Page 41 of Jace

“I’m gonna give you ladies a few minutes alone.” Jace places a kiss to my forehead. “I’m going to go grab something to drink and stretch my legs, maybe give everyone an update too, to ease their worries.”

“Okay,” he kisses my lips next, holding the uninjured side of my face, staring at me for a few seconds before letting go. My throat is raw from the emotion in his eyes as I watch him walk away.

“He raced to the scene,” Luna interrupts my thoughts.

“What?”

“When Daxton informed us all that he was on the phone with Bree when the accident happened everything went haywire fast. They found the location, using Daxton’s phone. He’s got that app that helps him locate Bree.”

I remember when the knowledge he was tracking her first was made public and how pissed Bree was to find out he had the app. Now, I’m grateful he still does.

“The very second it was narrowed down Jace was out of the shop and in his car, speeding down the road, before any of us had a chance to register it. He was there when they brought the two of you up on gurneys.” My heart sank. “He was there when your heart stopped Aurora, he saw it all.”

“And it destroyed him,” Presley added, and tears clouded my vision.

“Your husband hasn’t left your side since they brought him back here.” Luna’s smile was huge.

“My husband?”

The two of them laughed as I glanced back and forth between them. “Yes, remind us to tell you all about it when you get out of here. It was amazing, and a side of Jace I’ve never seen before.” Luna sits down in the chair. “There was nothing stopping him from getting back here to you. I’m surprised he sat still as long as he did. But his eyes remained locked on the double doors, just waiting for a doctor to come out and give us the update on you and Bree.”

“Have you guys seen Bree?”

“Yes, she’s doing okay. They had some neurological concerns at first, but she’s passed every single test they’ve given. You both are incredibly lucky. The car, not so much,” Luna adds, and the sounds of metal crunching ring in my mind.

Jace reenters the room carrying a bottle of water.

“That was a short walk,” Luna teases him.

“Long enough.” He takes his place back at my side and immediately reaches out to touch my hand.

I smile, as the girls talk a few more minutes than excuse themselves. Visiting hours are ending and the nurse attempted to get Jace to leave too.

“You’re gonna have to bring a lot more than yourself darling if you expect to move me from this chair. Because I’m not planning on leaving until she does.” He holds her stare as she scowls at him. “You can create a fuss, get security involved or whatever else it takes but in the end all that will do is create a disruption to the entire floor and I will still be sitting in this chair in the end. Almost lost her.” He leans forward resting his elbows on his knees. “I was an ass; I tried to run away from this woman for far too long. I was an idiot, and I’m done being that guy. I’m not leaving her side.”

“You and that ape down the hall are two of the most difficult men I have ever encountered.” The older woman places her hands on her hips. I assume she is talking about Daxton.

“I’ll bring you a cot.” She lifts one hand and points it at him and I bite my lip to keep from laughing. "You will sleep in that cot and keep yourself out of my patient's bed. So help me boy, if I catch you in that bed with her you and I will be at war."

"Yes, ma'am." He flashes her his signature grin. One that I know signifies that he is up to no good but she sort of melts a little and smiles back.

"Girl with a smile like that, I'm thinking he gets away with all kinds of things."

"You have no idea," I add with my own smile and he winks, leaning back in his chair and grabbing the remote. When she exits the room, I laugh and he doesn't even have to ask why, he knows. He is not oblivious to his charms; he uses them wisely.

They brought a cot in about ten minutes later, with an extra pillow and blankets. Daxton stopped in, giving Craig a few minutes to say goodbye to Bree. They were keeping Piper, which I know eases the stress Daxton was feeling. The guy looks wiped, like he hasn't slept in days. He hugged me, which was strange, telling me how glad he was that I was okay. He told me that he and Bree love me and life without me was unacceptable. He left me in tears, and Jace climbed into bed with me to console me.

Which of course is the exact moment nurse Hatchet decides to reenter the room to take my vitals and give me my pain meds.

"Boy," she says, in her best angry voice. I laugh, burying my face in his chest when he attempts to woo her once more.

"Darlin' she cries and I have no other choice but to hold her. Tears from my Ror are not easy to take. I've been responsible for too many of those tears and I swore that if she made it through this, I'd do everything I could do to keep her happy."

Nurse Hatchet's scowl softened.

"I promise to sleep on that brick you all call a cot, but for now I need to hold her."

"I want to be mad at you," she says with her hand firmly planted on her hips. "I want to shoot you up with some morphine, put you on a gurney and wheel you out onto the helipad," I glance up at Jace to find him grinning from ear to ear. He knows he has her under his thumb. "But you remind me too much of my Walter, always sassing and using his charms to get his way. It worked ninety percent of the time."

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