Page 74 of Xavier

Oh, fuck.

“You too, Gage.”

Gage.

“Bye, dad. See you soon.”

Dexter!

I was missing fucking Christmas. I couldn’t believe this.

How fucking long had I been out for?

Arriving home with Dexter, there had still been a few days before the holiday.AndI was making Gage miss it with me.

How the fuck was he even here?

Pieces began to slide together as I traveled further into the darkness, pushing my way through it so I could get back to my kid and boyfriend. Dexter must’ve called him—probably not wanting him to worry. My kid was always so thoughtful, even if he preferred for people not to see that side of him.

He’d gotten that from his mother. His heart worn on his sleeve, no matter how hard he tried to conceal it from the world.

The beeping was getting louder, more distinct. I followed it. Followed the sounds around me and the hand that squeezed mine in a vice grip. I needed to get back to where I belonged. Back to the people I loved.

CHAPTER 29

Xavier

Wakingup to a ventilator tube shoved down my throat wasn’t as bad as it was getting it forcibly removed by two nurses—one pulling and the other on standby with a bucket under my chin, ready to catch whatever vomit or mucus, or both, that I ended up coughing up as soon as the tube was free from my body.

I choked while gripping the side of the bucket, all but drooling into it as my body fought to pull in oxygen with my own muscles around the heaving coughing fits that wracked my body.

Fuck, was that a bitch and a half.

One of the nurses was slapping me on the back a few times, breaking up whatever had settled in my lungs as I choked it up while the other one was cheerfully giving Gage the rundown on aftercare.

The sad part about all of this wasn’t that I could’ve damaged my lungs permanently by being an idiot and running into a burning building. No, it was that I didn’t regret a damn thing. Savingthose people had been worth it to me, despite it costing me a few days being unconscious and right now, a bit of my dignity.

Spitting out the last of it, I grabbed the towels that were handed over to me and lifted my hand out to Gage who was hovering nearby, an anxious look etched onto his face.

He took my hand quickly, squeezing it tight just like he had to wake me up. While I felt bad that he’d flown all the way over here in order to be by my side during all of this, I was damn happy that he’d come all this way just forme.

Him missing his Christmas with the twins was unfair, yet at the same time I was selfishly glad I had my partner with me, or else I’d probably be losing my damn mind right about now.

“We’ll go inform the doctors that you’re awake,” one of the nurses said, flashing a smile at me. “They’ll want to run your levels again, but so far, you’re looking really good.”

Well, that was a relief at least.

“Thank you,” Gage told them on my behalf.

When they left, he blew out a long breath and then collapsed down onto the edge of the bed. I tugged him over toward me using our laced hands, letting him fall into my shoulder and sag against me completely until he was closer to jello than human man.

I brushed my lips over his temple while I breathed him in. I could actually cry right now, I was so damn happy.

“Merry Christmas,” he said, laughing softly.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered back.

My throat was still incredibly raw from the tube, making it hard to say anything above a whisper. Gage could hear me all the same though, turning slightly to press his nose against the underside of my jaw.

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