Page 103 of Moonlit Temptation
My jaw clenches with her thinly veiled sarcasm. “We know how emergency rooms work.”
The nurse stops in her tracks and turns to face us. “I understand you're worried about your loved one, but there are other patients here who also need medical attention. We do our best to prioritize those who require more immediate attention. Plus, we're short-staffed.”
Ma steps forward, her voice low and steady. “We're not asking you to neglect other patients. We just want to know how our girl is.”
The nurse gestures to the room behind us. “Well, let's go find out, shall we? Normally, we don't allow this many people back here, but I'm making an exception for you all.”
I spin around, my arm reaching for the door handle before she finishes talking. I feel like I'm crawling out of my skin. Guilt wraps around my lungs like barbed wire, shredding the soft tissue with every moment I don't have eyes on her.
“Sweetheart?” I call out, stepping into the room. My skin feels tight, buzzing like a hundred fireflies are dancing around.
“Nova.” My name sounds like a prayer on her lips, and I feel a rush of relief wash over me.
She's sitting up in the hospital bed, her face pale and drawn, but her eyes are bright. My feet carry me to her without a second thought. I sink my hands on either side of her neck, my thumbs stroking the soft skin under her jawline.
I search her face, cataloging each bruise, swollen, tender bit of skin. Every scrap of evidence of the violence she endured.
“I'm going to kill whoever did this to you, baby,” I murmur, leaning down to press my forehead against hers. “That's my promise to you.”
“When did this happen?” Ma murmurs sharply. I hear some grunts behind me too, but I ignore them, giving my girl all my focus.
“You scared the shit out of me,”I say, my voice cracking.
“Out of all of us,” Bane says.
“I'm sorry,” she says, pitching her voice to carry to the rest of the room.
I shake my head a little, rolling my forehead along hers. “Don't apologize. It's me who should be apologizing. I should've been there.”
Her hands run up and down my arms, soothing me. “It's alright. I'm fine.”
“You don't look fine,” I grumble.
“Well, I am.” She laughs, the sound low and amused. She pulls back and glances behind me. “Thanks to Lincoln.”
I file away the use of his real name, something he doesn't usually allow most people. It's not important right now, though. What's important is the fact that he was there for her.
I turn my head to look at him, and he meets my gaze evenly. There's no hostility there, at least not toward me. There's a shared rage between us, an understanding.
“Thank you,” I say, my voice rough.
He smirks. “I didn't do it for you.”
I match his smirk with my own. “Aye, I know. But I'm thankful all the same.”
47
SILAS
Hunter tugs on my hand,and I'm ashamed to admit it takes longer than it should to peel my attention from her.
From her andthem.
“Yeah, bud?”
He doesn't say anything, just tilts his head toward her and widens his eyes comically big.
“Let's give her a few minutes, yeah? There's not a lot of space right now.”
