Page 208 of Poison Vows

“Ivy!”

Survival instincts would be to go for the gunmen, but I dive for my wife.

In the back of my mind, I hear more gunshots, but I feel none of it as I cradle my wife in my arms, calling for help, for someone, anyone, but blood seeps onto me and the floor faster than any aid or saving grace.

“Ivy! Baby, stay awake!” I tell her, my vision blurring. I feel lightheaded. “Don’t you dare close your eyes! Stay with me!”

I call for help again, but the world comes crashing down on me instead as I surrender to the darkness.

CHAPTER 33

Ivy

I hear sobbing comingfrom somewhere.

Or am I dreaming?

The sobbing continues, then I hear a low, guttural voice speaking against my ear.

“God, I’ve never prayed to You before because I’ve been mad at You for a lot of things. I was mad that You didn’t give me a good heart. I was mad that You didn’t protect my mother. But God, I need You now! Please, I need You more than ever!

“You know I’ve only ever been in love with Ivy. I know You placed her in my life for me. At first, I didn’t realize it, then I got mad at You again for giving her to someone like me, but God, please! Please save her. You’re the only One who’s able to. Save her anyway! I’ll give up my own life if You want me to! And I’ve also learned to love the life You’ve given me aches and all! Please, God, please open her eyes. I can’t…”

The groggy, heavy voice trails off as silent sobs sound close to me.

“Open your eyes, baby,” the voice speaks against my ear. “Let me see you, please.”

I want to open my eyes, but I just can’t.

“I love you, Angel.”

Huh?

“I fell in love with you the moment you cursed me out for taking life too simply and I’ve never stopped loving you since.”

Is he…

“Everything stupid I did, the sports I played when I shouldn’t have, I did it all just so you would look at me, baby. I felt like I would die if I wasn’t near you. You weren’t wrong when you accused me of intentionally making you listen to my heart. If you didn’t press your ear against my chest, I would go crazy with need.

“When you had to leave Westbrook Blues, things went to hell for me those four years. I had to get you back. I was ready to confess to you how I felt, not knowing how you’d react, but some things happened that made me realize thatIwas the danger to you. The more I stayed close to you, the more your life was a target. And for that, I’ll forever be sorry. I’m so sorry, baby. Now, please wake up let me love you. Even if you don’t want me anymore, you still need to live, Angel. You have yet to do all the things you’ve always wanted to do! Wake up!”

I remain at the edge of consciousness, listening until I feel him unwrap his arms around me and get up. He presses a kiss to my forehead and then he leaves.

Soon after, I hear the nurses come in and the on-call doctors doing their rounds.

This happens a few more times.

He sneaks into my bed, holds me and tells me things, and then he leaves silently.

Then I discover why he’s timing has been so perfect.

“It was some idiot that was after him, but he was taken down by that guy’s people. Yes, he was shot just below the ribs, Grammy, but he’ll live! Forget about him!” Samuel bellows. “Mything is, he should be moved to another hospital altogether! Why is he next door?”

“You heard the doctor,” Grammy answers. “The lot of them do better when they’re close to each other. Look at how much your sister has improved. Besides, you have interfered in their affairs too many times. You had no right even back then.”

“God, Grammy, I always look back to when we came back here and I ask myself if I made the right decision when I told Emmett to reject my sister,” Samuel says in a low, depressed tone. “I just… I screwed up so bad and now all this happened.”

“Forgive yourself, Samuel. You can’t know everything.”

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