Page 94 of Sebastian

Seb threw another jab.

“I said, that’s enough, Sebastian.” Declan’s hand landed on Seb’s shoulder.

“It’s not,” he said, trying to catch his breath.

“You need to sleep, not beat the shit out of some inanimate object.”

“Fuck off, Dec. I tried to sleep, okay? I can’t. I can’t when I know she’s lying in that hospital bed because of me. She’s so fucking stubborn, but you know what?” His anger burned in his throat as the salty sting of tears burned in his eyes. “That’s what I love about her. The first woman I’ve ever loved and she wouldn’t even let me say those words to her. She told me to wait. And now I’m never going to get to tell her.”

Sebastian stepped back from his brother, letting all his weight fall against the wall. With his hands on his knees, he tried to catch his breath.

“You’ll be able to tell her,” Dec said as he laid his hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. “And when you do, it will be a million times more powerful, because you both survived this. You told her she had to come back to you. She needed to survive. But you need to also, Seb. You can’t let this asshole take you from her, either.”

His brother hauled him into a hug, apparently not caring that Sebastian was soaked through with sweat. His brothers were not exactly the warm, emotional type, but the speech Dec had just given him, along with the bear hug, had Sebastian’s already frayed emotions close to exploding.

“Thanks, Dec. You’re right.” Sebastian nodded as he walked away, pulling his gloves off his hand and grabbing a towel off the nearby bench.

“Where are you going?”

“I have an appointment I need to make,” Seb said. “And then I’m going back to Emma, and I’m not leaving until she comes with me.”

Thirty

Seven days. It had been seven fucking days since he’d seen her lying there, dying on the sidewalk. Seven days since he cracked her ribs with the force of CPR. Seven days since the stab wound in her belly was stitched up and yet, she still lay there in the hospital bed, eyes closed, pulse slow and steady.

Because she was in the ICU, only Sebastian and Daisy had been in to be with her, taking turns sitting by her side. It was almost time for Daisy to come in, and Sebastian once again found himself deep in prayer. He wanted to be there when she woke up, so that he could say every apology, every emotion-soaked thought that had kept him awake since that terrible morning.

The doctors had been in early to tell them that they would be lowering the dose on the medications keeping her sedated. The antibiotics had successfully warded off any infection and her wounds, both superficial and life threatening, were healing well. It was time.

That had been five hours ago. At first, Daisy sat with her, but around the three hour mark, Seb had begged to sit by her side. They had come to an agreement over the past few days, somewhere in the haze of everything that had happened.

Standing from the chair next to Emma’s bed, Daisy pulled him into a big hug. “I forgive you. I know she will too,” she whispered. “Now you just need to forgive yourself.”

“I don’t think I can,” he’d admitted.

“You can, because she’ll need you to. She’ll need to see that there is nothing you wouldn’t do for her. Including this.”

Sebastian hadn’t been able to say anything after that, but Daisy just squeezed him tighter before slipping from the room.

“Seb?” The sound of Emma’s voice, just above a whisper, had him jumping out of the chair.

“Emma. I’m right here. I’m right here, Sprinkles.”

“Where is she?” Her eyes were cloudy, probably from all the pain medication coursing through her veins. But lord, he couldn’t even count the hours he’d spent praying for her to open them just one more time. And here it was. He had so much he needed to say to her. So much he’d hoped she would hear.

“Who, honey?”

“Luna. Where is she, Sebastian?” He watched tears fill her eyes, spilling over on her cheeks. She didn’t realize where she was. Everything must be jumbled in her mind, and the ache that was warded off by hearing her voice punched him right in the chest once again. Would he be strong enough to tell her everything she went through? Was now the right time, or would it be better to wait? She shouldn’t be bombarded first thing with what happened.

“You’re confused, Sprinkles. You are in the hospital, but Luna’s not here.”

“She is. She?—”

“No. I’m sorry, honey, I’m so sorry, but Luna was born seven years ago. Marco found you in Bell Ridge and attacked you. That’s why you are in the hospital right now.”

“Where’s Gage?”

“Y-you’re in the ICU. They won’t let you have more than two visitors. It’s just been me and Daisy for the last few days.”

---