Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 99967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Tears run unchecked down my face, and suddenly, Blake pulls into the hospital parking lot, but when he parks the car and walks to my side to open the door, he pushes his face to mine before I can get out.
“You’re a human fucking being, Harper. A woman with her own needs and feelings. You’re allowed to have a personal life outside of your family. No one expects you to be at their beck and call.”
“Yes, they do,” I reply, my voice even and hollow, even to my own ears. “And they should, Blake. After all they’ve done for me—”
“Loved you?” he demands, his eyes full of angry fire, his hands tight on my shoulders. “They love you. They expect love in return, not absolute fucking devotion, Harper.”
“But they have absolute devotion from me, Blake. Not out of some sort of misplaced debt or gratitude but because I know what it is not to be loved by the people who are supposed to love you. And the thought of losing Greg, or any of them, is something I can’t even entertain. I’m supposed to be here with them. They’re mine, and I don’t have anyone in my life as precious to me as they are. This is important.”
I push my hands through my hair and lift my chin.
“I need to see him now.” My voice is cold. I don’t want to fight with Blake or try to justify why I feel the way I do.
“Fine.” He backs up so I can get out of the car, but then he grabs my hand and turns me to him. “But you won’t refer to us as fucking the hot doctor ever again, do you hear me?”
“That’s what I’m doing. That’s what this is.”
He pushes his nose to mine. “The fuck it is. Let’s go.”
He practically drags me through the automatic doors and up the stairs to the second floor where the main admissions is. He asks the nurse where Mr. Hendrix is, and when she confirms that I’m family, she says he’s in room 228.
“I’ll take it from here. Thanks for the ride.”
I start to walk past Blake, but he won’t release my hand.
“You’re not ditching me.”
“Blake, this is a family situation, and you have to work—”
“I will take you over my knee right here and now if you don’t stop talking to me like I’m a fucking inconvenience,” he growls into my ear so I’m the only one who can hear him. “I know you’re upset, but goddammit, Harper. I didn’t do this either.”
I can’t look at him as I blink at tears and swallow hard. I love having him by my side, my hand in his. Being able to lean on him. But I don’t know if it’s smart to love it or to depend on it. Because I do everything myself. I always have. It’s who I am.
“I don’t do well with asking someone for help, and my emotions are all over the place. I’m scared.”
“Clearly. Come on.”
Chapter Thirteen
BLAKE
She’s a bundle of nerves next to me. Her face is ashen and fierce at the same time, ready to fight for the one true father she’s ever known. But her hands are shaking, and she’s clinging to me. Her nails dig into my arm even though she doesn’t even realize it.
She wants me here, but I don’t know if she realizes she wants me here.
My girl is struggling with guilt and fear, and I’ll be goddamned if I’m going to leave her here to deal with this alone. Not until we have some answers and she’s calmed down. Not even when her words try to hurt me.
They don’t.
She doesn’t mean them.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, holding my hand with both of hers and leaning into me, tipping her forehead against my biceps. “I don’t mean to be such a jerk. I just need him to be okay.”
I press my lips to her head and breathe her in.
“You’re not a jerk. We’ll talk about it later, sugar. Let’s check on your dad.”
Her lips roll in, and she bites that lower lip as she pokes her head around the doorway of Greg’s room.
Xander and Easton are here, and Greg is asleep. My eyes go right to the glucose monitor and see that his numbers are stable again, but he has to be exhausted. His blood pressure and oxygen levels are perfect. He’s out of the woods.
Easton immediately crosses over and hugs Harper, tugging her close.
“Hey, sweet girl,” he whispers. “This one was scary.”
Xander glares at me, but I hold his gaze, then gesture for everyone to talk in the hall, so we don’t wake Greg.
“I don’t ever want to do that again,” Easton says, letting out a deep breath.
“Where are Ava and Tuck?” Harper asks.
“Tuck just took her home a few minutes ago to get some sleep,” Easton replies. “We said we’d take this shift.”