Page 140 of Almost Ours
And then–
Nothing.
The first thingI noticed was the beeping. Soft and steady, it pulled me out of the fog, tethering me to consciousness. The air was thick with the sterile scent of antiseptic, and something metallic lingered at the back of my throat. My tongue felt dry, my lips cracked. Everything around me was a blur of white and muted colours, shapes shifting in and out of focus.
My eyes fluttered open, the dim light of the hospital room slowly coming into view. The hum of distant voices and the faint squeak of shoes against linoleum filtered through the haze, grounding me in reality. Everything felt heavy–my body, my thoughts–and then the pain hit.
A sharp, relentless ache radiated from my shoulder, stealing the air from my lungs. I sucked in a breath, my chest rising in a shallow, shaky moment, and instantly regretted it as another wave of pain flared through me. My arm was immobilized, wrapped tightly in a sling, the bandage stark white against my skin. The fabric of the hospital gown was stiff and unfamiliar, the sheets cool against my overheated skin. I shifted slightly, wincing at the jolt of pain, and that’s when I saw him.
Ryan.
His large, calloused hands were wrapped around mine, his grip firm even in sleep. His head rested against the edge of the bed, dark hair messy, sticking up at odd angles like he’d run his hands through it too many times. He looked wrecked. Bruised by exhaustion, his face was shadowed with dark circles, his scruffy beard more unruly than usual. His shoulders hunched forward, his body bent awkwardly over the chair like he hadn’t moved for hours.
A blur of tears clouded my vision as my gaze drifted across the room.
Connor.
Curled up on a small cot beside my bed, his chest rose and fell in steady breaths. Relief slammed into me so hard I could barely breathe. He was safe.
Beside him, Nina and Liam were sprawled on a makeshift bed of chairs and blankets near the window. Shane was in the corner, slouched in an armchair, his head tilted back, mouth slightly open, a faint snore escaping him.
They were all here.
My chest ached–not from the wound, but from the overwhelming weight of it all. The love. The fear. The fact that I had survived.
I shifted again, trying to sit up just a little, and the slight movement was enough to rouse Ryan.
His head snapped up, bloodshot eyes locking onto mine.
“Harper.”
The way he said my name–like a prayer, a plea, a lifeline–sent a tremor through me.
Tears burned my eyes, matching the ones brimming in his. He looked like he was about to break, and that only made the lump in my throat grow bigger.
I tried to smile. “Hey.”
He lifted our joined hands, pressing his lips to my knuckles. His whole body was shaking.
“You scared the hell out of me,” he admitted, his voice cracking.
A tear slipped down my cheek. “I’m sorry.”
Ryan let out a wet, breathy laugh, shaking his head. “Don’t you dare apologize. Just–” He broke off, sucking in a sharp breath like he was trying to keep himself together. “Just never do that again.”
I squeezed his hand, my thumb brushing over the rough callouses. “I’ll try my best.”
His laugh was hollow, and then, without warning, he surged forward, his forehead pressing against mine. His breath was warm against my skin, his hands cradling mine like I was something precious, something he couldn’t bear to lose.
I reached up with my good hand, my fingers grazing the rough scruff along Ryan’s jaw. He pulled back slightly, and when I saw the tears streaming silently down his face, mine finally spilled over.
“Get in,” I whispered, shifting as much as I could despite the pain.
He didn’t hesitate. In an instant, he climbed into the narrow hospital bed, wrapping his arms around me with careful, aching tenderness. His warmth surrounded me, steady and strong, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt safe. Truly safe.
“You’re okay,” he whispered against my hair, his voice shaky yet firm, like he was saying it as much for himself as for me.
“I’m okay,” I whispered back, my lips brushing against his collarbone. “Because of you.”
