Page 39 of The Wrangler

Reed sat nearby, arms crossed, his eyes dark, unreadable. Gavin stood against the wall, checking his watch every few minutes like time meant something. Hawke had disappeared to find coffee, and Dawson… Dawson had tried to get her to sit, to calm down, but fuck that.

She had too much energy, too much panic clawing at her insides, and no outlet for any of it. She had never been this afraid in her life. Not when she’d seen the diamonds. Not when Nico had dragged her away with a knife pressed to her throat.

But this? Watching Jesse, a man so strong, so unbreakable, bleed out in her arms? That was the nightmare she feared she couldn’t wake up from.

The doors swung open, and Keely spun so fast she nearly tripped over herself. A doctor—mid-forties, kind eyes but a face lined with exhaustion—stepped forward, pulling off bloodied gloves.

“Miss Malone?”

She shoved past Reed before anyone else could speak. “Is he okay?”

“The bullet missed any major organs,” the doctor said, “but there was significant blood loss. We had to transfuse him and repair some internal damage. He’s stable, but the next twenty-four hours are critical.”

Stable. Critical.

Keely’s legs nearly gave out, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to stay upright. “Can I see him?”

The doctor hesitated.

Reed stepped forward. “Doc, I suggest you say yes. She’s not going anywhere.”

The man nodded, stepping aside. “Five minutes.”

Keely didn’t walk to the room. She ran.

Jesse looked too pale. Too still.

Wires and monitors surrounded him, the steady beep of the heart monitor the only sign that he was still here. His chest rose and fell, but it wasn’t right—not the way it should be. Jesse was larger than life, indestructible. Not like this.

A strangled noise caught in her throat, and she nearly collapsed beside the bed, her hands trembling as she reached for his.

“You jackass,” she whispered, squeezing his fingers. “You promised.”

His skin was too warm, too clammy. His hand didn’t squeeze back.

Keely swallowed against the lump in her throat. “You’re not allowed to die, Jesse. You don’t get to leave me, do you understand?”

Her voice cracked, but she didn’t care.

“I love you.” The words spilled out before she could stop them, before she could take a breath and think about what it meant to say them. “Did you hear me? I said I love you, and I’m not losing you, so you’d better wake up.”

Silence.

Keely pressed her forehead against his arm, her entire body trembling.

Then… a slight twitch followed by a squeeze.

Her breath hitched. Keely lifted her head just in time to see Jesse’s eyes flutter open.

His gaze was heavy-lidded, groggy, but focused. His lips curved just slightly.

“Darlin’,” he rasped.

And just like that, she lost it.

Keely let out a choked sob, burying her face against his shoulder, her hands clutching his like she’d never let go. Jesse’s arm barely moved, but his fingers tangled in her hair, holding her close.

“Told you,” he murmured, “not leaving.”

---