Page 121 of Possession

I lean down and put my lips to her ear. “Ignore them.”

“Holy shit,” Bristol repeats. “Braxton León Cruz. She knows what you do for a living, right?”

“I do now,” Landyn mutters. “That’s literally a new development. As in, the last hour.”

Brittney shakes her head and glares at me. “You’re such a punk.”

“I’m not thirteen, and I didn’t come here for this shit. I want to see Mom.”

The girls cut their shit out immediately and glance at each other.

“What?” I demand.

Bristol’s expression turns solemn in a snap. “It wasn’t one bypass, Brax. It was three. They just got her settled—she’s still unconscious.”

Brittney glances at the clock. “Micah told us he got approval for you to stay all night. We insisted on staying until you got here, but it’s past visiting hours, even for family. He said he’d call if she took a turn for the worse before morning.”

I stare through the glass where I can only see the foot of the bed. “I’ll be here until morning. I’ve got a meeting with the CIA tomorrow and then other meetings I can’t talk about.”

“And she’ll be with you?” Bristol asks, her tone less of a razor than it was before.

I glare at my sister and tighten my arm around Landyn. “Yes, dammit. There are things you don’t know. Things I can’t tell you right now. It’s not safe for us to be here as it is, so I’d appreciate it if you drop the attitude. My guilt is heavy, Bristol. I know I contributed to Mom’s stress that landed her in that room. Give me a break.”

“She doesn’t mean anything by it.” Brittney reaches for my forearm to give me a squeeze and turns to the woman in my arms. “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day.”

Landyn shakes her head. “It’s okay. I’m sorry about your mom.”

I’m about to push my sisters out of the way when a nurse walks up to us. “I’m sorry, but our patients need to rest without the commotion. Visiting hours were over an hour ago. If you don’t have permission to stay, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

We all shut our mouths, and I follow my sisters to the room where they collect their things. Landyn holds onto my hand like a lifeline, and I let her. My sisters kiss Mom’s forehead, and say goodbye.

Before I know it, I’m standing at the foot of the bed, Landyn is still tight to my side, and we’re both staring at the woman who begged me not to leave two years ago.

She lost me for two years, after she lost Brian forever.

I can’t lie. There are days I’ve regretted my decision to take on this case.

But today is the worst.

Landyn’s voice cuts through the beeps and stale air. “I’m so sorry … Brax.”

I exhale. “I’m the one who should be begging you for forgiveness, baby.”

She gives her shoulder a small shrug, but doesn’t let me off the hook. “You can do that later.”

I look down and put my fingers to her chin to force her to look at me. Her bruises are peeking through her makeup that’s been cried through—tears shed because of me. They’re an in-your-face reminder of why I put everything at stake and brought her with me. Of why I lied to her since I met her.

“I will. Until then, get comfortable. We’ll be here all night.”

She doesn’t complain, but she doesn’t move either.

She pulls her chin from my fingers to rest her cheek against my pec and stares at the woman who’s a stranger to her.

28

KILL

Landyn

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