Page 224 of Salvatore

No. It’s not enough.

I need to know. I have to find out if she’s okay.

“I’m sure I would’ve been told if something happened. Abri hasn’t left her side. She’s taking good care of your woman.”

Yourwoman.Mine.

He reaches for a plastic cup of water on the drawers beside my bed and moves it toward me, nailing me in the nose with the straw. “Here. Drink. It’ll stop you yapping for a beat.”

I glare, batting away the straw, then snatch at the cup. “If I’ve only been out three days, who the fuck was that kid?”

He smirks. “He’s been roaming the halls, trying to find trouble since we got here. Apparently he’s got a brother that’s a long-term patient in the pediatric ward, so yesterday I offered him some cash if he happened to be in the right place at the right time. He’s been waiting within earshot ever since.”

I take a sip of water, the liquid never having tasted so good before I shove the cup back at him. “You’re a sick fuck, Bishop.”

“I’m fucking hilarious, that’s what I am. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life retelling the story.”

“If that’s your plan, I wouldn’t anticipate a lengthy life expectancy.”

“And if I were you, I’d wait until the organ donor team stopped stalking past your room before you started making threats.”

I’m about to double down when a stampede of footsteps echo up the hall.

There’s a warning shout of, “Hey, no running,” and another to, “Slow down.” Then Matthew is at my door, face drawn and grey, lips parted with what I assume is bewilderment.

Abri barrels up beside him, hair wild around her cheeks. She’s followed by Remy, then Layla.

“Nice to see you awake, brother.” Matthew takes a tentative step inside the room. “I wasn’t sure if we’d get to see the day.”

There’s no Ivy. No Olivia.

“Where is she?” My heart pounds beneath aching ribs.

“It’s nice to see you, too.” Abri grins and leans backward, glancing down the hall. “Give her roughly twenty seconds. She needs to take it easy. Doctor’s orders.”

The pounding escalates into thumping, my heart threatening to crack more ribs until her voice meets my ears.

“Is he really awake?” Ivy asks from somewhere out of view. “Is he okay?”

Remy steps to the side. Abri, too. Followed by Matthew and Layla.

Then there she is, dark eyes wide, long hair loose around her shoulders, expression filled with the most exquisite relief despite her looking completely exhausted.

She sucks in a shocked breath, her hand clasping the bottom of her throat.

Christ, she’s so damn beautiful it hurts to look at her.

She stares at me, gaze turning glassy, lower lip trembling.

I want to tell her not to cry, but there’s no words to fill the void of relief ripping open my chest.

“Why don’t we give them a minute?” Olivia grabs Remy’s hand, leading him back into the hall.

I don’t give a fuck if they stay. As far as I’m concerned nobody else exists. Ivy’s all I see. All I care about.

“Come here.” I stretch out a hand.

She walks for me, her pace quickening until she’s rushing toward me, bumping into the side of my bed, then delicately sliding her hands around my neck.

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