Page 13 of Cash (Big Hot Alphas 4)

“Need to make a call?” the nurse asks. “Go ahead, hon. Don’t worry. I’ll come get you if she wakes up.”

“Right,” I say. “Thanks.”

I get up and walk out of the room, blinking at the change of scenery. The hospital hallways feel endless but I find my way down to the ground floor and out into a courtyard. Nobody else is around.

Holt picks up on the second ring.

“Hey, man,” I say.

“Hey!” Holt says. “What’s up? How was Hawaii?”

“I’m still here, actually.” I run a hand through my hair and blow out air between my lips. “You got a few minutes to talk?”

He tells me he does. Asks me what’s going on. I tell him about running into Dani, about reconnecting with her…about the accident, the coma.

“Shit, man,” he says. “I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do?”

“Thanks. But no. There’s nothing to do but wait.”

“Jesus. A fuckingcoma. Can’t even imagine what you’re going through right now.”

“Yeah. It really puts things into perspective.” I look up at the sky. Watch the clouds drift. “I’m going to propose to her, Holt.”

“You’re gonna what?”

“I’m going to ask her to marry me.”

Holt laughs. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Whenever you’ve mentioned her over the past decade, you get this…I dunno. This fuckinglookon your face.”

A pained smile forms on my face. I glance back at the hospital. “Hey, I should probably go.”

“All right. Hang in there, bud. I’ll be thinking of you both.”

I head back inside and take the elevator back up to the fourth floor. The nurse is just finishing brushing Dani’s hair when I step into the room.

“Ah,” the nurse says, glancing over her shoulder at me before looking back to Dani. “Your boyfriend’s back, sweetie.”

The nurse finishes up and I thank her on her way out. Then Dani and I are alone again. I sit down in the chair beside her bed, take her hand into mine, and give it a gentle squeeze.

I’d give anything just to feel her squeeze back.

Chapter Six

Dani

The world is indecipherable when I open my eyes.

I don’t know where I am. How I got here. Or why I feel this…strange. It’s like my body isn’t mine anymore. Like myheadisn’t mine anymore.

Even trying to speak feels like too much.

Then, through the haze, I think I see Cash. Or someone who looks like Cash, anyway. It’s hard to tell. The figure is hunched over, his head in his hands.Isthat him? Maybe I’m just projecting.

No. I swear I heard him talk to me when I was gone. I swear I heard his voice. I can’t remember what he said to me, but the comforting vibration of his words is etched into my soul.

But where did I go? What the hellhappened?

Vague memories of water—heavy, relentless water—drift to the forefront of my mind.

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