Page 43 of Devoted

Other members of the department popped in and out to get updates but we had nothing to tell them. The only good news was an hour earlier when the attending doctor came in to let us know he'd made it through the night and was stable enough to be wheeled into surgery for a compound fracture of the femur. Apparently, his left leg took the brunt of theimpact.

Silvana is getting some coffee in the cafeteria. Since Maddox is in critical condition we were given a private waiting room. I sit on the uncomfortable upholstered chair and stare at the floral still life painting hung on the wall across from me. I've memorized the picture and now vow never to have a floral still life painting in my house. I tried more than once to read one of the totally uninteresting magazines on the side table but found myself just staring at the pictures through tears. It is amazing how, when you've been close with someone for a long time, every darn thing, whether it's a certain type of soda or a brand of athletic shoe, can remind you of that person. Especially when you're not with the personanymore.

Silvana looks wilted and tired as he walks in with two cups of coffee. "You said cream right? I'm so out of it, I got to the cafeteria but couldn'tremember."

"Yes, cream." I take the cup from his hand. "Thank you. I need it so much I'm even looking forward to hospitalcoffee."

He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out two granola bars. "I thought you might want a little breakfast. I gobbled a few of these on my way back. They aren't too bad if you can overlook that the walnuts arestale."

"Thanks." I place the granola bars on my lap. Food seems impossible at the moment. My appetite has been wiped away just like it was by thenectar.

I drop my head back and instantly my eyes slide shut. The buzz of Silvana's phone makes me sit upright. He smiles sheepishly atme.

"It's just Sheila calling to see how Maddox is doing." He gets up and walks into the hallway with the phone. Silvana is head over heels in love, and Sheila is wonderful. Watching their relationship bloom has been a bright spot in a never ending sea of gray. Just when it seems life is looking up, something comes around to smack down the hope again. But of all the things that have happened to me in the past year, losing Maddox would make everything else seem like a fucking picnic. No way I'd come out of this.Ever.

My throat closes up too much for the coffee. I place the cup down and hug myself, hoping I can just squeeze myself into a different reality. Any reality but this one. The utter devastation I'm feeling assures me that I'm just as in love with Maddox as I've alwaysbeen.

Silvana walks back into the room. "Sheila sends her best." He sits next to me and eyes the granolabars.

"Go ahead, Sil. I can't eat athing."

He grabs a bar but his phone ringsagain.

"Mr. Popular," I tease. "I used to get calls and texts but that was longago."

Silvana winks at me. "I still call ya." He points to the phone. "It's Rowley. He's investigating Maddox's accident." He walks out again, apparently thinking I'm better off not listening to one side of a conversation about the accident. He's probably right. The fact that Maddox called me to warn me about X-crew just before he was forced off the road makes it pretty clear that this was noaccident.

I pick up my phone and peruse the news, hoping it'll cheer me up. It only depresses me. I put the phone back down and finish my cold coffee. I should be dead tired but adrenaline and worry have kept me fueled and onedge.

My phone beeps with a text. It's Clark. "Are you still at the hospital? Anynews?"

"Yes, I'm here with Silvana. No newsyet."

"All right. Stay there. I need to talk toyou."

"I'll be here." I put the phone down and stare with curiosity at the text. What could Clark possibly have to talk to me about in the middle of this terriblechaos?

Silvana comes back in shaking his head. "They found Maddox's phone in the shrubs. It survived the crash. His last voicemail was from a private number. It was someone from X-crew. They told him no hard feelings about Junior's arm and then asked how his cute ginger partner wasdoing."

A lump forms in my stomach. "That's why he called to warn me. He thought they were going to take it out on me. It seems they knew he'd drive straight to my place and they followed him. It was atrick."

"Assholes. Rowley says a fast thinking driver who witnessed the incident took a picture of the car just as it swept across the lane into Maddox's bike. They blew up the picture and got the plate numbers. The car is registered to Junior's cousin, Ross. They are on their way to arresthim."

I sit back. "That's good news. Now, if we can just get some from the doctor." I glance at my phone. "Clark is on his way. Says he needs to talk to me aboutsomething."

Silvana sits down and grabs the granola bar. "Yeah? Maybe he's going to just relay the information Rowley gaveme."

"Yeah, that's probably it. Should I text back and tell him to forget thevisit?"

"Nah, he's probably on the road already. His house is just ten minutes away. Maybe the doctor will have an update when he getshere."

Needing to get some nervous energy out, I get up to pace the floor. "I get why you guys had to arrest Junior. Creep that he is, but why did Maddox break his arm? It seems that was the trigger of this ruthlessrevenge."

"I was in the front room keeping the teenage girls safe and away from the action. Maddox said Junior pulled a knife on him. He wrenched his arm back too hard and it broke." Silvana grins. "Wish I'd seen it. Ididhear it though. It was pretty gruesome." Silvana picks up the second granola bar and opens the package. "Maddox has been really on edge since you guys—well, you know. He hasn't been himself atall."

His words make my chest ache. I've been wallowing in pity and a long, drawn out bout of depression, somehow convinced only I was suffering from the breakup. I walk to the stupid floral painting. "I hate this picture. Why would they bother with a painting in a room where you are waiting to hear whether someone you love has made it through thenight."

The door opens. I suck in a breath and hold it in anticipation. I release it when Clark enters theroom.

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