Page 10 of Brax

“She’s getting there, although if your son doesn’t give me some room to work he might be my next patient,” said Gabi, smirking at him. “Anything from the boys on the car?”

“Tires were shot out,” he said in a low voice. “Either someone wanted her dead or thought it was someone else in that car. We’re working on that right now. Don’t tell Brax.”

“Sweetie, that boy isn’t going to leave here no matter what. If I weren’t a doctor and knew better, I’d swear they were attached at the hip.”

“I brought some more books for him to read to her.”

“Still bringing the romance and sex books from Charlie?” laughed Gabi.

“Yep. Make him so damn uncomfortable he’ll be pleading for her to wake up.”

By the time Brax returned to the room, it was already dark, and there was no change in Stephanie’s status. Taking his seat in the most uncomfortable chair ever created by man, he began reading from Charlie’s latest book.

“And the lights were everywhere, shining and twinkling as the couple walked down the aisle. Everyone knew that it would be a wedding to remember, one for the ages. They just wanted there to be a happy ending somewhere,” Brax whispered, reading from the book.

He reached for Stephanie’s hand, feeling the soft skin beneath his own rough flesh. She’d been in a drug-induced coma for eight days now. Eight days without speaking, without opening her eyes, without waking on her own.

Too critical to move, they couldn’t even take her to the pond. Now, he was resorting to reading her Charlie’s books, and it was making him more than a little uncomfortable.

“I need you to wake up, Steph. I need to tell you what an asshole I’ve been, what an idiot I am. You probably already know that, but it’d be better if I said it first. You can’t leave me. You just can’t.”

“She’ll be alright,” said Adam, walking in behind him.

“How can you say that? Nothing has changed in the last week,” frowned Brax.

“She’s in a coma, Brax. We’ve been keeping her there for the pain but are slowly reducing the medications. Fiona reduced the swelling, and it just takes time.

“She’ll wake eventually on her own. Her injuries are no longer life-threatening as of this morning. Once she wakes, we can take her to this magical pond of yours.”

“Will she really live?” he asked in a choked voice.

“Yes, son. She’ll really live.”

“Did you hear that, Steph? You’re going to be okay. Please wake up, honey. Wake up so you can tell me that I’m an asshole,” he pleaded.

He felt her fingers move beneath his, and Adam raised a brow. As her eyes fluttered open, he heard the sweetest sound ever.

“You’re an asshole.”

“Say it again,” he laughed, wiping the tears from his eyes.

“You’re an asshole,” she croaked. “What happened? Am I dead?”

“No. No, you’re definitely not,” smiled Adam. “Let me get Gabi and the others. Welcome home, honey.”

“What happened?” she asked, slowly opening her eyes.

“A wreck. The SUV flipped, and you were trapped. Flip and the others got you out. Steph. Steph, you can’t leave. You can’t, honey. I love you.”

“Wh-what?”

“Steph, I need to tell you so much,” he started.

“Save it, lover,” said Gabi. “Step outside and let me take a look at her.”

Brax let out a long sigh and nodded. He looked down at Steph, then bent down to kiss her forehead.

“I’ll be right outside.”

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