Page 141 of Tainted Romance

How selfish I was, and how much of a prick I was, was only hitting me now.

For days I had been making Allie think of me, and, every time she did, I got a new and deeper look at how much of a prick I was. God, I was a selfish bastard!

In the last memory Allie had, she was wondering what other women had that she didn’t. She was so fixed on this idea that she was missing something.

She was so wrong. She wasn’t missing anything. Her only downfall was me.

I closed my eyes and, like I had been for nearly two weeks now, I reached into her thoughts. I was so in tune with her mind now that even when I was asleep, I would still be linked with her.

I don’t understand. Where am I? God, my head is aching. Why the hell was my head aching so much? Am I that hungover? I don’t remember anything after the bar. Maybe I passed out?

God, my head.

My head started aching. My eyes fluttered open. She couldn’t be? Could she? I looked at her hand, and sure enough, it moved.

She was thinking. She was waking up.

“Allie.” I got up, standing over her. “Allie?” I kept holding onto her hand. It was when she weakly pulled it from mine, I let it go. Her hand going to her eyes.

The lights would be bright. I quickly went and turned them down.

Blake wasn’t here. He went to go and get food. I couldn’t be more fucking grateful.

“Where am I?” Her voice was dry, and she was squinting. “God, I don’t remember drinking this much.”

“You aren’t drunk.” Well, she wasn’t anymore. “You were in an accident.” I was back standing next to her.

Her eyes went wide at that. “I didn’t kill anyone, did I?” Her hand went to her throat. Her voice was dry and raspy. She looked to be in pain. I handed her my water.

“No, you didn’t. It wasn’t your fault.” I went and sat beside her, taking her hand back that I was used to holding; it was a habit to pick it back up.

Her eyes were on my hand holding hers, and slowly she looked up, looking me in the eye. “Why are you here?”

She couldn’t be serious right now, could she? Did I have to defend myself for being here?

Guess I should start being honest with her. It wasn’t something I normally did. “You were hurt; I wanted to be here.” And that was downplaying it. I couldn’t leave her even if I wanted to.

The longest I had been away from her was when I showered and changed in her bathroom. Apart from that. I had been right here. Waiting. Waiting for this.

“I should let the doctors know you’re awake. I’m sure they will want to know.” I reached for the nurse button, but her hand stopped me.

“You should go. I can do that.”

“Allie, I’m not leaving.”

“Again, I don’t know why.”

“Because I’m your mate,” I gritted out. Wasn’t it obvious! I had been going through hell while she slept, panicking I would never hear her voice again. Panicking I would never get to tell her how much I wanted her. “Because you’re all I want! I’ve been waiting and waiting for you to wake up, hoping I would get the chance to make everything right.”

“My head hurts too much to understand what you are trying to say,” she mumbled. I pressed the buzzer.

I couldn’t stop myself from kissing her forehead. “Promise you won’t leave?”

“What the hospital?”

“No. Me.” I pulled back to look her in the eye. “Don’t leave me.”

“How did you even know I was?” Her eyes reflected her question.

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