Page 102 of Burn With Me

“We’ll get her the care she needs. I think you found her in time to give her a fighting chance,” he says and continues monitoring her vitals as we head to the hospital.

This woman is my whole world. She has to be okay.

Forty-Three

Ameila

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Why won’t anyone turn that alarm off . . .

“I love you, sweetness. I need you to wake up.”

Why does Luke sound so sad? Why does my body hurt?

“You heard the doctor, man. Give her some time. She’ll wake up soon.”

“I know.”

I try to open my eyes, but nothing happens. Maybe after a nap . . .

When I try to wake up the next time, my eyes are still heavy, and I can’t tell if I can move my fingers and toes.

Why am I so cold?

“You said you found her in one of her tanks?”

Wait . . . Who is that?

“Yeah, Dad. It was the spare one she took the fish out of when she put them back in the other tanks. She just didn’t drain it yet. She used a piece of wood to kind of half prop herself up. It was smart as fuck.”

“Sam just told me he’s on his way. You need to go home, son, so you can shower and sleep. You don’t want her to wake up and see you not taking care of yourself.”

“I’ll shower here. I don’t want to leave until she wakes up.”

I feel Luke’s warm hand in my cold one, and I want to tell him I’m okay.

“She will. You just have to give her time. She’s strong, but you have to take care of yourself to help take care of her.”

Without opening my eyes, I find the energy to say, “You should listen to your dad because you kind of smell.” My voice sounds scratchy.

His chuckle is music to my ears. “If you open your pretty eyes, I’ll go home and take a shower.”

I open one eye slightly but quickly slam it back shut. “It’s too bright. Where am I?”

“I’ll go get the doctor. It’s good to see you awake, Amelia,” his father says as he dims the light before walking out the door.

“Doctor? Why do I need a doctor?” I ask, confused when something touches my lip.

“Take a sip. Do you remember what happened?” he asks, and I shake my head. “There was a fire at the farm. You were hurt, and you’ve been unconscious for four days.”

He leans over and kisses my forehead, and a lightness takes over my body.

Wait, four days?

“What happened? And who was that?”

“That’s my dad. But what’s the last thing you remember?” he asks.

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