Crash Into Me - L.A. Fiore Page 0,93

He swiped everything off his desk and roared, “How the fuck am I suppose to do that?”

“You’d be surprised to know you have the strength.” Gregory’s voice was whisper soft. “And it’s going to fucking hurt, a pain that feels like you’re dying right along with her. You’ll question everything you believe, and then you’ll get so fucking pissed. And it will be years that you go through the motions, and you never will really get over it. You’ll carry the pain with you every fucking day, but a time will come, when you think of her and you smile at the memories. A time will come when remembering her brings you comfort and not pain. And you’ll realize that you’re keeping her alive by remembering her, by loving her.”

“It’s not enough,” Kade said brokenly.

“I know it’s not, Son, but you were the lucky one because, for a time, you drew a star from the heavens, basked in her light and her love. She gave that to you, just you. And to find her again, you just need to look up.”

He hadn’t left her since agreeing to pull the plug. His felt the numb taking over and knew that it would consume him when she was gone.

The waiting room was filled with people. He’d stood in the corner and watched as her friends and family said their goodbyes. Zac and her captain actually cried. That vice cop got teary eyed. Even the fucking hot dog and gyro vendor had come to see her. All the lives Molly Donahue had touched.

When the room was cleared, he moved back to her side, took her hand and brushed his lips over her ear. “I never believed in the fairy tale, but you gave me one. Allowed the villain to love the princess, and I do. Fuck, Molly, I love you with everything I am. Sparkle down at me, Baby, let me know where you are because I’m going to be looking for you every fucking night.”

The doctor stepped into the room, her parents behind him. He said nothing, just waited quietly for Kade to give the signal. His heart shattered in that minute, but he nodded his head. He didn’t leave her side, held her hand tightly, as the doctor switched off the machine.

He never took his eyes from her beautiful face, so he didn’t realize the commotion going on in the room, until the doctor said incredulously, “She’s breathing on her own.”

“What does that mean?” Kade demanded.

He felt her hand move in his, his head whipping around to her. Her eyes jerked under her lids. “Molly, Baby, open your eyes.” His tears dripped on her cheek. “Please, Baby, let me see you.”

Her eyes fluttered opened, saw him, her hand moved in his, before she slipped back into sleep.

“What just happened?” Kade looked back to see Molly’s parents crying and the doctor smiling. “Tell me!” he roared.

“She heard you,” the doctor whispered. “She came back.”

For the second time in his life, his legs crumbled, as he fell into the chair at her side, dropped his head on her stomach and let the emotions out.

Twenty-Three

Molly...Two weeks later

Mom hugged me hard, and then Dad hugged me again. They hadn’t stopped hugging me since I woke up. “I’ll see you soon,” I said.

Dad touched my cheek. There were tears in his eyes. He’d been having trouble with words, which was why he was resorting to hugging. He found some then. “You scared us, Molly.”

I’d scared all of them. I was just beginning to understand how much. Zac cried, when he showed up in my room, after clearly running to get to me. He took one look, dropped on the chair at my side, his head hit my stomach, and he cried, like shoulders shaking cried. It was the first time I’d ever seen him breakdown.

Ethan and I had a talked one night. He had a unique perspective because he’d been there. We’d always been friends, but we’d formed a bond that night.

I tried to comfort all of them, tried to get them past the horror, but in their shoes, I knew it was going to take time.

“I’m here.” I glanced up at Kade who hadn’t left my side, not just in the past two weeks, but I was sure in the last six months. “I’m going to be a woman of leisure.”

Kade’s beautiful eyes smiled, but I saw the shadow behind them, the pain. It broke my heart.

Dad’s eyes got bright. “I want you to do