Page 140 of Echoes of You

“Can I?” My voice broke on each syllable, the shattered pieces swirling around my vocal cords.

She crossed to me, holding out a hand. “Let’s go see our boy.”

I held on to Kerry, and I didn’t let go. Not on the walk to the elevator or the ride up to the ICU floor. Not during the walk down the second hallway or as we paused outside the double doors. I only released her when we had to coat our hands with sanitizer.

Dr. Chung led us to a room with an open door. “The ventilator is helping him breathe. We’ll wean him off that in the next twenty-four hours as his vitals improve.”

I barely heard her. I only had eyes for Nash. The man who had always made me feel tiny somehow seemed dwarfed by the hospital bed. There were so many wires and tubes I couldn’t keep track of them all.

My feet moved before I gave them a conscious command, taking me toward the man who had always been everything to me.

I sank onto one of the two chairs next to his bed. His pointer finger had an oxygen monitor clipped to it, and his skin was far too pale. My hand trembled as I took his, and I lifted my gaze to his face.

I hated that I couldn’t see his eyes. I needed those green orbs on mine, so full of life and mischief and love. I held his hand tighter, my tears spilling over and falling onto them. “I love you, Nash. It’s you and me. You can’t leave me.”

48

NASH

A faint beepingassaulted my ears. I mumbled something unintelligible, but what I wanted to say was,“Turn off the damn alarm.”

A hand tightened around mine. “Open your eyes, Nash. Please.”

There was such desperation in that voice—a mix of terror and hope that had me fighting to lift my eyelids. But they were so damn heavy.

Finally, bursts of light swam across my vision. It took a few blinks for the space around me to come into focus. Some part of my brain registered the hospital room, but the only thing I had eyes for was the beautiful woman hovering over me.

“Mads…”

My voice sounded like someone had taken sandpaper to my vocal cords.

“Here. Have a sip of water.”

She placed a straw between my lips, and I took a pull. The cool water was heaven on my throat. “Thanks.”

I blinked a few more times, trying to put the pieces together. I jolted as the memories hit me. Lawson, Maddie, and me standing in the driveway. Dan. The gun. “Are you okay? Tell me he didn’t get you.”

Tears filled Maddie’s eyes as she gripped my hand. “I’m fine. Thanks to you. But if youeverdo something like that again, you and I are going to have a real problem.”

The tension left my muscles, and the pain set in. My chest felt like someone had shoved a hot poker in it. But I kept hold of Maddie’s hand. “I’d be okay with no more shootings or kidnappings for a good long while.”

I expected her to laugh, but she didn’t; the shadows in her eyes only deepened. “Hey, what’s going on?”

Maddie stared at me, holding on tight. “You’ve been in a coma for three days. Your heart stopped three times. Lawson and I had to give you CPR. We weren’t sure if you were going to make it.”

Her voice broke on the last statement, shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Shit.“Mads. I’m right here. I’m okay.” At least, I thought I was. “Come here.” I patted the bed, and it lit a fire in my chest.

“Don’t move,” Maddie said, grabbing my hand. “You had open-heart surgery. You have to stay still.”

“I need to hold you.”

Tears slid down her cheeks. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“The only thing that’s hurting me right now is not being able to hold you.”

Maddie rolled her lips between her teeth.

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