Page 84 of Bound by Desire
* * *
Ipace the ER,back and forth, back and forth. They lost her once in the ambulance and had to pump life back into her. They talked about brain damage and all kinds of other shit, but all I could focus on were her breaths coming in and out. Nothing else could penetrate. Until now, as I pace, each stepagonizing.
Braindead.
This is exactly what I mean about life beingcruel.
“What’s the word?” my father asks, coming through the door, my mother attached to his side. She looks better, but she shouldn’t be here. I just don’t have the energy at the moment tofightit.
“Stillwaiting.”
My mother walks up and wraps her arms around me. Everything inside of me cracks wide open, and while my mother holds me, for the first time since I was a kid,Isob.
* * *
“RylieHollister?”
I dart from the window, heading straight toward the gray-haired man in green scrubs. His face is somber. It scares the ever-loving shit outofme.
Pure terror consumes me as I feel my family at my back. The entire Ravage MC showed up, all here in the waiting room. All but Rhys, Dagger, and Breaker, who I’m told have the aunt and the asshole. Not that I give a flying fuck at themoment.
“Yes?”
“She has no one listed as her next of kin,” he sayshesitantly.
“I’m her man. I need to knowshe’sokay.”
The doc peers around at everyone in their cuts, his hand trembling. He better start talking before he ends up on his ass. My patience left a long damntimeago.
“Right.” He clears his throat. “Ms. Hollister is alive. And I’ll be straight with you, I don’t know how. For as long as it appears she was under water, she’s breathing on her own. However, we did have to shock her heart twice to bringherback.”
My heart falls to my feet, and my mom grips my arm, giving mecomfort.
“I’m worried about brain damage. We took her in for an MRI, and there appears to be no bleeding on the brain, which is good. But there is swelling, and some of it is significant. We’ve put her in an induced coma to help with the swelling, and we’re pumping her full of antibiotics because pneumonia is very common in cases like these. The next twenty-four hours are critical. Unfortunately, all we can do is wait. If all her numbers stay the same, this is good. We’ll do another MRI and see if there is progress on theswelling.”
“Christ.” I run my hand through my hair, knowing this isn’t the worst news, but it’s not the greatest, either. “Can Iseeher?”
“In about an hour. We’re monitoring her very closely; you need to give us time tohelpher.”
I turn away from the doc. “Pleasedo.”
He leaves as my family comes around me, but I push them off. I need some time, and they give me that, letting me pace. I’m not trying to be a dick to them. I just can’t handle shitrightnow.
The door to the ER opens, and my eyes fly to it. Austyn walks in, a timid look on her face. I hear gasps because she’s locked herself up tight in her parents’ home. She makes not one acknowledgement of any of them, however. Instead, she comes directly to me, wraps her arms around me, and holds on tight. I reciprocate, holding on fordearlife.
* * *
Machinesbeepandping,but it’s the breathing machine I fucking hate. The sounds of the air going into Rylie’s body, then thetickandswooshit makes as it comes out. Over and over and over again, never stopping. Never areprieve.
The worst part about it is how she’s breathing, in afuckingcoma.
The last MRI came back better. The doctor says they’re going to start to bring her out of the coma. This is going to be the tell if she has brain damage. If she comes out and isresponsive.
He once said the word vegetable, and it took my father holding me back from punching the guy. My beautiful woman is so fulloflife.
Three of her crazy ass friends came. Even Charlie and Schade made an appearance. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to them, so my mother and Emery didthatshit.
Nevertheless, she’s loved. By so many damn people. I just need her to be able towakeup.
