Page 249 of Redeemed

“No!”

“Shh, shh. I’m not going far, okay? I’ll be in the waiting room.”

“Please don’t leave me,” she begs, and the tears in her big brown eyes just about kill me.

“I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep, how’s that?”

“Lucas, too?” she asks, looking up at him.

He smiles. “I’m not going anywhere, Rach. Don’t worry.”

Gently, I lower Rachel back down on the bed. She grabs my hand, and we both stand over her until she falls asleep again. Once her fingers go lax around mine, I slowly pull away.

Kara is in the hallway typing away at a computer. She nods to some pillows and blankets on a nearby table. “Those are for you two.”

“Thank you,” Lucas says with a smile. “We appreciate it.”

I couldn’t care less about comfort right now. The only thing running through my veins right now is fury. It burns, but right now, pain is better than worry.

“Where’s the guy who did this?”

“He’s at another hospital,” Kara says. “I’m not sure which one, or if he’s even still alive.”

I clench my fists. “If he is—”

“Xan.” Lucas places a hand on my shoulder.

My mouth clamps shut. Whoever did this to my family is a dead man walking, but I know better than give anyone reason to suspect that of me.

“Sorry. I… I just need to get some sleep.”

Kara gives me an understanding smile. “Goodnight, you two.”

Lucas collects the pillows and blankets and leads me out into the waiting room. He gets us set up on a couple chairs and then pulls me close so I’m leaning against him.

“You can’t be comfortable like this,” I say tiredly, even as I breathe in the comforting woodsy scent that follows Lucas everywhere.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

I try to sit up, and I grunt in annoyance when he doesn’t let me. “Don’t pull this shit. You can’t—”

“Xander, shut the fuck up.”

My protest dies on my tongue. Normally, I’m the commanding one in our relationship. Lucas only gets like this when he knows I’m self-sabotaging. And when he does, there’s not much I can do to change his mind.

“All right,” I say quietly. “Thank you.”

He kisses the top of my head. “You and me, Xan. You and me.”

Lucas

Philwakesupaftertwo long, quiet days in the hospital. Xander has barely left his side, and since Rachel got discharged, she panics every time Xander leaves her line of sight. It’s packed in the hospital room, but as long as we’re quiet, the hospital staff said they’ll ignore their one-visitor-only policy.

It’s looking like it’ll take Phil months to recover, and even then, he’ll probably have to walk with a cane. Rachel will be fine, though. Well, as long as she follows her discharge orders.

“But I don’t want to go on a walk,” Rachel protests.

Bob—Josie’s husband—sighs. “The doctor was very clear on his instructions, honey. Walking will help stimulate your digestive system.”

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