Sawyer gives me another hug before turning and leaning in to kiss Layla on the cheek. “He needs you,” she whispers. “Get better soon.”
Fuck me. Hot tears prick my eyes, but I push them back. Not seconds after they leave, my other three brothers come walking into the room. “We’re here, brother,” Grant says solemnly. He gives me a hug, and the other two do the same. Every day I’ve sat here with my girl, my family has been here multiple times to visit and offer their support.
She’s here in this bed because she was protecting my family and me. We all know that, and the fact is, they loved her before all of this, now she’s one of us regardless of whether or not we’re together. However, we’re going to be together. That little black box in my pocket ensures that.
I’m not giving up until this woman agrees to marry me and has my last name.
“You need anything?” Marshall asks.
He’s taking it the hardest. He blames himself for letting her leave the office. He had no way of knowing what was going to happen. He isn’t to blame, and I’ve been telling him that. If anything, I owe him for his quick thinking and getting me to the house as fast as he did. He called in the Riggins cavalry. I don’t think he’s going to let the guilt go anytime soon. Maybe when Layla wakes up, she can convince him.
“No. You’ve done enough. You brought me to her.”
“Not soon enough, brother,” he says sadly.
“This isn’t on you, Marsh,” I tell him. He nods, but I can see in his eyes he’s blaming himself, no matter what I say about it.
“We’re going to get out of here. Mom is pacing out there to get in here and see the two of you.” Grant grins.
“They were here earlier today.”
“You know, Mom. She’s a worrywart when one of her kids is hurting. This time it’s two of them,” Conrad says.
He has no idea how much his words mean to me. That my family sees and accepts how incredible the woman is who’s stolen every last piece of my heart.
“Thanks for stopping by,” I tell my brothers.
“Oh, here.” Marshall hands me a bag that I didn’t see until now. “Just a couple of bottles of sweet tea, some Combos, beef jerky. I thought you could use some snacks.”
“Thanks, Marsh.”
He nods.
After a round of goodbyes, my brothers leave, and my parents push open the door. “I didn’t think they would ever leave,” my mom says, going to the opposite side of the bed. I watch as she gently picks up Layla’s hand, mindful of her IV and holds it in hers. “How’s our girl doing?” Mom asks.
“G-Good,” I say, clearing my throat. “At least that’s what they tell me. I just want her to wake up and stay awake. I want to hear her voice and see those baby blues,” I say, looking at Layla. Her eye is still swollen shut, and her face appears to have every color under the rainbow from the bruising. The doctors assure me it’s all normal and a part of the healing process. I hate it. Every time I look at her, I want to go down to the jail and strangle her mother and Don for doing this to her.
“She’s healing, Owen. It’s going to take some time, but she’s going to be okay. None of her injuries are life-threatening. The concussion gave them pause, but she’s showing great improvement.” My mother recites what the doctors told me word for word. That tells me that she’s been harassing the medical staff, which has my mouth tilting in a grin.
“You know how she is,” Dad says. “When it’s one of her babies, she takes charge, and I’m not the only man who can’t say no to her.” He chuckles.
“Hush,” she says, her smile wide. “I wanted to make sure we weren’t missing anything.” She places Layla’s hand back on the bed and digs into her purse. She pulls out some kind of wipes and begins to carefully wipe at Layla’s face.
“Mom, what are you doing?”
“These are going to make her feel fresh. She’s going to feel all nasty when she wakes up. I’m hoping this will help.”
“Let her be, son,” Dad tells me. “You know once she sets her mind to something, there’s no stopping her.”
I nod, knowing he’s right. It warms my heart that my mother wants to take such good care of Layla. I talk with my parents for about fifteen minutes or so. “Here’s a bag of clothes. When she wakes up, there are some toiletries as well. We stopped by your place on the way here. I had to sweet talk those police officers to let me in,” she says with a grin. “I’m not sure how soon until they will let her shower, but when she does, she’s going to feel better having her own things.”
“Thank you, Momma,” I say, standing and walking to where she stands on the opposite side of the bed, giving her a hug.
“We love you both. There’s a room ready for the two of you whenever you need it. And the offer stands if you want to go get some sleep. I won’t leave her side.”
“Thanks, but I’m not leaving.”
“We didn’t think you would,” Dad says from behind me.
“Call us when our girl wakes up. I’ll be back this evening to bring you dinner.”
“Mom, you don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t have to. I want to. Oh, there are some clean clothes for you in that bag as well.”
“Thank you both.”
“We love you. Both of you.” Six words spoken by my father that just about bring me to my knees. I won the lottery when it comes to parents, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that they’re going to shower my girl with all the love and affection she can take once I spring her out of here. Hell, they already are, and she doesn’t even know it.
They shut the door softly behind them, and it’s just the two of us. I take my seat next to her bed and hold her hand in mine. I’ve done this a thousand times over the last couple of days. My thumb runs over her ring finger, and I can’t help but wonder what my ring will look like on her finger. Taking the box from my pocket, I pull back the lid and look at the ring.
“I bought this for you,” I tell her. I don’t know if she can hear me, but the doctors tell me to talk to her; they feel like it helps the patients. “Royce went with me. Just like I went with him. Sawyer was in on it,” I tell her with a chuckle. “Little did I know that it would turn into a routine for the two of you, but that’s okay because I love it. I love that you have a friend in Sawyer and that she’s going to be my sister-in-law and by default yours.” I pull the ring out of the box, setting the box to the side.
“As soon as I saw this one, I knew it was perfect.” Without thinking, I slide the ring on her finger. “Fuck, Lay, seeing my ring on your finger, it does something to me. I wish I could find the words to explain this pounding in my chest or the way that I feel… lighter.” Carefully, I bring her hand to my lips and kiss the ring.
“When I walked into the house and saw you, I wanted to kill them, but I also needed to get to you. I’ve never been so scared in my entire life. It’s going to be a while, a long fucking while, baby, before I let you out of my sight. I know they’re behind bars, but fuck me, I could have lost you, and he could have—” I swallow hard, not able to speak about what that depraved son of a bitch could have done to her. What the police claim he was planning to do to her.