Page 118 of Awakening

“Yes. I know exactly how it feels,” he says, “and that’s why I know you’ve been through hell tonight. I’m sorry.”

I lower my forehead to his. “You intentionally put yourself in front of me. You saved my life.”

“I told you I’d protect you with my life, and I meant it. I’d do it again, Olivia, for you and our babies.” My tears run down my face and onto his cheeks, and he pulls my lips to his in a kiss. “I love you.”

I sit on the side of his bed. “I love you too.”

“So fucking much.”

“Me too.”

He holds up his hand to show off his wedding ring. “At least we were able to get married first. I’m sorry we’re missing our reception. I promise to make it up to you.”

“I don’t care about that, Ethan.” I take his hands in mine. “I only care about you, and these little ones,” I say, looking down at my stomach with a smile.

“Yeah, me too.” He reaches over and touches my stomach. “Is Austin dead?”

“Yes. Nick shot him. It was a fatal shot to the head.”

“Good. I need to thank him.”

“Speaking of, you have a whole room full of people waiting to see you.”

He shakes his head. “Tell them all I’m fine and they can go home. Tonight is my wedding night with my wife.”

“Ethan,” I say with wide eyes, “I can’t do that. Your parents thought they were going to lose their son. Plus, Vanessa is worried sick about her brother, then there’s Nick and Chloe.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll see them, but as soon as they’ve seen that I’m alive and well, they’re out of here. Get someone to bring you some comfortable clothes,” he says, touching the blood stained silk of my dress. “We’re having a hospital sleepover.”

“Okay,” I say with a smile, resting my forehead to his. “Oh,” I say, scrunching up my face, “before they come back here, I should probably tell you that I may have let it slip to Chloe that I’m pregnant, and then Nick overheard. They know about the twins, but no one else knows anything.”

“It’s okay,” he says, kissing my hand. “I’m surprised you held out this long.”

“It came out in a moment of distress. I’m sorry.”

“Baby, it’s okay. I understand.” He pulls me toward him for another kiss.

“I’ll go get everyone.”

“I meant what I said,” he calls as I’m leaving the room. “They get to see that I’m good, and then it’s just you and me.”

I stop at the doorway to turn and smile at him. “I love you.”

“I love you too. So fucking much.”

Thirty-One

Olivia

“He’s the worst patient ever,” I say, raising my eyebrows at Ethan as Chloe and Nick laugh. Ethan spent two days in the hospital, and he has spent the last few days recovering at home. It’s been hell even getting him to sit still while he recovers, so I invited Chloe and Nick over for dinner tonight to break up the monotony.

“I’m bored,” Ethan says, smacking my ass as I walk past him, clearing dishes from the table. “And horny.”

Chloe and Nick both laugh hard. “It sounds like we shouldn’t overstay our welcome then,” Nick says.

“Nope,” Ethan says, winking at me.

“Your sternum has literally just mended itself back together this week,” I say, giving him my warning eyes. “Don’t push it.”

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