After Us (Next Generation #6) - J.M. Walker Page 0,116

you. God, does he need you.” She cupped my cheek. “Take care of him.”

I nodded, swallowing hard.

Following the doctor, he led me to Jaron’s room. I tried to expect the worst, but nothing could prepare me for what I saw before me. A large tube was down Jaron’s throat. The doctor explained what it was for but the only thing I could focus on was how Jaron looked. Tubes were sticking out of his arms. The machines that he was hooked up to, beeped and controlled the life inside of him.

Jaron was usually strong and sure of himself. Now he just looked weak and like he was barely holding on.

My knees buckled beneath me when an arm wrapped around my middle.

I jumped, staring up at Cyrus.

“Eve said you were in here. I know I’m not supposed to be, but I also knew you wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

I nodded, words lost on my tongue.

I couldn’t handle it. He was right. Jaron didn’t deserve this. Neither did his parents. And neither did I.

I pulled out of Cyrus’s grip and rushed to Jaron’s side, falling to my knees. “Oh Jaron. I’m so sorry.” I kissed his cheek, pushing my face into the crook of his neck. He was back. But at the same time, fighting for his life.

Tears streamed down my cheeks. “Cyrus, I can’t do this.”

“You can. He needs you to be strong for him.”

But I wasn’t sure if I could.

I had never seen Jaron lose it. Even after everything that had happened to us, he never reacted or allowed me to see that side of him. Not until Brynlee was taken from us, had I truly seen him break.

Cyrus pulled up the chair behind me, gave Jaron’s arm a gentle squeeze, and left the room. As soon as Jaron and I were alone, a breath left me. I didn’t know what to do or say. I had heard of people being in a coma and their loved ones talking to them, but Jaron wasn’t in a coma. He just hadn’t woken up from surgery yet. But I needed him to. I needed to see his gray eyes as he told me he loved me. I needed to feel him as he whispered dirty words and sinful truths into my ears.

Slipping my fingers between his, I brought our joined hands up to my mouth and kissed the back of his knuckles. “I love you, Jaron,” I whispered.

Just then, Greyson and Eve entered the room.

It was a blur of emotions as Eve cried for her son and Greyson tried to console his wife while keeping his own feelings in check.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed but when I was once again alone with Jaron, he moved. I gasped, shooting to my feet.

His eyes remained closed, but his brow furrowed in the middle. He started struggling, the beeping of the machines becoming faster.

“Nurse!” I screamed, watching Jaron shift and move as he was probably trying to figure out what the hell was going on and why that damn tube was down his throat.

Several people filed into the room, yelling instructions to each other and trying to calm Jaron down.

I was pushed back. A young nurse came into my line of sight, her lips moving over words I couldn’t hear.

Jaron was struggling, fighting the nurses and doctor.

Pushing past the nurse standing in front of me, I placed my hands on Jaron’s shins. “I’m here, Jaron. Stop fighting them so they can help you, baby.”

His body seemed to relax a bit after that.

When he finally calmed down, the nurses and doctor removed the tube from his throat and continued making him as comfortable as they could. His wounds were checked, the machines were silenced, and further instructions were given to each other. But no matter how much they spoke, I couldn’t hear anything but the pounding of my heart.

***

(Jaron)

I was alive.

That much was clear anyway.

But my body hurt like a bitch. Time was lost on me, so I didn’t know when it was or even what day it was. I tried thinking back to the moment at the motel with Price. He was shady as fuck, popping off one of his own guys before shooting me, just to make a point. Truth was, he didn’t scare me. No. Instead, I had been terrified for my daughter. I didn’t want to call out Price on his bluff over the shit he had said about training her. Add to the fact that he had