Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
She didn’t flutter.
No sign.
No movement.
“She’ll wake up when she’s ready,” Millie said, startling him.
He turned to see the older woman, the cook, stepping into the room. “Millie,” he said.
“You care for her.” Millie frowned. “I didn’t see that one coming.”
“I … I … she…”
Millie stepped toward him. He didn’t let go of Alex, but he stood up.
She placed a hand on his arm. “It’s good to care for people.”
“She doesn’t deserve to die.” That was all he kept thinking and feeling.
She offered him a smile. “I agree. Alex is a tough one.” Millie stepped away from him and moved toward the opposite end of the bed. “She has always had this fire about her. Don’t get me wrong, she is a wonderful child. Always was.” Millie touched her other hand. “She never made waves. Even when Liam annoyed her or wouldn’t let her stay up. Alex doesn’t like to be afraid, and she would try to watch these horror movies. She’d do it to try to prove that she’s not afraid. Of course, she was, and she’d spend so many nights wide awake and afraid. Liam had to ban her.” Millie chuckled. “I remember Alex saying that she stopped watching them because he told her to but not because she was afraid. Always so strong. I hate seeing her like this.”
Roman didn’t know what to say. “I don’t love her.”
“But you care for her.”
“I don’t want to see her get hurt.”
“You don’t know Alex,” Millie said. “And I’m guessing you don’t even know what love is. Maybe what you should do is give yourself time to see what the two are like. To learn to love?”
“I’m … not capable of it,” he said.
“Everyone is capable of love, Roman. Even you. Even Liam. Everyone is capable of love.”
Roman went to say otherwise, but he felt Alex’s hand twitch within his grasp. “Alex?” He stared at her eyes, and then looked down at her hand.
“What is it?”
“She squeezed my hand. I felt it. Alex, I’m here. I’m here,” he said.
Her hand squeezed his.
“I felt it too,” Millie said. “I’ll go get a doctor and Liam.”
Millie left the room, and Roman stood up, placing a hand by her head, staring down into her eyes.
Alex opened her eyes, and he looked into her deep-brown depths. “I was never afraid,” Alex said.
“Then I guess you and I are going to have to watch a horror because I don’t believe you.”
She smiled and then groaned. “Do I want to know what happened?”
“You were shot,” Roman said. “We were having dinner and the restaurant was attacked.”
Alex nodded. “I remember.”
“Are you in pain?”
“No, not … a little, maybe. I’m not sure.” She sighed.
The hospital door opened, and Roman had no choice but to step back and allow the doctor to get to work and check over his wife.
He was so fucking happy that she hadn’t died, but now, he had to focus on keeping her alive.
****
“I hate hospitals,” Alex said.
She had been trying to leave for over a week. The doctor had requested to keep her in for observation. The bullet didn’t cause any lasting damage, and he believed she would make a full recovery.
Everything was fine.
Yes, she hurt, and there was a brand-new scar on her stomach, which was bound up, and the dressing was changed daily, but even the nurse was impressed with her speedy recovery.
“Everyone hates hospitals,” Roman said, bringing in the wheelchair.
Everyone had been surprised that Alex followed the orders of resting. What they didn’t realize was that she knew the key to getting out of this place was to rest. The more rest she took, the faster she healed and could go home.
Roman moved to her side and helped her into her wheelchair. He hadn’t left her side since she woke up. According to Millie, he’d been by her side while she was asleep. Alex didn’t know what to say to that. Roman was her husband, so it made sense he wanted to be by her side, but the full extent of his care to her, that did surprise her.
She sat down on the wheelchair, and Roman stepped behind her, grabbing the handlebars and pushing her out of the room. There were a lot of flowers from his friends, his father, and her father, everyone hoping for her speedy recovery.
“I promise if you get the agreement to allow me to leave, I will be the best patient ever.”
“You’re being the best patient here in the hospital.”
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re a pain in the ass?” she asked.
He chuckled. “I’ve often been told that I am.”
She folded her arms and leaned back in the wheelchair. They made their way toward the elevator, which was free.
Roman reached over and pressed for the ground floor, which would take them toward the private hospital gardens.
“Why are you here?” Alex asked. The elevator doors were not clear, so she couldn’t look at him.