Page 68 of Captivated

“FUCK!” I run out of her closet and punch a hole in the first wall I can find, pummeling the drywall over and over as it crumbles beneath my fist, spilling to the ground beneath me. My chest heaving, my eyes watering, my pulse racing, I stare at the scattered mess before me, finding irony in how the shambles of the material at my feet is exactly what my heart feels like right now—in a million fucking pieces.

When I arrive back at the hospital, I ask if there is any update on Piper Davis, hoping that the nurse from before will show me the same kindness and give me some details. But it’s almost three hours before her short stature makes its way through the double doors, searching me out.

I shoot up out of my chair like a bull from the pen, ready to do something, go somewhere, or say anything that I need to. She flicks her head to the side, indicating I should follow her as we walk around the corner.

“She made it out,” she sighs, and I follow suit, resting my hands on my hips as relief floods my body.

“She’s going to be okay?”

“Well, she lost a lot of blood and there were some complications… but overall, yeah, she should be okay.” There’s a look in her eyes that tells me she’s not giving me the entire story, but I can’t focus on that right now. She’s going to live—my girl is going to live.

“Thank you. When can I see her?”

“She’s in recovery right now, but as soon as they move her to a room and get her settled, I’ll come get you again.”

“Thank you so much…”

“Alice,” she reaches to shake my hand and I do, but then pull her into a hug and grip her like the lifeline she has been for me.

“Alice. Thank you. I fuckingloveher. If something were to happen, I would have lost my damn mind.”

When I release her, she speaks. “I can tell. She’s lucky to have someone like you. I’ll come get you soon.”

I take a seat in the hall, desperate to be away from the other people so I can be alone with my thoughts. I’m dead tired, but nothing could make me sleep right now, not until I can see her and touch her and know that she’s right where I am.

True to her word, about an hour later, Alice retrieves me from my seat, escorting me down a few halls and into a wing marked, Recovery. We stand in front of a room in the ICU with clear windows that I can see through. And when I see my beautiful woman lying helpless in that bed, I fucking lose it again. Gasping for air, clenching my fist to my chest, I back away until I hit a wall, tears leaking from my eyes as Alice walks towards me and takes me in her arms. I fucking cry like a little boy, years of unreturned love pouring out of me while I stare at the one person who has made me feel every bit I’ve missed.

“She’s gonna be okay, Cash. She has a long recovery ahead, but she’s going to be okay.” Alice rubs soothing circles on my back as she holds me, not even bothered by my intense display of emotions. She supports me for what seems like forever, until I feel her move away and I stand up tall, ready to finally see Piper.

“I’m good. Thank you, and… fuck, I’m sorry for getting so emotional.”

“Not a problem at all. Would you like to go in?”

“Can I?” I look beyond Alice, staring at Piper in that bed with a tube down her throat and various other ones streaming from multiple points in her body.

“Yes. Just wash your hands at that sink over there,” she points in the other direction. I slowly move, fighting to keep energy in my body right now, my entire mind and body drained from my life at this moment.

Once we’re inside, I step up to her bed slowly, almost afraid to disturb her. “She’s heavily sedated, so you can touch her hands and sit next to her. Just be mindful of the tubes. But talk to her, Cash. Most healthcare professionals will tell you that speaking to them while they’re like this actually helps. The patients themselves will often remember things said to them during this time too.”

I nod. “Okay.”

“I’ll leave you alone with her. Just press the buzzer on the remote if you need anything.” She points at the remote next to Piper’s hip and then winks at me, sauntering off.

Inhaling deeply, I reach for her hand as I take a seat in the chair next to the bed. “Fuck, sweetheart. This is not how tonight was supposed to go.” I’m trying to speak and not break again, grateful that the cry I got out in the hall is helping me hold it together. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this scared in my life, Piper. I need you to wake up soon, baby, so we can fix all of this. I have so many goddamn questions, I’m going insane. I don’t know if you heard me while you were in my arms… but I meant what I said, Piper. I love you… so fucking much. I’ve… I’ve never said that to a woman in my life, except for Birdie. You are the most important thing to me, so I need you to be strong, be the fighter I know you are, and wake up so we can sort all of this out.”

I press my lips to the top of her hand, holding them there for what feels like an eternity, soaking up the feeling of her skin beneath mine, much warmer than it was hours ago when she was bleeding in my arms. Before I realize it, I’m resting my head in the empty space on the bed beside her and sleep overtakes my body for an unknown length of time.

“You must be Cash,” a woman’s voice comes from behind me, pulling me awake as I open my eyes and take in my surroundings, instantly reminded of where I am and why. As I turn to face her, I swear I see Piper in thirty years standing before me, dressed in a dark blue suit and her hair styled to perfection. Beside her is a man I can only assume is her father, with a head full of white hair and dark blue eyes just like Piper’s.

Moving to stand, I cover the few feet between us and reach out to shake both of their hands. “Yes, I’m Cash Williams. It’s good to meet you, although I wish it were under different circumstances.”

Both of their eyes well with tears as they sway around me and rush to their daughter’s bedside, taking a seat in two chairs. “Us too. What happened?” Her mother asks, her father remaining silent and stoic beside her.

I spend the next few minutes filling them in on what happened and what I know so far, including her injuries. “All I know is that she was shot in the stomach.”

“Our baby, Frank. This is exactly what we were trying to avoid. Thank God she didn’t die, because that was definitely their goal.”

My brow furrows. “They? Who are they? Did you know someone was after her?”

---