Page 94 of Gifts

Keelie’s eyes dart to mine and she bites her lip.

I hold my hand out for her. “She was told to stay home.”

The attendant shakes her head and leaves. Keelie—who seemed hell-bent to get to me—hesitates.

“Baby,” I soften my voice. “Come here.”

She looks back to my wound before walking slowly to my side. I reach out for her and when she finally gets to me, her hand takes mine in a death grip.

I pull her to sit on a rolling chair next to me and her blue eyes slide to my face when she whispers, “What happened?”

“Nothing out of our control. This isn’t a big deal.”

“That doesn’t look like nothing. That looks like … something.” Her eyes drop back to my wound.

I put my hand on her chin to have her look at me. This is why I wanted her to stay home. “It’ll heal in no time. I even had it deadened. I’m not a badass like you.”

This doesn’t make her smile. Her face cracks and she leans forward, resting her forehead on mine. I haven’t seen her like this often, but the steel of my woman has disintegrated. Right now, she’s transparent—raw, emotional, vulnerable.

I put my lips to her ear, holding her close. “He’s almost done and I’ll take you home.”

What I don’t tell her is I’ve had worse. Much worse. This might’ve been a little deep, but a knife is nothing. Only an asshat brings a knife to a gunfight—Grady proved that when he pulled his trigger and took him out.

She doesn’t need to know that either.

“You’re all done.” I feel a tug and look down. The doc has snipped the thread and is taping a large piece of gauze over it. “Showers only, no swimming or baths. I’ll give you some ointment to keep it from drying out. Your scripts for the antibiotic and pain killers will be with your paperwork, and you’ve already had your tetanus. You’re good to go.”

We all stand and I pull on an extra shirt Grady had in his car. I grab my paperwork in one hand and hers in my other. Leaning in to kiss her, I say, “Let’s go home.”

She nods, not offering a word. You’d think her donkey died by the look on her face.

“Baby.” I give her hand a squeeze. “I promise, I’m fine.”

I lead her to the ER waiting room where we say goodbye to Crew and Grady. I’m ready for this day to be over.

*****

Keelie

Once he took a pain pill, he was dead asleep moments after his head hit the pillow.

I haven’t even closed my eyes, though. I can’t stop staring at him. I’ve gotten used to him next to me, and if I allow myself to admit it, I sleep better. But then again, he makes everything better.

And that’s what scares me.

I roll toward my nightstand to flip my alarm off so he can sleep. Today is going to be hard with so little rest, but I can’t take a day off. I mean, I can, but I don’t dare. I need to go to work so I don’t overthink, rationalize, or become weak.

I can’t afford to be weak any longer.

Without looking back at him sleeping in my bed, I slip into the bathroom to shower. It’s time to get my shit together.

Chapter 24

Time

Keelie

“Where’re your shoes?” I yell to Saylor as I make my coffee to-go.

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