did, sweetness. You kept him safe. You did everything right. He’s here and recovering. But you’re doing yourself no favors by not eating. He needs you strong.”
I’d be strong when Gabe woke up.
“Would he leave me if I was the one in that bed? Would he go out with you and Zane for a bite to eat? No. He’d be right where I’m at. I’m not leaving.”
“Evette,” Anaya rejoined. “Honey, you need to—”
“He took that beating for me,” I cried. “He’s here because of me. I know you all are looking out for me. But you weren’t there. You didn’t hear it. He was…I heard…there was…he was hanging from a chain. He knew I was listening to that. Gabe knew that I could hear every punch. Every grunt. Every sickening sound of that asshole’s fists hitting him. My Gabe. He knew that. Fuck food. Fuck getting up. I’m not leaving him. I’m never leaving him.”
“Leave her be.” Zane’s rough voice boomed. “Kyle, bring her back something to snack on. Coop, go with them.”
Kyle and Cooper shuffled to the door and Anaya came to me.
“Yaya,” I warned when she opened her mouth to speak.
“I haven’t heard that nickname in forever.” She smiled then picked up my hand resting on Gabe’s hospital bed. “I just want you to know, I love you and I know a little bit about what you’re going through.”
She did. Anaya totally knew. She’d gone back to Timor-Leste after Kalee had been declared dead and Piper had returned stateside. She went back to help shut down an orphanage that was a front for sex trafficking and she’d been kidnapped for her efforts. Kyle had saved her. So she knew, but she didn’t. Kyle hadn’t almost died while she was tied to a chair. He hadn’t lain in a hospital bed unconscious.
“I love you, too. Thank you for trying to take care of me.”
“Don’t thank me, let me do it. You don’t wanna leave, fine. But please, honey, you gotta eat something. I’m getting worried.”
“I’ll eat whatever you bring back,” I whispered.
“Thank you,” she whispered back and let go of my hand.
Immediately, I found Gabe’s hand and curled my fingers around his, and did my best to ignore the angry welts around his wrist. Welts he gave himself when he’d tried to break free. Welts that were my fault.
“Evette?” Zane called my name.
“Huh?”
“Darlin’, look at me.”
“No.”
The big, tall, sarcastic beast let out a long-suffering sigh. It could be said over the last two days I’d pushed Zane Lewis to the brink. I knew I was pushing my luck but the problem was when he wasn’t being a big, tall, sarcastic beast he was kind. He’d gone to great lengths to ensure I had what I wanted. From the moment we brought Gabe to the ER Zane had been my champion.
Two days ago I learned that no one said no to Zane Lewis. Not doctors, not nurses, not anyone. Any time someone tried to remove me from the room, Zane snarled, grunted, growled, or some form of all three. After that, I was given a wide berth and free rein to be next to Gabe.
And like he did moments ago, he had my back. When Cooper, Owen, Natasha, Kyle, Anaya, or Ivy tried to get me to leave the room for fresh air he stepped in and told them to leave me alone. Once, he even had heated words with Kyle. I was grateful for Gabe’s friends and Anaya.
They meant well.
But Zane got it.
I wasn’t leaving Gabe’s room until he left with me.
“Why is it you’re always telling me no? You’re worse than my wife,” he grumbled.
“Ivy tells you no way more than me.”
“Right, but she’s never threatened to shoot me.”
“I find that hard to believe,” I returned.
Zane’s rich, deep, rumbling laugh filled the air and it felt like sandpaper grating my skin. No one should be laughing while Gabe lay motionless. No one should be happy while Gabe had a needle in his arm, monitors on his chest, an oxygen cannula in his nose. I didn’t want to see or hear a single person's happiness until Gabe’s eyes were open.
It was selfish. But it was honest.
And as the hours ticked by the more on edge I became. Not even the beeping rhythm of his heart brought me peace. Nothing would until he woke up.
“All right, darlin’, the time has come,” Zane said, all humor gone.
“Time for what?”
“Honesty.”
“I don’t—”
“I know you don’t but straight-up you need it. I’ve given you