And just like that, he’d settled into a deep quiet sleep again.
And so she’d sat sentry at his bedside praying, Please don’t leave me. The words on repeat in her head and in her heart.
They’d finally discovered the depth of their feelings for each other. Yes, she’d always loved him. But what she felt now eclipsed that limited notion of what she’d felt growing up and being his friend. Her heart simply couldn’t take living a life without him now.
A hand settled on her shoulder. She hadn’t heard anyone come in and jumped.
“Liz, honey, you need to take a break. You haven’t left or eaten since you got here.” Her mother wanted to take care of her, but all she wanted, all she needed, was to be with Tate.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not. After what you went through . . .” Emotion choked off the words.
Liz reached up and put her hand over her mother’s. “I can’t leave him.”
She brushed her fingers along his wrist. His hand lay limp on top of hers. She wanted him to feel her, to know she was there. He wasn’t alone.
“He’d want you to take care of yourself.”
“If I was in that bed, I’d want him here with me.” Tears stung her eyes. “He saved me. Without him . . .” She shook her head, unable to explain how she felt about what happened on that bridge. How even in his condition, he’d risked his life for hers.
He was hurt because of her.
A ball of regret and guilt settled in the pit of her stomach along with her unyielding worry for Tate.
Mom brushed her hand over Liz’s hair. “It’s not your fault. He doesn’t blame you for anything that happened.”
“Clint tried to kill Tate because he wanted to punish me.”
“Oh, Liz, don’t own Clint’s terrible actions.”
“Ever since Tate and I got together, it’s been one horrible thing after the next. Why the hell would he want to marry me?”
“Cuz, I. Love. You.”
Liz gasped, stood, and stared down into Tate’s barely open blue eyes, so grateful and overjoyed to see him finally awake.
Tate’s eyes scanned the room. “How long have I been here?”
“You’ve made me wait on you for going on two days.” Tears spilled from her eyes. “I thought I lost you.” Relief swamped her whole body.
“You swore you’d marry me in kindergarten. You can’t get rid of me now that we’re about to do it.” His mouth tilted into that cocky grin she loved.
She pressed her hand to his beard-stubbled cheek. “Are you okay?”
“Couldn’t get any better. You’re here.”
She held his face and pressed her cheek to his forehead. “You almost died.”
“Good thing I didn’t, because I live to be with you.” Tate adjusted his position and winced when he turned his head.
She leaned up and held his head still. “Stop moving. You’ve got sixteen stitches in the back of your head.”
He reached up, dragging the IV line with his hand, and touched the swollen lump hidden beneath a thick bandage. He stared up at her. “Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”
“I’m fine. I promise,” she added when he looked her up and down.
His brow furrowed. “That woman killed Clint, right?”
“Yes. He’s dead.”
The tension went out of Tate. “Good.”
“They found the evidence that he killed Aubrey, along with all the videos he’d made.”
His eyes narrowed. “More of you?”
She glanced at her mom, not really wanting to discuss it in front of her.
Mom got the hint. “You know what, I think I’ll go tell your family you’re awake.” Her mom dashed out.
Tate held her gaze. “Tell me.”
She gave him the truth. “He was obsessed with me. He’d sit in his leather chair, staring at the sixty-five inch TV on the wall playing a slideshow of pictures of me. Some I knew he took. Others were candid. He recorded me without my knowledge on our dates. I thought he was checking emails or something and never really paid much attention that he kept his phone in his hand all the time.”
“So he’d just sit in the chair and watch you and . . .”
“Get off on looking at me.” The uncomfortable conversation about all this with Detective Valdez yesterday still unsettled her.
A nurse came in to check on Tate, cutting off any questions he had about the other disturbing things they’d found at Clint’s place. It wasn’t worth talking about anyway. She wanted to put the whole thing out of her mind for good.