Page 90 of Trust Me With Forever

The doctor’s voice was gentle as she said, “Stay as long as you like. A nurse will be by soon to check in on him.”

“Thank you.” As the doctor closed the door, I walked over to Rafe and gently traced his cheek. He was pale, with circles under his eyes. But at least his chest moved up and down, in a steady rhythm, telling me he was still alive.

I pulled up a chair, sat down, and gently took his hand in mine. Once I pressed it against my cheek, a tear slipped down my face. “Rafael, you have to wake up. Please don’t die because of me.” I kissed his palm and continued, “I love you and want the chance to be your wife for real.” A few more tears rolled down my face. “Please don’t die.”

A sob escaped my throat, and another. “Please don’t leave me, Rafe. Please.”

I started crying again, clinging to his hand for dear life.

Eventually, the nurse came in and helped calm me down. She insisted I lay on the couch in the room as she checked over Rafe, saying I needed to rest.

As I watched her, I tried to stay awake. But eventually I passed out from exhaustion, dreaming of Rafe and I riding horses through the hills, laughing and teasing each other, and never taking each other for granted again.

Someone shook my shoulder and my brother West’s voice filtered through my sleep-fogged brain. “Abby, wake up. Rafe’s asking for you.”

At Rafe’s name, I bolted upright and blinked against the lights. It made me a little lightheaded—no doubt from lack of food for nearly a day—and it took me a second to steady myself.

West frowned. “Are you okay?”

I rubbed my forehead. “Fine. Just help me up?” He did, until I could finally see Rafe in the bed.

His eyes met mine, and he gave a faint smile. “I knew you were a heavy sleeper, but you take it to the next level.”

With a cry, I rushed over to him and kissed his forehead, his nose, his cheek. “Rafe! You’re awake!”

“I feel as if I’ve been run over by a car. Oh, wait.” I grimaced, and he added, “Don’t you dare feel guilty, either. West said they caught the guy about an hour ago. He was some middle-aged guy from the next town over who believed in conspiracy theories and thought he was a god-appointed protector of children, or some such bullshit. He saw the CGN videos. The latest had your family’s address, the fuckers, and the guy made getting rid of you his next mission.”

“Wait, what? There were more videos?” I glanced at West. “When? And when did you talk to the police to learn all of this?”

“Maybe an hour or so ago?”

“And you didn’t wake me!”

West crossed his arms over his chest. “You needed to sleep, Abby.”

My head buzzed, and I had to sit down on the edge of Rafe’s bed to keep from stumbling. “Start from the beginning and update me on everything.”

Emmy entered, carrying a tray of food. My stomach growled at the smell of pizza. She stated, “Only if you eat while he does it. It’s been more than a day, Abby, and you look about ready to fall over.”

Rafe took my hand and said, “Please, love. Eat something.”

I met his gaze. At the concern and tenderness—and I swore love—there, I nodded. “Okay. But I’m staying right here, next to you.”

He squeezed my hand gently before releasing it. “Right where I want you.”

West sighed. “Do we need to give you two some space?”

Emmy rolled her eyes. “Be nice. You promised.”

“I am being nice.”

Rafe smiled at me and then replied, “I’m not about to ravish Abby while she eats. Just tell us everything, since you said you were waiting for Abby to tell me the details.”

And so West went over how CGN had released another video, this time with some altered images of Abby. They’d even discovered her phone number and address and had blasted it separately, to their social media followers.

The more West shared, the calmer I became as a plan formed in my mind. There was only one way to try to make any of this stop. And when my brother finished, I blurted, “I’m going to have to give my own interview.”

West frowned. “Is that wise?”

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