Page 84 of Life

Tears fill his eyes and two fall down his cheeks. “I promised to keep you safe. I didn’t do it.”

I pet his face. “Oh, but you did. You saved me.”

He swallows and then kisses my lips softly. “You’re my life now.”

“And you’re mine.”

The lighting islow as I wake in the hospital. Gillian is sleeping against my hand, her red hair flowing over the white sheets, looking like glossy copper ribbons. Her mouth is puffing cute little noises with each breath.

I put my hand into her hair, running my fingers through it the way I always did when she was having a hard night, trying to get over what Justin did to her all those years ago.

She stirs and blinks her emerald eyes open. No woman has prettier eyes than she. Like perfectly flawless gemstones.

“Cara bonita, what’s your husband going to say when he finds out we’ve slept together?” My voice is scratchy and thin through the oxygen mask covering my mouth and nose.

She smiles huge as tears fill her eyes. “He’ll say it was an exceptional experience sleeping with two women.”

Of course, my girl would remember the joke I told her the night I found her sleeping by my side after the fire. I glance across the room and see Chase asleep in a chair far too small for his large size.

“That man will never leave your side.”

“Or yours.”

“W-w-where’s Eli?” I ask, alarm filling me with spikes of fear.

She pats my hand. “Getting stitched up. When the real ambulance came after the crash, he refused medical assistance. Told the paramedic to glue his wound shut, tape it up, and he’d be on his way.”

“He didn’t?” I lift my hand to my mouth in an attempt to remove the mask over my face.

Pain roars through me with the movement.

Gillian hisses. “Honey, don’t move anything. You’re all jacked up. Dr. Dutera says you’ve broken your clavicle, a couple ribs, opened the wound on your shoulder, have new gashes they stitched up, glass they picked out of your hands and arms, and that’s not to mention the repeated drowning. Your lungs are so bad from the water you inhaled, you need the oxygen mask for a while. Just breathe and heal. I’ll check on him and tell them you’re awake.”

I nod and breathe in blessed air and then remember the car crash before being taken by Antonio and his sister. “Bree and the baby? Phillip?” I attempt to sit up, and Gillian gently pushes me back down.

A huge smile breaks across her face. Relief the size of a house lifts off me. “She was taken straight in to have an emergency C-section. Phillip is banged up with bumps and bruises, the gash to his head was stitched up, and he has a concussion. The baby was born a few hours ago. Dannica Brielle Parks. Twenty inches long. Seven pounds even. Had the baby made it to full term, she’d have been huge!” She laughs quietly.

I thank the good Lord above for the miracle He brought to our lives. Dannica Brielle. Our newest little angel.

Gillian moves over to Chase and taps his shoulder. “Baby, she’s awake. Keep her company while I check on Eli.”

Chase stands abruptly. “You’re not going anywhere without me.” He looks at her and then at me. I can see from his facial features he’s at war with what he wants to do and what he should do.

“Antonio is dead, and his sister is detained and going to jail for kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder. We’re okay now. Stay with Maria,” Gillian reminds him.

Antonio is dead? Who killed him? How did they find me? I have so many questions, but the pounding in my head is loud, unrelenting, and preventing me from asking anything right now.

Chase frowns and walks to the door with his take-no-prisoners gait. He snaps his fingers and Austin pops into view. “Go with Mrs. Davis. Not out of your sight.” His voice is stern and straightforward.

“Yes, sir.” Austin lifts his chin.

Gillian shakes her head. “We’re going to talk about this overprotective streak later. This is not going to fly, mister.” She points at his chest.

Ouch.I know how much that chest pointy thing she does with her bony finger hurts. I’ve been on the receiving end a time or two.

He grabs his wife around the waist and plasters her to his chest. “My wife. My children. My job to keep you safe. End of. Nonnegotiable.”

Gillian’s eyes turn into slits. “Wewilltalk about this.”

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