you and help you feel safe.”
“You’d do that?”
“For you?” I gave her an incredulous look. “Ain’t a thing I wouldn’t do for you, baby. I’ll give you the world if it means I get to keep you.”
Her watery eyes spilled over as she nodded her head, and fuck if my heart didn’t burst at the sight. Felt like she’d just accepted my hand in marriage. Walked down the aisle and said I do. Like she was staring up at me from the hospital bed after giving birth to our child.
Couldn’t take it no more. I captured her mouth with my own, intent on giving her even an ounce of the utter and complete happiness she brought me back to her. Would have kissed her forever if I could’ve. Only thing stopping me was the knowledge that my girl was weak and tired.
And the damned nurse that came into the room.
By the time the nurse had checked Kelly’s vitals and made sure she was comfortable, the extra dose of medicine she gave her for the pain was dragging her eyelids down. I sat back and watched as the love of my life drifted off to sleep, wondering how I’d been so lucky as to find her.
Wondering how I’d ever leave her side again.
* * *
The next day, I didn’t leave Kelly’s bedside for more than the time it took to walk to the hospital cafeteria. Even that felt like it was too much time away. Leaving made me feel like I was losing her forever.
Staying meant the rest of my world would suffer.
“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Kelly whispered to me as I squeezed her in a massive hug.
“Wish I never had to.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Erin said from somewhere behind me. “I’ll be here. You won’t be alone.”
I edged back as Kelly said, “I know.” She gripped my hand, holding on to me like doing so could make it so I didn’t have to leave.
But I did.
There were only so many times you could reschedule meetings with potential clients before those clients moved on to somewhere else. Didn’t want them to think my personal issues would get in the way of the service my company could provide.
Was mine the only personal security firm in existence?
Not even close.
Would we ensure our clients’ needs were met and they were safe, while giving the best service available?
Abso-fuckin’-lutely.
My men were the best. Even with our current personnel shortage—having Rylan’s ass glued to a chair for the foreseeable future due to his injury and using someone to keep an eye on Kelly when her parents and I couldn’t be there—we wouldn’t let our clients down. I’d see to it. So would Joss and all the men who worked for me.
We were in this together.
