Page 51 of Cursed Fox

"I'm sorry." It was the best I could offer, because I knew he was right.

"No. Don't you dare apologize." Jessie looked at me and then back to her brother. "Ourfathershot Mom. He had the gun trained on Lex and then at the last second swung it toward Mom and just fired. No warning. No time for Lex to do anything. This wasn't Lex's fault. He did everything he could to keep her safe."

I watched the fight leave Jimmy's body. He physically sunk further down on his crutches. If it weren't for them, I was sure he would’ve fallen to his knees. Just like I did earlier.

"This wasn't supposed to happen." A tear slid down Jimmy's cheek. "If I had just quit the team like he asked, this never would've happened."

"You don't know that." Maverick stepped up and spoke. "There's no guarantee your father would've accepted that. He didn't just want to ruin your life, but your mother’s as well."

"He wanted to kill her in front of me," Jessie cried. "That was what he told her on the phone before she showed up. I don't think you quitting would've done any good."

"It's no one's fault but Thomas's," Falcon boomed. "May he rot in hell."

Everyone in the room nodded at the man. Even Jimmy seemed to bolster from the statement. Neither Jessie nor Jimmy appeared bothered by the fact that Falcon just said their father should rot in hell.

Silence fell throughout the room. We were all waiting for news that we could go back and see Nancy. It wasn't coming fast enough. I was starting to get antsy when everyone's attention suddenly shifted over to the door.

"Lex Holland." A nurse in blue scrubs called my name.

"That's me." I pushed my way through the crowd until I was standing in front of her.

"Nancy's asking to see you."

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Nancy

My leg hurt like someone was stabbing it with a million little needles as I waited for the nurse to bring Lex to me from the waiting room. I knew as soon as I woke up from the anesthesia and remembered what happened that I needed to see him first.

Lex would be blaming himself. Re-erecting the walls I’d carefully knocked down when it came to him feeling like he was cursed. This wasn't his fault. If anyone was to blame, it was me. I never should've ignored his directive and gone into the house before him.

I knew better. Wes had taught me better. And yet, the first mention of my daughter being in danger, I threw all caution to the wind. I wasn't saying I deserved to be shot for my actions, but if only I’d listened, the outcome might've been different.

Something I fully planned to remind Lex of just as soon as he came in.

Seconds later, I heard the heavy footfalls in the hallway and knew without a doubt it was him. Sure enough, Lex walked injust shortly after that, and I made sure to hide the pain as he rushed to the side of my hospital bed.

"I'm fine," I reassured him as he laid his head on my chest. Running my fingers through his hair, I did my best to show him I was all right.

"You were shot. That's the opposite of fine," Lex argued, but he wouldn't look at me. "I was supposed to keep you safe and look what happened."

I tugged on his hair until he looked up at me. "This isn't your fault. Do you hear me? This didn't happen because you're cursed or because you think you deserve it after what happened to you while you were captured. This is Thomas's fault, and maybe a little of mine. I knew better than to run in without you, but I did it anyway."

"Don't you dare blame yourself," Lex growled.

"Take your own advice," I threw back at him.

He had the decency to look ashamed at my remark. "I was so scared I’d lost you. I was worried I was going to have to watch you die like I watched my parents."

"Never." I knew I couldn't promise that, but in that moment, I was doing it anyway. Lex needed it, and I wanted to give it to him.

"You can't know that." He played with the thin hospital blanket. "Today proved that anything can happen."

I jerked my head back and forth, something I quickly realized was a bad idea when my vision swam and my stomach flip-flopped. Obviously it was too soon for such sudden movements.

"Yes, things can happen, but it also depends on how we react. I reacted badly when I stormed in. Jessie did an amazing job stopping the bleeding. The doctors said if it wasn't for her putting a tourniquet on my leg, I would've died."

I regretted my words when Lex closed his eyes and shuddered at the thought.

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