Page 156 of That Last Secret

I reach up and grab her hand hanging at her side.

I give her three squeezes and she crumbles beside me. She releases a painful cry and falls to her knees in prayer at my bedside. It kills me that I can't sit upright now or that I'm unable to jump up from the bed and wrap her in my arms.

She rests her head on my bed, and my hand tangles in her hair because I need to touch her. I need her to know this isn't a dream.

"I'm so sorry, Logan," she cries out.

My hand moves under her head to lift it so she's now looking directly at me. My eyebrows pinch together as I cup her chin between my fingers. "What in the world are you sorry for?"

"I don't know. I don't know. I didn't know if you'd want me here with how we left things. But I couldn't leave you. I had to stay. I had to be here. You're alive. Oh my god, you're alive."

"Shh…" I say, keeping my voice calm as her voice grows louder between cries.

"I missed you so much. You have no idea how much it hurt me to see you like that. I tried so hard to be strong, but I couldn't be. You almost died."

"I know, baby. I know."

Something flashes in her eyes.

That’s the first time I’ve ever called her that, and it feels so good.

Emiline lifts herself up and crawls into bed with me. One arm drapes over my chest, and her legs nestle beside mine, cautious of my cast. She carefully rests her head on my chest and just holds me.

She holds me like any minute she's about to lose me again.

After everything I've just been through.

After everythingshe'sjust been through.

There is no way in hell that she will ever lose me again.

I press my lips to the top of her head and she squeezes me a little harder, but weary of my fragile state.

"I love you, Emiline," I whisper into her hair.

She lifts her head, teary eyes looking up at me with shock.

"You love me?"

I nod, smiling down at her in my arms. "I know I walked out on you without saying it back, but I fucked up, Em." I swallow past the dryness in my throat, emotions taking over now. "I was on my way to you."

"You… what?"

"When the accident happened. I was on my way to the hospital to tell you all of this. I was in agony over the way I leftyour apartment that morning. It was eating me up inside and I needed to tell you how I felt."

Emiline cries again.

I don't give her a chance to feel guilty about it. My opposite hand reaches up to cup the side of her face while my thumb swipes away a tear that falls. "I don't think I could ever physically be without you in this lifetime or the next. I'm here and alive because of you. You never left my side. You gave me strength. I heard everything you said and fought like hell to get back to you."

Her head melts into my palm, and her eyes flutter closed.

"I was so damn scared," Emiline whispers.

"Look at me, baby." I urge her to keep eye contact with me. "I came back to you. I promise, I’m never, ever leaving you again. Do you hear me?"

She swallows, lifting herself on her elbow next to me.

"You came back to us."

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