Malachi didn’t say anything and kept his arm tight around her.
The nurses stared over the bed at each other, clearly uncertain whether to intervene or allow Faye to pull it off.
“Okay,” Faye whispered. “This is what I need, honey. I need you to look out for yourself a little while longer and right now that means I’m worried about your hands. I don’t want you harming yourself. You have to let me go so the nurses can look after you and the doctor can see you. I need that from you, Malachi. Tomorrow, I promise, honey, swear, cross my heart, I’ll be back. Until then, you… are… safe. Totally safe, Malachi. I wouldn’t lie to you about something as important as that. Promise. Do you believe me?”
No sound, no movement, everyone was still for several long moments then Malachi’s arm relaxed and he lay back in bed.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” Faye whispered then moved to her feet while stretching her arm out to put the book on the nightstand and Malachi became agitated again.
His eyes on the book in Faye’s hand, he banged his elbow repeatedly in the bed while his legs shifted under the covers and strange, animal-like noises sounded low from the back of his throat. The nurses moved, one to put a hand on his shoulder, one to put hers gently to his legs.
“What, buddy?” Faye asked and he shook his head back and forth, slamming his elbow into the bed, continuing to make those noises. “Malachi, please, honey, stop doing that. You’ll hurt yourself. Calm down and talk to me. What?”
Sheer intuition made Chace move swiftly. Not closing in on the bed, he rounded Faye at the back, pulled the book out of her hand then leaned into her, taking her with him, using her as Malachi’s shield against him as he shoved the book under Malachi’s flailing arm and tucked it to his side.
Malachi’s arm instantly stopped moving but shifted to trap the book tight there and he settled.
“You want your book,” Faye whispered.
Malachi took in a deep breath, his eyes locked to Faye.
Then he nodded once.
Jesus, this kid had been f**ked up.
Jesus.
A feeling he did not like gnawing at his gut, Chace straightened away from Faye and caught the gaze of one of the nurses.
“Do not take that book away,” he ordered and she nodded instantly.
“You see,” Faye said quietly to Malachi. “You’ll have that until you have me again. Okay?”
Malachi held her eyes and didn’t move.
She ignored this and whispered, “Okay.”
Then she lifted her hand and ran it through his hair before she straightened away.
“See you soon, honey,” she said softly.
He swallowed, his eyes darted to the nurses then back to Faye.
Then he nodded.
“My brave Malachi,” Faye whispered, reached out a hand, touched his bicep then she looked through the nurses, bent, grabbed her purse, smiled at Malachi and, finally, her hand found his and closed around it so tight, he felt pain.
“Later, buddy,” Chace murmured and Malachi looked to him but said not a word.
They passed Dr. Hughes who was hurrying in and so intent to get to Malachi, she only jerked up her chin at them on her way. Faye didn’t notice. She walked out, her neck twisted to look back at Malachi.
She finally lost sight of him and looked forward but she didn’t speak.
Chace led her to her parents. The instant they stopped close, Silas spoke.
“Rosalinda’s. My treat. Liza, Boyd and the boys are meetin’ us there.”
Chace stayed silent, letting Faye decide their evening plans.