Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 76953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
“They have.”
“But heaven forbid you let someone else take care of you for a change.”
“That’s not true. Perish has taken care of me here and there.”
“I love that for you. Even if I know you’re going to be his nursemaid for the next few weeks.”
“I’m okay with that. He took three bullets for me.”
“From what I hear, you ended up saving him.”
“We saved each other.”
“Okay. That was annoyingly cute. I’m trying not to hate you for this.”
“Well, once you get your situation sorted, I’m sure you will be back to being happy for me.”
“True. Ugh. Okay. I have to go. Take meds and get some sleep.”
“I will. Be safe, okay?”
“Oh, I’ll be just fine. My new husband on the other hand might not.”
With that, she hung up and I felt a little bit lighter.
Still, though, sleep was elusive. I just stared blankly at the ceiling, at the TV, at everyone who came in to check on me, bringing me plates for lunch and dinner.
“Yeah?” I called when there was yet another knock on the door.
“Hey, Goose,” Fallon said, taking a step inside the room. “Heard you haven’t been doing any of the sleeping you were explicitly told to do.”
“I can’t fall asleep,” I admitted, pulling my knees to my chest and hugging them.
“You overthinking shit?”
“How’d you know?”
“‘Cause I’ve known you literally my whole life. Is it about Perish?”
“Yeah.”
“Because you’re worried he would pick the club over you if given the choice.” I gave him a shrug. “You know what guts me here, Gracie? That you think I’d do that to you.”
“There are club rules.”
“Yeah. And he’s gonna be punished for it once he’s well again. In labor,” he clarified when I stiffened. “But if he’s what makes you happy, I’m not gonna stand in the way of that. Hate that you think I would.”
“I’m—”
“Fucking apologize to me, I dare you,” he said, giving me a raised brow look. “I liked the fire you had back in the hospital. Figure Perish is good for you if he’s finally getting you to stand up for yourself and what you want. Come on, get up.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Gonna drop you back at the hospital. Sounds like you slept there just fine last night.”
I didn’t hesitate.
I jumped up, brushed my teeth, slipped on shoes, grabbed my phone, and followed Fallon out to his bike.
It was a short ride to the hospital and Fallon insisted on walking me up to the floor.
“Get some sleep.”
With that, I made my way into Perish’s room, finding him with his eyes closed.
Until my hand pressed down on his.
“Hey,” he said, slow blinking at me. “What are you doing here?”
“Fallon brought me.”
“Why?”
“I couldn’t sleep,” I admitted.
“Come here,” he said, patting the small space beside him. I was quick to kick off my shoes and climb on the bed with him. “So, you talked to Fallon.”
“Briefly, yeah. You did too.”
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“And he was a lot more reasonable than we were expecting. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I think he’d have put an air bubble in my IV if he thought I was just fucking you around.”
“And you’re not?” I asked, wincing at the neediness in my voice.
“Look up,” he demanded, voice soft. I lifted my gaze to look down at him.
His hand moved out, tucking my loose hair behind my ear. “I was ready to tell Fallon to take his club and shove it if he said I had to end things with you.”
“Really?”
“Really. I think we both knew right from the jump that this wasn’t casual. Just might have taken me a little longer to understand what it was.”
“And what is it?”
“Something I never really felt before,” he admitted, fingers drifting down my jaw. “Which might be why I didn’t see it at first. No, don’t be sad for me,” he said, finger tracing under my lower lip that had turned downward. “Figure maybe it’s good I never felt it before. Because I know how rare this shit is. How hard you gotta hold onto it.” He did a one-shouldered shrug before saying the words that had my heart swelling. “Love you, Gracie.”
True to form, my eyes went watery.
“You sure?” I asked, using my shoulder to wipe a tear away. “Because you’re signing up for this. Constantly.”
“Life has been hard,” he said, reaching out to wipe the next tear himself. “I like the soft.”
Oh, my heart.
“I love you too.”
“Don’t deserve it. But I’ll bust my ass trying to.”
Perish - 5 days
“Stop fussing,” I demanded as Gracie tucked me in. Fully. Up to my neck. I looked like a mummy.
“Well, if I don’t tuck your arms, you’re going to keep reaching for things and messing with your stitches.”
To be fair, I already had to go up to Hailstorm once for pulling the stitches. She wasn’t overreacting. And it was sweet as fuck.
“I’m going to go—”