Page 125 of Branded Hearts

All the air is knocked out of my lungs, and I gasp for air for just a moment. His beautiful striking features are creased in pain, but they soften once he spots me.

“Hey, sunshine,” he says, his voice strained.

My breath hitches, and before I can think, I run up to him, wrapping my arms around him. Tears spill down my cheeks as I hold him tight. He grunts out in pain, and I pull back, realising what I’ve done. My mind goes blank, shock paralysing me for a moment. I can barely form a coherent thought, let alone a sentence.

“Crap. Sorry.” I take a breath. “Bradley, I... You’re... How did you…” I stutter, words tumbling out in a frantic mess so I clear my throat. “Are you okay? Why didn’t you call? I was so worried.”

He gently wipes my tears with both thumbs, his touch calming my racing heart.

“I’m okay, Amelia,” he says softly, his voice soothing. “I’m here now.”

“But you’re hurt,” I manage to say, my eyes fixated on the bandages. “I was so scared, Bradley. I thought... I thought—”

“Shh, shh,” he interrupts, pulling me close again, despite his obvious discomfort. “I’m here. I’m fine.”

In a moment of shock, I mutter, “I love you.” My eyes go wide, and I can feel his body go rigid. He pulls back, his eyes searching mine, back and forth.

“What was that?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

I shake my head before laughing nervously. “I said I love you?” I say it with uncertainty, like I’m not sure if I should have said it. Whatif I’ve scared him away? I wonder if he’ll think I’m too forward. Which isveryironic, because I, Amelia Brown, am never forward. But deep down, I believe he feels the same; maybe he’s just unsure how to say it himself.

“Sorry. It’s just that... don’t scare me like that agai—” but he cuts me off, his hand finding the back of my neck as he pulls me in for a kiss.

When he breaks the kiss, he looks at me with such intensity that I know the feelings are there.

I search his eyes, finding theunspokenwords in their depths. They shimmer with affection as he pulls me close again, resting his forehead against mine. I bask in the warmth of his love, feeling it emanate from his very presence.

“When did you get here?” I ask, curious about the time, but also seeking reassurance of his arrival.

“Not too long ago. You were sleeping so peacefully, I didn’t want to wake you.” His voice is soft, filled with tenderness.

The bond between us is undeniable, and it’s enough.

We settle onto the couch, Bradley gingerly adjusting himself to avoid aggravating his injuries. I curl up next to him, my hand resting gently on his good shoulder. The relief of having him here, safe andsound, is almost overwhelming.

“What happened?” I ask softly, looking up at him.

He takes a deep breath, his eyes meeting mine. “Fucking hell, it was a rough night,” he begins. “The place was already an inferno by the time we arrived. We knew there were people trapped inside, so we had to act fast.”

I listen in awe, hanging on his every word. “Youwent in?”

He shakes his head. “Not inside, just close to the building. We found a little girl trapped in a room. She was scared, crying for her mum. I couldn’t just leave her there.”

My heart aches at the thought. “And your shoulder?”

Bradley grimaces slightly. “I dislocated it when I caught her, falling to the ground. I managed to block her fall, but the impact hit me pretty hard. Hence the cracked rib, too.”

He pauses, taking a breath. “My partner, Daniels, broke his leg when some of the rubble fell on him from the explosion. We both got knocked, and the rest is all fuzzy.”

Bradley’s voice cracks, and my heart breaks at the sound. “I-I don’t even know how I got out of there,” he continues after a moment. “But they moved us away in time.”

I can’t help but ask in a hurry, “Why didn’t you go to the hospital for further treatment?”

He scoffs. “I’m fine, Amelia. They popped my shoulder back, gave me some strong pain meds and some to take home. There’s no need to go to the hospital, and for what? To take up a bed when someone else could be needing it more than me,” he explains, shaking his head.

I smile. “You really are stubborn. Your brother was right.”

He turns his head to look at me. “My brother, huh? So, he’s been messaging you?”

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