Page 106 of Where Broken Wings Fly

It is—blindingly so. Even when I touched her and made her come on my tongue, she almost didn’t seem to know what to do with herself. The inexperience is so obvious. No one has ever made her feel like that.

“That could be for a lot of reasons,” I argue.

“You didn’t see the way she reacted to me.”

“I saw enough the other week when we… you know, hooked up. You’re not the only one she’s interested in, even if she did end up in your bed first.”

“You mean when you were trying to fuck her after she’d kissed your bloody twin brother?” he argues back. “Not sure that’s something to be proud of, kid.”

“You’re a fine one to talk after what I walked into the other morning.”

Killian hesitates, replacing his next bitter retort with a defeated sigh. “We’ve really screwed this up with her, haven’t we?”

His humourless laugh knocks the fight out of me. We’re sizing ourselves up against each other like that even matters anymore. It’s irrelevant. When Willow wakes up, she’s going to need all of us to get through this.

Admittedly, this isn’t the first time I’ve thought about our current predicament. I grew up in Briar Valley. That opens your mind to so many things, and the prospect of sharing Willow doesn’t sound all that crazy to me.

I clap him on the shoulder. “Look, I think we can agree this is bigger than we thought. I’m willing to bet that her shitty ex is the reason Willow arrived in such a state.”

He nods. “I’m certain of it.”

“What else do we know about him?”

“Lola caught her googling some jumped-up realtor from the states a few weeks ago.” Killian’s face contorts with anger. “Willow got shifty and wouldn’t answer any questions.”

“Nothing at all?”

“She clammed right up. It’s like she’s protecting that scumbag. I think this goes beyond some messy divorce. She’s running for her life and I’m willing to bet he’s the reason why.”

Leaning against the wall, I sag under the pressing weight of exhaustion. Adrenaline and the crappy hospital coffee we drained earlier have both worn off, leaving me tired and fucking terrified of the moment Willow’s eyes will open.

“One of us should go and update Lola.”

“Hard pass,” he declines.

“Please, Kill. I don’t know what to say to her.”

Killian sighs again. “Stay with her.”

“Yeah, I will.”

He reluctantly shuffles down the corridor, disappearing from sight. I gather myself and slip back into Willow’s hospital room. They’ve set her up for a transfusion, and various wires are poking out of her lifeless body.

I sit at her bedside, taking her hand in mine. There’s so much I want to say, but none of it feels like enough. I’ve lost so much in my life, and I know the pain she’s going to face.

“Hi, babe.” I brush hair from her face. “I know we’re a bunch of idiots. None of us realised the truth sooner… but regardless, all three of us care about you so damn much.”

The drip of fluids and antibiotics being fed into her IV port punctuates my whispered words. Her heart rate monitor ticks away in the background, but she doesn’t stir.

“Whatever it is you’re not telling us, it’s okay,” I offer softly. “All I want is to see that beautiful smile again. We can get through this together. I promise, it will be alright.”

Squeezing her hand, my forehead meets the bedsheets as my eyes fall shut. Her breathing is a steady, reassuring meditation that almost lulls me to sleep. It’s been hours of non-stop panic and worry since we arrived at Highbridge’s small hospital.

Killian was drenched in her blood by then, despite the towels we sandwiched between Willow’s legs for the car ride. He didn’t complain once. I’m not sure I could have sat there, covered in her blood, without losing my shit a little bit.

The door to the room creaks open. I look up, expecting to see Killian return. My twin brother’s devastated green eyes find me instead. He takes the empty seat on the opposite side of the bed, seizing Willow’s other hand.

“The doctor said she’ll be awake soon,” he says in a small voice. “They want to keep her in overnight for observations, but she can go home tomorrow if everything’s okay.”

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