Page 40 of Jace

“Yes.” I stare at Ror.

“She asked for you.” I look away to find the nurse standing near the door. “It was the first thing she said when we wheeled her out of recovery.” With that final word, she steps out of the room and leaves me alone with Aurora.

Rounding the end of the bed I assess her injuries, or at least the ones I can see. Her right eye is so swollen the socket is even with her cheek bone. A bandage over her eyebrow area and her jaw, is purple with several scrapes leading down to her neck.

Her wrist is bandaged, there is still dried blood on her forehead, and it’s all so overwhelming. I sit in the chair at her side and bury my face in my hands trying to pull myself together.

Her heart stopped.

I can’t let that go, the fear, the pure terror over the fact that we could have lost her.

We could have lost both of them.

Reaching out, I take her good hand in mine, linking my fingers through hers. Lifting up now joined hands to my lips, I press a kiss to her knuckles and then lean over and lay my head onto the side her bed.

Listening to the beeps of the machines, I focus on her breathing and thank God, which is something I never do. I thank him for saving them both, and vow to never let her go.

Never!

I feel a fingers comb through my hair. “Jace.” It’s a soft whisper, a sound so fucking sweet it brings tears to my eyes.

Lifting my head, I find Aurora looking at me. Her eyelids so heavy she blinks a few times in order to hold them open.

“Hi baby.” I stand, careful not to hurt her as I press a soft kiss to her lips.

“Bree?”

“She’s good,” I assure her in order to keep her calm. “Daxton is with her.”

“It all happened so fast,” she says, her voice hoarse. “We came around the bend in the road and?—”

“The rescue crews said there was no way for you guys to avoid it. There were too many.” Not only did the girls hit one, but three deer. Another vehicle coming from the opposite direction witnessed the entire thing and said there had to be more than ten running in a group. They crossed the road and the girls came from the opposite direction, catching the tail end of the group.

“All that matters is that you are both okay,” I tell her. “A little banged up, but nothing that time won’t heal.”

She nods.

“Scared the hell out of all of us though.” I kiss her forehead, giving myself a few minutes before I leaned back and looked at her. Needing to make sure she is fully alert. “The idea of losing you terrified me. I know that it took me far too long to get to where we are now, but it wasn’t because I didn’t love you. Because I do,” she blinks at me. “I love you, Ror,” I repeat kissing her lips softly. “I’m in love with you.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Aurora

My entire body aches, from head to toe. I remember the car rolling and rolling, my body and Bree’s being tossed around uncontrollably. It was awful. It was terrifying.

“I think I’ve been in love with you from the start and that scared the hell out of me, Ror. It scared me because I’ve never needed anyone. I made sure of that, but then you showed up.”

I blink, staring up at Jace, thinking I have to be imagining this.

“I love you,” he repeats, his lips brushing against mine. “I came so close to not being able to say those words to you.”

“I’m okay,” I tell him, and he takes a deep breath.

“Your heart stopped.” His whispered words trigger goosebumps to cover my skin.

“Are we interrupting?” Jace leans away, and we both shift our attention toward the doorway where Luna and Presley stand. Luna holds a vase full of flowers and Presley two get well balloons.

“Come in,” I tell them as they move further into the room. Jace never once releases my hand or attempts to move away. Instead he sits on the edge of my bed and Luna and Presley goes to the opposite side. “These are from all of us,” she says as the two of them set down everything on the small table against the wall.

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