Into the Fading Twilight (Starlight Grove, #2) (122)

Kol shook his head. “I fucked up. I wasn’t there.”

“You were. Every step of the way. Because you reminded me that I could be strong. You taught me to live again.”

“Phoenix.”

“I gave you a warning, Boss. I’m never letting go. So you don’t even get a choice in the matter.”

Kol’s big body shook, but this time, I knew it was a mixture of laughter and tears. “I love you.”

“Convenient. Because I love the crap out of you,” I said.

He pulled back, his knuckles skimming my cheekbone. “You’re here.”

“I’m here.” I swallowed hard. “Piper?”

“They found her. No serious injuries, and she’s home and recovering.”

Relief swept through me, but it battled the tension still living there. “Cora and Reese?”

“Reese is alive. He’s a couple of doors down. It was touch and go, but they think he’s going to make it.”

“Cora?” I pressed. I knew it wasn’t fair for me to make Kol talk about her, not after everything we’d been through. But I needed to know.

“She died on the scene. I killed her.”

There was an emptiness to Kol’s voice, but I wove my fingers through his and squeezed with all my strength. “You saved me,” I whispered. “There’s a difference.”

He nodded, the movement a little jerky, but his head came to rest against mine, and we simply breathed. I knew this wouldn’t be something he’d be able to let go of easily. That wasn’t the sort of man Kol was. But I would be with him every step of the way.

“Kol Archer. What are you doing in my patient’s hospital bed?” a female voice demanded, but a hint of humor laced her words.

Kol winced as he pulled back. “Sorry, Zuri.”

“You should be,” she clucked as she headed my way with a tablet.

“Don’t make him go,” I pleaded.

Her expression softened, and lines formed in the dark skin around her eyes as she gave me a gentle smile. “I’ll pretend I don’t see him climbing back up there after I’m done checking you over.”

My own mouth curved. “Thank you.”

“How’s your pain on a scale of one to ten? One being a walk in the park, and ten being the worst you’ve ever felt?”

“Four?” I hedged.

Zuri arched a brow. “Now I know you’re lyin’ at least a little.”

“Six,” I grumbled. “Can I have water?”

Kol was already moving, pouring me a cup and putting a straw in it.

“Little bits at a time,” Zuri instructed. “We need to see how your stomach does.”

The cool water was a balm to my throat, and I had to fight not to gulp it down. But the last thing I wanted was to throw up.

Zuri moved around the bed, checking the machines and then peeking at a dressing on my abdomen. “You’re healing nicely. Your lung collapsed, but it’s staying inflated now. Took you a bit longer to wake up than we usually like, but everything’s looking good now.”

“She always has run late,” a new voice said from the doorway.

My gaze cut to Brae, but she was already rushing toward my bed, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

My breath hiccupped as I struggled for control. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting.”

“You should be,” Brae clipped, wiping beneath her eyes. “But you’re here now.”

She moved in closer, bending to hug me but waiting to make sure that was okay. I closed the distance, ignoring the slight flicker of pain. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

“Promise me?” Brae asked, holding on gently.

I released her and looked between the two of them. Brae and Kol. The people who meant the most to me in the world. “You’re both stuck with me forever.”





CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT


Kol




FIVE DAYS LATER

ALITTLE TO THE LEFT,” I ORDERED AS DEX, MAV, WYLDER, and I shifted the bed in the room that had once been my office. Nova would be home this afternoon, and I wanted her recovery to go as smoothly as possible.

I’d moved the contents of my office into storage and ordered one of those beds where you could adjust the head and foot to create whatever position was the most comfortable. And using my office meant she wouldn’t have to go up and down the stairs.

“You just had us move it to the right,” Dex grumbled.

Wylder cursed. “This thing weighs like ten thousand pounds.”

“Swear jar, Uncle Wy,” Sky called from outside in the hall.

“She moves like a ninja, silent and deadly,” Wylder muttered.

“Okay, set it down,” I said.

The bed hit the floor with a heavy thunk.

Maverick stepped back, studying it. “You think it might be a little off—”

Dex smacked him upside the head. “Finish that sentence, and I’ll drain your bank account and send love poems to all your coworkers’ email addresses.”

Mav gaped at him. “Who woke up on the cranky side of the bed?”

“Me,” Dex clipped, his glare cutting my way. “Because this tyrant has had us playing HGTV since dawn.”