Page 276 of Saving Her

“Everything is going to be all right, baby girl,” my mother soothes. “Everything is going to be just fine.”

After years spent denying my suffering, I give in.

I succumb to the pain. I let my grief break free.

I cry until the tears clean away the heartache, all my memories purged from the deepest, darkest depths of my soul. And when my sobs finally subside, I begin to breathe again, knowing I’m finally ready to start healing.

35

Luca

I scowlas the nurse flashes a light in my eyes.

“You don’t need to look at me like that.” She lowers the mini flashlight and grabs my hand. “I get that you’re not happy being here. I’m just doing my job, and apparently, looking after you is a top priority, so grip my hand and show me how macho you are.”

I clench her fingers, my scowl remaining in place. “Who says I’m a top priority?”

“My supervisor. I was told to make sure Mr. John Doe was taken care of and that he receives everything he asks for.” She holds my gaze, raising a brow.

I chuckle. “Feel free to call me John.”

“How kind of you.” She drops my hand and grabs the other. “Want to tell me what happened to your head, John?”

“I have no idea.”

She rolls her eyes and steps away, removing a blood pressure cuff from the monitoring equipment near the head of the bed.

While she’s wrenching my arm into submission, I cock my ear toward the door, trying to catch a hint of Penny’s voice.

This shit with Robert might be over, but the battles she has to face are only just beginning. And I want to be by her side for every single one of them.

“Your blood pressure is a little high.”

“No shit.” My girl is in the hall, facing one of the most monumental moments of her life, and I’m laid flat, unable to help her. “Give me some aspirin and a ticket out of here. I’ll be fine.”

“With all due respect,John,you’ve got a subdural hematoma. Which means you’re not leaving anytime soon. You need to be under observation to ensure the bleeding doesn’t increase.”

I revert back to glaring, not appreciating her calm superiority as Decker limps into the room. He moves to stand against the far wall, watching silently as the nurse takes my temperature like I’m a five-year-old with the flu.

He doesn’t talk. Doesn’t change his masked expression of exhaustion. He doesn’t give one hint as to what’s going on with Penny or why he’s left her out there on her own.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I growl.

He answers by cocking a lazy brow.

It’s the nurse who stiffens and meets my gaze. “Do you need me to leave?”

“Is that an option?”

She sighs. “Like I said, I was told to give you everything you asked for, which includes privacy if it’s requested.”

“It’s requested,” Decker murmurs.

“Definitely requested,” I grate.

She huffs out a breath and places the thermometer back into the stand near the head of the bed. “I’ll give you five minutes. Then I have to come back and finish my obs.” She makes for the door, giving a quick glance at me over her shoulder before leaving the room.

Still, Decker doesn’t speak. He remains against the wall, exhaustion heavy in his slumped shoulders, expression indecipherable.

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