Page 126 of His to Save

“I’ll always love you, my sweet babies.”

“Moooom,” James whines in the way that only a young boy can as he crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m eight. I’m not a baby!”

My lips tip up into a soft smile as I gaze down at him. “You’ll always be my babies…”

The vision playing out before me wavers, giving way to darkness as a steady, incessant beeping rouses me from the deepest sleep I’ve ever experienced.

Wait…

No… that’s not right. Is it?

Am I sleeping?

Where am I?

I try to open my eyes, only to get hit with a tidal wave of déjà vu so strong it steals the air from my lungs.

Scarlet.

Lunch.

Rand.

Dead.

Atlas.

Safe.I’m safe.

I try again, but it’s too bright. Too loud. Too hard.

Too everything.

Someone somewhere murmurs my name—Atlas. He’s here.

But before I can try for a third time, the darkness claims me again.

CHAPTER 44

ATLAS

Ihaven’t left Nora’s side since they finally allowed me into her room. Hell, I couldn’t even tell what else is in the room with us, because my eyes haven’t looked anywhere except for at her.

I may have lied and said she was my fiancée in order to get back here, but it’s hardly a lie when in reality she’s so much more than that. She’s my light, my air, my happiness. The tiny little spitfire of a woman is my entire reason for existing.

She’s bruised and beat to hell and back, with a concussion, her arm in a splint and a few stitches in her belly. But she’s going to make a full recovery, and our little jellybean is as healthy as ever.

The relief I felt when I heard those words nearly brought me to my knees. They’re words I know I’ll treasure until the end of time. Maybe longer.

Now, it’s just a waiting game to see when she’ll wake up. The doctor said something about her brain needing to recover from the trauma.

A knock sounds outside of her door, most likely a nurse coming to check her stats.

“Come in!” I holler, never once taking my eyes off Nora.

“How’s she doing?” Ellis asks, moving into my line of sight.

I flick my eyes his way; he’s still in uniform and looks damn near as wrung out as I feel.

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