Page 150 of Vengeful Guard

My family doesn’t understand me. I know they mean well, they are just trying to protect me. But there’s a difference between protecting and babying, and I feel like they were doing the latter. Kael is the only one I feel really protects me without making me feel like a burden.

My eyes go to both my brothers. “I need you two to listen. I’m done being the baby, allowing you to treat me like a child, thinking you can boss me around.”

Declan frowns at me. “But?—”

“I’m not done. I moved out for that very reason, and this thing with Da made me forget for a second how awful I felt always being treated like less. But as soon as I went back, it was as if nothing had changed.” I shake my head. “Damn it! I am not less. I am not a child, a baby that needs everyone to tell her what to do and who to talk to. I’m an adult, just like you. And I’m in love with Kael, and he’s in love with me. Now is that clear? Or I swear to god, I’ll refuse to step foot in that house if either of you are there.”

I’m hurting and panting from the effort of talking so much, but I will not let them see that.

Still frowning, Declan opens his mouth, but Gray clamps a hand over it.

“I think we better listen to her.”

He slowly drops his hand, and Declan huffs out a breath.

“You can either accept that we’re together... or you can get out of my life.”

Declan’s eyes widen. “You can’t mean that, Paige.”

Gray takes a step toward me. “Listen?—”

“No, you listen. I’m twenty-seven years old. I can make my own decisions about my love life, and I choose Kael for my happy ending. Neither of you has a right to take that away from me. Now, if you excuse us…”

I look up behind me, and Kael grins at me, kissing the top of my head before wheeling me out into the hallway.

My heart’s pounding and breathing hurts my ribs and back, but I feel a hundred times better.

Kael wheels me to Da’s bedside, and I reach out and take his swollen hand.

“I miss you so much, Da. I need you to come back to us, please. There’s so much I want to tell you, to talk to you about.”

Da’s finger twitches, and I gasp.

“Da?”

Da’s eyes flutter open, and he starts to choke.

“Nurse! Nurse!” I scream, slamming down on the call button.

A lot of people come rushing in, and Kael and I are put out into the hallway.

“What’s happening?” I ask a nearby nurse, and she glances at me before kneeling down to speak to me.

“He’s fighting the ventilator. That means he’s waking up.”

My hand flies to my mouth. “Oh, my god.”

“That’s a good sign, princess,” Kael whispers, and I watch the doctors work through the glass windows.

When they’re done, the doctor comes to get me. “He’s awake. That’s a good sign, but he’s got a hard road to walk still.”

“Can I please talk to him?”

The doctor nods.

I look up at Kael, but he’s already wheeling me back in.

He puts me right next to the bed, and Da squints at me, clearing his throat.

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