Page 90 of Sebastian

“I don’t want to take you away from the business?—“

“Stop. Wyatt, Coop, and Sawyer can take care of the distillery. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Thanks, Dec. I mean it.”

“I’ve always got your back. All of us do. I’ll text you when I know what time I’m landing.”

Sebastian said goodbye to his brother and ran his hand over his damp face. How had he let this happen? To Emma of all people. He was supposed to keep her safe, just like he was supposed to keep his team safe on their last mission. But he failed. Time and time again, he came up short and the people he loved got hurt. It would always be his fault.

“Where’s my wife?” The sheriff’s voice pulled him out of his spiral.

“She’s in with Emma’s doctor,” Hawk spoke up.

“Why aren’t you in there?” Hank asked, looking at Sebastian.

“Daisy wouldn’t let me. She agreed to come out and fill me in on the basics though. Said I don’t deserve to know. Can’t blame her there. I just need to know Emma’s okay…that she’s going to be okay.”

“She can be so stubborn sometimes. I’m sorry about that. Emma will set everything straight when she wakes up. I’m sure she’ll want you in there with her.”

Sebastian was about to respond, but all the breath left his lungs when Daisy returned to the waiting area, eyes bloodshot and tears streaming down her cheeks. He felt the world fall out from beneath him as his knees hit the linoleum.

“God, no. Please, no.”

A strong hand gripped his shoulder. He looked up, tears flooding his eyes, as Stone, Gage, Hawk, and Nash stood beside him. Daisy was wrapped in Hanks arm’s, her sobs filling the waiting area.

“Please, Daisy,” Seb begged. The pain in her eyes as she lifted her head from her husband’s chest and turned to speak to Seb crushed him.

“S-she made it through surgery.”

“Here, sunshine, let’s sit down.” The sheriff was quick to guide Daisy towards the closest chair.

Sebastian stared at her, waiting for more information, and praying she would give it to him.

“They’ve cleaned and dressed all the cuts on her arms and legs, but there is a real worry about infection. She’ll be on high dose antibiotics for that and in case the wound in her stomach causes trouble.”

“She’s going to be okay?” The question came out choked with emotion.

“Her doctor said the next twenty-four hours are critical. The deep stab wound perforated her bowels and although they were able to repair it, they just don’t know right now how her body will heal.”

“Christ. When can we be with her?”

“The nurse told me she can only have one visitor at a time. I sat with her for a few minutes.” Daisy wiped a tear from her eye. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier, Sebastian. She needs you to be there. To make her come back to us.”

Daisy held out her hand, and Sebastian saw the locket he’d given Emma now resided in her palm.

“She’d want you to hold onto this until she’s better.”

Sebastian held the locket for a moment before opening it. His heart shattered. Inside was the photo they’d taken at the pharmacy in Colorado, and a thin piece of red fabric. He moved the fabric through his fingers trying to place it.

A vision of Emma in the siren red dress he’d picked out for her the night of the charity auction flashed in his mind and he sat down, placing his hands, and the locket, over his heart.

“She has to be okay,” his voice cracked as a tear slipped from his eye.

Twenty-Nine

“Don’t you leave me, Sprinkles. Not for one damn second are you allowed to leave me again, you understand?” He placed his hand carefully under hers, praying that the love he had in his heart would flow through his touch and help her wake up. “You use all that sass and strength that you’ve got to come back to me. Because there is no going on without you. You’ve completely stolen my heart, and it will not beat if you’re not here. I love you, Emma. Please, come back to me so I can say it to you every day for the rest of my life.” Tears filled his eyes and his voice choked.

A throat cleared in the doorway. He turned away to wipe his eyes and stood, shocked to see his brothers standing in the hall.

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