“W-where is he?” I choke out between sobs.
“He’s alive.”
“Where? Where is he? Is he okay? There was a fire––”
“Sh…,” Milo croons. “We know about the fire. He’s in surgery right now.”
“Surgery? Wait, why? Why does he need surgery?”
His hand is warm as he places it on top of my own. The small gesture isn’t so meaningless with him, and I hold my breath as a fresh wave of tears falls freely down my cheeks.
“Tell me,” I plead.
“He was caught in the fire. They got him out as fast as they could but…” His eyes glaze over before he shakes his head back and forth.
“But, what?” I press.
“He got burned up pretty good. They have to, uh,” he hesitates, rolling his shoulders while clenching his jaw tightly. “They have to remove a lot of the charred skin. We don’t know the details because we’re not blood, but his mom and dad are on their way.”
“He hates his mom,” I whisper. “You can’t let her in there with him. You can’t––”
“Sh… It’s okay. I’ll take care of it.”
“It’s not okay, though,” I cry, my panic consuming me.
“It will be, Reese.”
No, it won’t, I want to argue, but the words get caught in my throat.
This can’t be happening. My body wracks with sobs as I mourn the loss of…everything when a warm hand touches my shoulder.
“I’m sorry for the shit I said,” Milo murmurs. “I’m an ass.”
Pushing through the sharp pain in my head, I sit up and pull him into an embrace. One that we both desperately need. The guy is drowning in his own guilt when it’s not his fault.
It’s mine.
“I’m so sorry, Milo. I didn’t mean to be the rift between you and River. I swear it. Please forgive him. I’m begging you. He needs you, Milo. I ruined everything when I came to you for help. I never meant to sleep with him. I never meant to fall in love with him. I never meant to lie to you. I never meant to hurt you. I never meant to bring Ian to your door. I just… I wrecked everything. And now your relationship is suffering for it. River is suffering for it. Ian is…” My dread rises. “Where is he? Where is he, Milo?”
“He wasn’t on the scene. They found him passed out in his car in the parking lot.”
“But…” I wipe roughly at my tear-stained cheeks. “Someone was following us, Milo. I know it.”
“If someone was following you, it wasn’t him.”
“Then, who?”
“I don’t know. But I need you to understand something.”
“What is it?” I rasp, peeking up at him.
“We were wrecked long before you showed up, Reese. In our own ways, all of us were. Are,” he corrects himself. “But I’ll fix this. I promise.”
Nodding, I rub my hand beneath my nose and squeeze my eyes shut. “When can I see him?”
“I don’t know. The nurse isn’t telling us much since we’re not family, but I’ll go see what I can find out.”
“Thank you, Milo.”
He drops a quick kiss to the crown of my head. “You love him?”
“Yeah.” I bite my lip and let the tears flow freely from my red-rimmed eyes. “I really do.”
With a jerky nod, he disappears around the curtain, leaving me alone.
With my pain.
My guilt.
And the knowledge that nothing will ever be the same again.
43
Reese
Milo’s brash knock rouses me from a restless sleep a few hours later. I blink slowly as he strides over to me and sits on the side of the hospital bed.
“He got out of surgery about thirty minutes ago.”
“Is he okay?”
“As good as he can be,” he mutters before squeezing the back of his neck. “His dad is checking in with the nurse right now and is seeing if he can add us to the approved visitor’s list or some shit.”
“Can I see him?” I plead.
“I already asked your nurse if you could leave your room. She said if you’re on the list and feel good enough to walk, then she can’t make you stay in here.”
Determination swells in my veins as I force myself to move.
Cringing, I sit up and swing my legs over the edge of the bed even though it feels like I’m being stabbed in the chest with every movement. Hell, I feel like I’ve just run a marathon with how labored my breathing is, but it doesn’t matter. I need to see him. To make sure he’s okay. To make sure he doesn’t hate me for putting him in this mess.
Please don’t hate me.
“Slow down,” Milo orders, watching me struggle with a pained expression on his face. You’d think my discomfort was his own with the way he’s looking at me.
“I need to see him.”
“Then you need to wait until his dad gets you on that list.”
“How long will that take?”
He rubs his hand over his tired face. “I don’t know, but if you promise to keep your ass in this bed, then I’ll find a wheelchair.”
“I don’t have time for a wheelchair. I need to see him.”
His warm hand pushes me back. “His dad wants to meet you first.”
“What? Why?”
Does he know? That this is all my fault? That because of me, River’s hurt?
Reading my mind, Milo barks, “Cut the shit, Reese. It’s not because he thinks any of this is your fault. River’s just not exactly known for having a girlfriend, and he wants to see it for himself.”
Oh.
My brows pinch in the center of my forehead as I push myself up a little further until I’m sitting more than lying down. “Is he nice? River’s dad?”
“He’s a good guy.”
Coming from my brother––the same guy who was raised with an asshole for a father like me––that means a lot. I melt into the mattress a bit more.
“Okay,” I breathe out. “Okay. I’ll wait and meet him.”
Another knock taps against the door, though it’s much softer than Milo’s. With a forced smile, I welcome Gibbs and Jake into my room.
“Hey,” I murmur.
“Hey,” Jake replies. “How’re you feeling?”
I bite my tongue to keep from saying, like shit, and answer him with a shrug before wincing in discomfort. “I’m okay. Just a few bruised ribs, a cracked wrist, and a concussion.”
It could be worse. So much worse.
They both come a little closer, their eyes scanning me from head to toe as they inspect my injuries when I want to scream at them for bothering to see me when they should be at River’s side.
“Are we on the list yet?” I whisper, that same anxiety overwhelming me.
“Yeah. There was a change of plans. We’re going to go see him right now,” Gibbs informs me. “His dad wants to meet you, but he had to step outside when River’s mom called. Apparently, she’s bringing her entourage, and Ted is less than pleased about it. The hospital’s only allowing two visitors in River’s room at a time, so Ted suggested we get you over there before his mom shows up.”