Page 127 of Kane's Awakening
I nodded and faced the slightly ajar door. After composing myself as best as I could, I walked in.
Kane looked peaceful. His large frame took up most of the small bed and a blanket was tucked around him, not going any higher than his waist. His dark hair wasn’t as messy as I assumed it’d be, and I suspected Tracy had something to do with that. It looked like it had been combed from his face.
Bandages were wrapped around his torso, an IV was in one arm, and an oxygen mask was placed over his mouth.
Slowly, I approached and stood beside the bed, looking down at him. My fingers itched to touch him, but a part of me was afraid I’d somehow hurt him if I did. He just looked so fragile, and my chest tore open.
“Oh, baby,” I said, hating myself for ever saying all of those mean things to him. Things I hadn’t truly meant. I placed my hand on his forearm, releasing a shaky breath as I felt the warmth of his skin and the blood rushing through his veins.
His eyes remained closed.
I scooted the chair up to the bed and sat down before taking hold of his hand.
“I’m here,” I told him, unsure if he could hear me at the moment. “I love you so much, Kane. Please don’t go anywhere. I can’t lose you again. This past week away from you has killed me, and I know it’s been rough for you, too.” Moving my gaze to his hand, I gently squeezed it. “Meeting you was one of the best things to ever happen to me. I didn’t mean what I said about regretting it. I was so stupid.”
When he mumbled, I jumped to my feet and looked down at him, both shocked and overwhelmed with joy.
His green eyes stared into mine, even though they were barely open. The oxygen mask moved up and down as he tried to say something else. Just by how slow his hand moved toward his mouth, I knew his intention, and I lifted the mask a bit so he could speak.
“Didn’t do it,” he whispered. “Love… you.”
Tears pooled in my eyes, and I placed the mask back over his face before running my fingers through his hair.
“I know,” I told him, still brushing my fingers through the short strands. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you before, but I do now. Devon came to my office and talked to me. He shouldn’t have had to do that for me to believe you, and I’m sorry I was so stubborn.”
A squeeze to my hand was the reassurance I needed.
“Why are you so accident prone?” I asked with a light laugh as a tear escaped my left eye and trickled down my cheek. He truly did have rotten luck: first the shooting months before and now that one. “I think I’m going to put you in a large bubble after this, so you can’t be hurt anymore.”
Kane gave a feeble smile before his eyes shut. He snapped back awake and peered up at me through his long, dark lashes.
“Go to sleep, baby,” I said before leaning down and kissing his forehead. “You need rest.”
He mumbled something again through his mask, but I picked out ‘don’tleave.’
“I’m not leaving you,” I promised him as I sat back down and took his hand again.
Nothing would ever take me from him.
