Page 102 of The Last One You Loved
WHAT WOULD THIS WORLD DO?
“Don’t know what I would do if your tomorrow never came.
The only thing I’m sure of is that I’ll never be the same”
Performed by Maren Morris
Written by Green / Morris / Hurd
I’d fallenasleep for a brief moment in the waiting room with Mila and McKenna wrapped in my arms. They were safe. We were all safe. Sadie was going to be okay. That enormous relief had led to exhaustion, and I’d drifted off, but a sharp sound in the hallway snapped my eyes back open. McK squeezed me tighter as she felt me stir. I looked down at her and then over to my brother. His gaze was dark and stormy. He was pissed, and I wasn’t sure if it was at me or Chainsaw or the whole fucked-up situation.
A nurse came in, letting us know we could see Sadie, and we all headed down the hall to her room. She was pale with her leg splinted, monitors and tubes tucked around her, and when she saw all of us, she started to cry. It was as unlike my spunky sister as Mila’s silence.
I’d tried to get my daughter to talk to me while I’d cleaned her up in the bath, but she’d just looked at me with big, tear-filled eyes, so I’d changed the subject. Instead of asking more questions, I’d talked nonsense about her unicorns and their friends.
Now, she was still conked out in my arms, and I was fine with that because if she was awake and wanting to run around, I might not be able to let her. I needed her close for a while longer.
Mama fussed around Sadie just like I knew she would, fixing the blankets and brushing Sadie’s matted hair away from her face.
“He came out of nowhere when I got out of the car, Maddox,” Sadie said. “I didn’t expect it. I wasn’t aware…”
“You were at the ranch, Sads. You shouldn’t have had to expect an attack at your home,” I told her, trying to make sure she didn’t feel guilty. This wasn’t on her. This was on me, my job, and fucking Sybil.
“When he caught me at the creek, I thought…” She shook her head, looking at my sleeping daughter with awe. “She saved me by biting his arm, and when he turned toward her, I grabbed his pant leg, trying to slow him down, but he kicked me…”
“You gave her enough time to get away, Sads. She hid where you told her to, in the hollow. You gave me time to get to her.” My voice was thick. I wanted to stop talking about it. I didn’t want to hear one more time how my five-year-old had thrown herself at a man with a gun and then ran for her life. My chest ached with a ferocity that made me lightheaded.
“Why don’t you take her home?” Mama suggested. “She needs to be away from all these reminders that something horrible happened today.”
She was right, and yet, I was reluctant to leave my family—the people who calmed me, loved us, and would protect her.
“Go. Really,” Sadie said. “I’d rather her be in her room with the rainbows and unicorns than see me like this anyhow.”
I leaned over and kissed Sadie’s forehead. “Thank you for saving her.”
“She saved me,” Sadie choked out.
“Maybe you saved each other.” It was McKenna who said it, and my gaze met hers. She was right. They’d done it together.
“Don’t forget to eat,” Rianne said as we headed for the door. “I left sandwiches in the refrigerator. They’re all ready to go.”
I nodded, but the thought of food made me slightly nauseated.
Dad and Ryder followed McKenna and me out of the room. Dad looked down at Mila and ran a hand over her blonde hair, saying softly, “I’ll call you if anything changes, but just get some rest. Be together. Love on each other a bit. I have a feeling you all need it.”
I clenched my jaw so I didn’t cry again, like I’d cried when I’d found Mila.
Then, he walked back into the room. I waited, watching Ryder’s jaw tick, knowing he had something he needed to get off his chest.
“What the fuck happened out there?” he demanded.
“Chainsaw came after Mila because he hoped I’d hand Sybil over to him.”
Ryder’s eyes shot to McKenna, and I shook my head.
“It had nothing to do with her.”
I wasn’t sure he believed me, and I didn’t really have the energy to argue. My heart was already twisted up enough when I thought about how my job had put my family at risk and how it could continue to put targets on their backs. Assholes like the West Gears might always think they could use them as bargaining chips. I wasn’t sure what to do about that, short of resigning, and that thought made my stomach flip, too.
