Page 60 of Rogue Survivor
His smile sends a single tear tumbling down my cheek. “Love you too.”
A warm handcups my cheek, and I force my heavy lids open. Isabel. Tears glisten in her eyes. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Come here.” I need her in my arms. Need to feel her against me. To know this is real, and not some dream I’m gonna wake up from.
It takes me a couple of tries to scoot to the far side of the bed, and Isabel lies on her side, molding her body to mine. Good enough. For a while.
“You okay, darlin’?”
“Better now.” She rests a hand on my chest, and I hate seeing the gauze covering her wrists. The bruises peeking out from the sleeves of the hospital robe.
“That’s not an answer. What about Veronica? Where is she?” The idea of the kid all alone—despite how brave she is—doesn’t sit well with me, but Isabelmakes a soft shhhing sound and brushes her lips to mine.
“She practically ordered me to come see you. Then fell asleep. Elmore’s in the room with her, so she won’t wake up alone. We have a couple of hours.”
It’s not enough. But I can’t ask for more. Veronica needs her mother after all of this, and until I see her for myself, there’s no fucking way I’ll let the two be apart for long.
“When you left,” I whisper, “Veronica…you should have seen her, darlin’. I was so messed up. My head…”
“I know.” She buries her face in the curve of my neck, and a single shudder runs through her before she takes a deep breath. “I wasn’t sure you were going to come back to me.”
“Nothin’ willeverstop me from reachin’ you, Isabel. I’d fight Satan himself if I had to. You and Veronica…you’re everything to me.”
We’re both crying now, and I slide my fingers into her hair, holding her close until all my pent-up fear and stress eases enough for me to speak again. “Veronica saved me, Isabel. When she pulled that fork out of her cast, I about fell over.”
“Wish I could have seen the look on your face. Or not, because I probably would have scolded her for picking something so sharp.”
“Did you know she could sign?” Every minute Isabel spends in my arms settles another piece of my heart, even as I steel myself to be without her.
“No!” Wriggling up so we’re eye to eye, she frowns. “When did she—?”
“My head was so messed up. I couldn’t get the words out. Happened before, too. Aphasia. I know what I want to say, but somethin’ goes wrong between my brain and my mouth. Writing, typing? Signing? I can do any of those just fine.”
“You signed with her.” Isabel shakes her head. “I guess I should let her learn all the swear words now. Though, who am I kidding? She probably started with those.”
“Just don’t go too hard on Elmore for it.” Chuckling, I rub small circles on Isabel’s back until all the tension in her body eases and she falls asleep in my arms.
I watch the clock, and when it hits 3:00 a.m., I know I have to let her go. Two perfect hours with the woman I love, and while I wish we’d been able to do more than hold one another, this has to be enough. For now.
“Wake up, darlin’.” With a light kiss to her forehead, I breathe in her scent. Under the antiseptic, the bleach, and the hint of blood, she still smells like vanilla and lilies. Like home.
“Let me sleep a little longer,” she murmurs against my neck. “Don’t want to let go.”
“I’d keep you right here with me forever if I could. But Veronica needs you now, and she comes first. Always.”
More tears—hers and mine—and after a full twenty minutes, we finally manage to let one another go. Isabel leans down to kiss me gently—we’re both so banged up, we don’t dare try for anything more—then links our fingers and holds on tight.
“When you came into my life, I had no idea how much I needed you. How much I could want you in such a short time. Even before…everything, I knew what we were building was real. Special.”
“I love you, darlin’. With all my heart.” I’m so close to begging her to stay, but I can’t let myself give in. “And Veronica…whatever she needs me to be to her, I’ll be.”
“She needs you to be what you already are. Her protector. Her hero. The man her mom loves. And…more. She told me what you said to her. And what she said back. So, I’ll go. For now. Because we’re a family now. And we’re not leaving this hospital without you. Veronica’s orders.”
The strength of the bond between us? Between all of us? I can only choke out two words. “Yes, ma’am.”
Epilogue
Two Weeks Later
