Page 130 of Twisted Redemption

“Shit. It’s in your hair, too.”

The shower seems to take forever, and I was right. It doesn’t help me feel better at all. Even the clean jeans and soft T-shirt that are pulled over my head don’t do anything to rid my bones of their lingering, dreadful chill.

I promise I won’t hurt you like that again. I know that’s not good enough, but I don’t know how to prove it to you right now.

But didn’t he?

When he could’ve turned his back on me, he saved me. When he could’ve abandoned me the way I abandoned him again, he didn’t.

No, instead he took a bullet for me.

I can’t let anything happen to you.

I said I’d do anything for you.

I said I’d fight for you.

Barely, I’m aware that I’m sitting on someone’s lap, sobbing into their chest. Whoever it is smells lightly of citrus and reminds me of my brother. But I don’t care. I cry, and cry, and cry, until I’m pretty sure every bit of moisture in my body has squeezed its way out through my eyes.

Only when my sobs settle does tiredness creep through me.

“You need to get some sleep, Brooke.” A firm hand palms my back. Alex. Alex is holding me on his lap.

“I can’t leave him.”

“Brooke—”

“I won’t.” My voice comes out unsteady, and he must want to keep me from crying again, because he drops it.

When Blaze finally gets out of surgery, I plant myself by his bed and don’t let anyone move me. All night and all the next day, I refuse to leave the hospital.

I can’t.

I just can’t.

He’s nothing like David, and I never should’ve believed that he was.

“You’re my everything, too,” I whisper to his unconscious form sometime in the middle of the night. “Please wake up so I can tell you. I’m so sorry, Blaze.”

There are so many things I want to say to him.

That I was wrong. That I should’ve trusted him instead of pushing him away. That I understand why he didn’t tell me about what Alex did, and it’s my pride that’s wounded, not my heart.

That I don’t deserve another chance—not after he almost got killed protecting me. Putting my wellbeing above his emotions and his own pain.

How could I be so cruel?

I thought I needed space. I thought I needed time. To sort out my emotions, to give myself a chance to breathe, and to decide if I can surrender my heart to Blaze and trust that he won’t go back to punishing me.

But, as it turns out, when the person who means the most to you in the world almost dies in the process of saving you, everything snaps into perspective real fucking fast.

Now, I just have to hope that it’s not too late.

WHEN I FALL ASLEEP next to Blaze’s bed with my hand tucked in his, he finds me in my dreams.

A little boy with blond hair is sitting next to me in my parents’ backyard while I make myself a daisy chain crown.

“Why do you not like your house?” he asks. “You’re always outside or at my house.”

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