Page 78 of Lilies in Autumn

“Very well.” She pauses until the room clears out. “The laceration on your stomach was stitched with minimal issue. We will need to evaluate you for concussion, and based on your current expression, I’d guess your head is causing quite a bit of pain. We’ll bring you in for a CT scan in about thirty minutes to ensure proper brain functionality and treatment. Regarding the stab wound to your pelvis…” She looks down at her chart before continuing, “When the knife was impaled, it hit both the upper part of your bladder, as well as your left ovary and fallopian tube. We were able to repair your bladder and will remove the colostomy pouch in a week. Unfortunately, we were unable to repair the damage to both the left ovary and your fallopian tube, and they both had to be removed.” The doctor takes a breath, giving me time to digest her words.

“W-what does that mean? Can I not have kids?”

She considers my questions. “Not necessarily. Because your right tube and ovary are intact and undamaged, we have every reason to believe that you will resume your menstruation cycle at a normal cadence. That means that you will continue to get your period and ovulate. The removal of a portion of your reproductive system does not mean that we removed all of your reproductive system. When you consider pregnancy”—she casts a hard look at Grey before turning back to me—“you will need to consult your primary OB. You may have difficulty with conception, since the reliance is on one ovary and tube, or you may have no issue. With these things, it’s a case-by-case basis and your healthcare provider will work with you to provide you with your options.”

“I…” I swallow, pulling the information deep inside myself. “Thank you, Doctor Navarro. Is there anything else?”

The first full smile reaches her lips. “No, but you have a long, beautiful life ahead of you. If you feel like you need a support group to discuss what happened to you, as well as the aftermath, the hospital has a team of psychologists that are highly recommended.” Tears spring to my eyes, and I nod with a watery smile.

Doctor Navarro exits the room, leaving me with Grey and my parents. Before I can say anything, Grey squeezes my hand and begins to speak, “Ava, I know you feel like you’re missing part of yourself right now—and fuck, I’m so fucking sorry—but when we’re ready, we’ll have a houseful of kids if that’s what you want. I don’t give a shit if they’re ours biologically or adopted, but they’re going to be there.” He cups my jaw, tilting my chin upward to look into my eyes. “I know that came as a big fucking surprise, but it means nothing for our future.”

The tears fall steadily down, soaking my cheeks and dripping onto my hospital gown.

My dad clears his throat, drawing our attention to him. “Ava, baby, you are alive, you are strong, and you’re so damn loved. We’re sending this woman away for a long, long time. We”—he pauses to rub his eyes—“we love you so much, baby girl. We’re going to give you both a few minutes. We’ll be back with coffee,” he says to Grey before they walk out of the room.

“What if I can’t have any kids?” I ask through my tears. “What if you decide ten years from now that you want to be with someone that can give you what I can’t?”

“Vixen, you should know that you are everything I want. If you can’t get pregnant and don’t want to adopt, fuck having kids. Your brother and sisters are going to have enough for all of us,” he says with a laugh, prying a smile out of me. Grey’s face sobers and he grows serious. “Vixen, I can live without kids, but I can’t fucking live without you.”

He leans in and kisses my lips softly, silencing the thoughts parading around my throbbing head.

Epilogue

Ava:

“No fucking way are you going back to your dorm.” Grey and I have been at this for hours—no, days. After being discharged from the hospital, I came to Grey’s house. I couldn’t argue that it would be easier for me to recover in his house, where a bathroom’s connected to his room and there’s more privacy than in my dorm.

But, after six weeks of Greyson Jansen as my nurse, I am going to lose my shit.

“Grey, I need to go back to my dorm,” I explain calmly. “Felicity is in a psychiatric hospital until her arraignment, my body is almost fully healed, and I cannot keep staying here.” After the police arrested her, Felicity’s lawyer presented an insanity defense. Since the plea, she’s been under evaluation at a state mental health facility.

Not having to look over my shoulder or mentally prepare myself every time my phone goes off has been a welcome reprieve.

“Vixen, why would you leave? Your parents even agreed that it made the most sense for you to stay with me,” he responds with a self-satisfied smirk.

I look at him incredulously. “They meant temporarily until I’m healed. They didn’t mean that I should move in with you permanently.”

He shrugs. “Same thing.”

“Ugh!” I scream and stomp into the bathroom. Turning the water on, I seethe. I undress, letting the fog envelop my naked body before I step into the shower. Tossing my head back in the water, I let the steam and heat soothe my annoyance with Grey. He saved me, and God knows I love him, but he’s also the most annoying person I’ve ever come into contact with.

Hands wrap around my stomach, pulling me back until I rest against Grey’s body. His hand dips down until his fingers spread across the scar on my pelvic bone. When I woke up at the hospital, I met with a therapist to sort through my feelings about the attack and my future. In the weeks since the attack, I’ve processed what happened to me, that Felicity’s mental illness was a main component in her obsession, and that she needs just as much help as I do. Will I ever forgive her? Probably not. It takes a saint to forgive the person that tried to murder them, but I can feel sorry for her and hope that she gets the help she needs.

“Vixen,” Grey’s voice breaks through my thoughts. “You know I don’t want you to leave because almost losing you nearly killed me.” He leans down, kissing the side of my head while his hand continues to caress the scar on my hip. “Besides, the doctor said we’re going to have to try twice as hard to get pregnant.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m nineteen. We’re not trying to get pregnant any time soon.”

“Yeah, but you can practice riding my cock so that we get it right on the first try.” He shifts forward, letting me feel the full length of him against my lower back. I elbow him, putting distance between us before I turn around.

“Don’t think that you can distract me with your elephant dick, Greyson.” He raises an eyebrow but stays quiet. “I’m meeting Celeste and Serena for lunch today and going back to Serena’s for a girls’ night afterward.” He opens his mouth to protest, but I cut him off. “Do not even think about protesting, you fuck face. I will hold out on sex and blowjobs and every sexual act if you attempt to keep me at your side.”

“You’re going to be the death of me, woman,” Grey grinds out.

“Yeah, but you love me. So come here and kiss me.” I rise on my toes and he meets me, claiming my lips in a tender kiss. Backing me against the wall, he lifts my legs and I wrap them around his waist. He doesn’t take it slow or treat me like I’m half of myself. He drives in with a speed and intensity that would be alarming if it didn’t feel so damn good.

“Harder,” I moan, and Grey meets my demands by fucking me into the wall.

“That’s right, take my cock like my good little girl,” he grinds out. His hand travels from my hip to my clit, pinching down. “Come on my cock, vixen. Coat my dick in your cum,” he commands while adding more pressure to my clit. I erupt around him.

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