Page 23 of Unbreakable Connection (Connections Duet)

“It’s too soon, and you just woke up. Do I need to remind you that you almost died tonight?” I tried to separate my anger from fear, but this was Ellen, and she was stubborn, which made me crazy. “I’m sorry. Please take some time to rest, and as soon as you are better, I will take you home.”

“You misunderstand; I meant home to you when I say home. Wherever you are is where I want to be, and I’ll leave the location up to you.”

“I don’t understand; what about the clinic?” I asked because Ellen has done a complete turnaround in twenty-four hours, and I need to catch up here. She saw the confusion on my face, and I knew I was doing a piss poor job at trying to hide my feelings, not when they were too raw from everything that’s happened.

“The clinic will be fine, and I can say this with ease because, like you, I also have protocols in place to protect the clinic I built. Now, do us both a favor and get me out of here,” Ellen demanded with a tone of conclusiveness I had never heard her express before.

“Okay, but you need to promise me that with the slightest change in your condition, you will allow me to bring you back here.”

“I promise, Edric, now kiss me,” she winked. Not two minutes later, Nai, Ellen’s favorite nurse, appeared and disconnected her IV. Kyle appeared next, looking better. He was banged up, but not as bad as Ellen was.

“Thank you for saving her life; I will forever be indebted to you,” I said, shaking his hand.

“I will always be here for Ellen, she’s my best friend for life, but I will ask one thing from you.”

“Name it,” I stepped forward.

“Find the person responsible for hurting our girl and kill the motherfucker,” and then he walked away as I silently promised to do that and so much more. Patch had been in touch, but only by text alerting me that all was clear at Ellen’s house. Kyle told me he had spoken to Patch right after the accident and did exactly as instructed until I arrived. When Patch phoned me about Ellen, he watched from his end and ensured the small building that was Ellen’s clinic was as safe as possible. I know I didn’t do the right things regarding my fellow team member, and I will have to right that wrong later.

He’s off the grid but working, giving me the time until I can get a better handle on all this. I carried Ellen inside and up to her bedroom. She was asleep and didn’t wake up even when I changed her and put her to bed. I checked her every hour on the hour per Kyle’s instructions, and she was fine, just sleeping, which I knew I wouldn’t be doing. I held her to my chest as tightly as space would allow, vowing to keep my promise to Kyle.

The early morning light cast a glow all around the room as the dawn met the day. It’s barely been a week since we reunited, and I almost lost her, but I can’t think of that right now. I have to remain focused. I am going to find the person or persons responsible for this and make sure they suffer under my two hands. I have to avenge my woman in the only manner I know. I intend to make them suffer and choke out the last breath they have in their body. I will settle for nothing less.

I touched her face with my two fingers, slowly moving down her neck to feel her strong pulse. I released a breath and relaxed against her, feeling her warmth and thanking God she was here with me. When she didn’t wake up, I kissed her cheek and quietly got out of bed to shower. When I finished, I returned to check on her and noticed she shifted a little and saw her hand on my pillow.Was she reaching out to me in her sleep?

Ellen is so beautiful and has the power to bring me down to my knees, and the best part of this piece of knowledge is that I would allow her to. I turned the coffee maker on and then brought my phone to life to see what I had missed since last night. I had the usual missed calls from Kaz and Bourne but not one from Patch. I dialed Bourne first, and he answered immediately, probably glued to the phone waiting for my call.

“It’s about time,” he roared and then continued to rant until I heard his lovely wife in the background asking to speak with me. Then, of course, he conceded, and Sabina was on the line.

“Hey, how’s our girl?” she asked softly.

“She’s asleep, and you? How’s my niece or nephew doing?”

“Our baby is growing beautifully. I am feeling equally wonderful. As for Bourne, he’s pulling on his strands of great hair because he is not too happy with you right now, and neither am I. What the hell, Edric!? You should have called us way sooner than you are right now.”

In the background, Bourne scolded her for getting excited, and she shushed him away to continue to scold me.What a pair they are,I thought.

“I’m sorry, Sabina, and upsetting you is the last thing I wish to do. Please accept my apology, and as soon as she can, I will have Ellen call you.”

“Okay, give her my love, and I’m sorry for yelling at you. You know I love you both, and I’m just worried.”

“I know, and we love you too. Now, may I please talk to Bourne?” I had never used such a gentle tone as I used with Sabina. But, again, it’s Ellen’s positive effect she has on me. She’s changed me in so many ways that it’s hard to decipher which part I love the best. How the hell did men like me and Bourne find these women? Women we don’t deserve but love us anyway.

“Yes, I will be nice,” I heard him say, and then he said, “Will you please go lie down and wait for me? I will be up shortly.” Ididn’t hear anything after that, and then Bourne got back on the line. “It’s the hormones, she’s all over the place right now, and after hearing about Ellen, she’s been understandably upset.”

“Try walking a day in my shoes; it's pure fucking hell.” I angrily spat out.

He sighed heavily, “As you well remember, I have been where you are, and I understand exactly how you’re feeling right now and what’s probably running through your mind since you received that call. The thirst for revenge is great, and the pull is unstoppable. I understand, Edric, and you will have your day to right the wrong that was committed against Ellen, but for now, I need you to focus and keep a cool head about until we figure out who is behind this.”

“I’m well aware of my duties, Bourne, so please don’t talk to me as if I just woke up in this life yesterday.”

His patience had run its course, and then he roared back, “Well, someone bloody has to, and that might as well be me. It would help if you got your head together, or all the rage you are feeling right now will implode your life. I can say this to you because it’s what you advised me to do when I lost my sister, my father, and almost Sabina to that damn fucking bullet she took for a man who didn’t deserve it. Gio should have died with Lucas that day, but my Sabina showed mercy. If the roles were reversed, you would have craved the same thing that continues to haunt me daily. It would have been the end for me if she had died taking that bullet for someone who did not deserve her loyalty and, most of all, love.”

“Bourne, I wouldn’t say it was love, but Sabina has a pure heart, and I believe she probably just acted on instinct because she has a natural protective side to her. It’s over, and she’s safe. I’m sure what happened to Ellen is stirring up feelings for you, but she’s safe, and you know that, right?” I said, trying to calm him down, but he was right, we are the same in this way ofthinking, and now the need to protect is even more significant because of the women we love.

As he continued to yell into the phone about Gio and ignore what I just said, I knew never to reveal Gio’s true feelings. I knew from the first moment Gio shared his story with me, but now listening to Bourne still so angry after all this time would only bring Gio a bullet to his brain. Yes, on the surface, we are playing nice because it’s what we agreed to with Valentin, but deep down, Bourne hates him with every fiber of his being, and no one will ever change his mind, not even Sabina.

He finally calmed down enough and said, “You are my brother, and I will always fight the good fight alongside you, but you’ve also been known to go rogue, and that’s when you are at your most dangerous. I’m telling you to pull back and take a beat to figure this out together.”

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