My pacing was only interrupted when Clint came into the waiting area. He tried to get some info, but this nurse was a strict gatekeeper. She wanted to see Clint’s badge. He walked outside to make a phone call. Twenty minutes later, a buddy of his with the Orange County Sheriff’s office sauntered in and found out that Cassie had come out of surgery moments ago. She would be in recovery for a while before they moved her to a room.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Mr. Daughtry striding through the double doors. He noticed me and walked over to shake my hand.
“Have they told you anything?” he asked.
Cassie’s mother wandered up behind him, and I had to school my features since she didn’t know I knew who she was.
“She’s in recovery after surgery to remove a bullet lodged in her rib.”
“Bullet,” her mother whispered from behind Mr. Daughtry.
He clapped me on the shoulder. “Thank you, Gabe. I’m going to talk to the nurse about seeing her.”
“I would like to see her too, sir. If it’s at all possible.”
He nodded curtly at me, and moved off to the nurse.
After an hour, Brock came back with a bag of fast food, but I shook my head.
He gave me a look. “Won’t do you any good to sit out here getting hangry. Eat something so you don’t mess up again because of your damn temper.”
I scarfed down a burger, but it sat in my gut like a lead weight. Running my hand through my hair for what felt like the seventy-fifth time that afternoon, I noticed Mr. Daughtry guiding his wife out of the elevator.
I stood and walked over to him. “Is she awake? How is she doing?”
His wife looked at him. “I’ll be in the car.”
If I hadn’t overheard her conversation with Ryan, I would’ve been concerned she didn’t give me the time of day. Knowing how much of a bitch she was, I didn’t give a damn if she didn’t want to be introduced to me.
Mr. Daughtry turned troubled eyes to me. “She’s recovering. I’m sorry, Gabe. She’s heavily medicated, but when she came around, she said she didn’t want to see you.”
My eyes widened, but I heard my brother mutter, “What the fuck? She loves him.”
I whispered, “Are you sure?”
He closed his eyes and nodded. “I’m sure, Gabe. I don’t know why she said it. She is under a lot of medication. Not to mention, visiting hours are over, so even her mother and I were kicked out.”
I nodded. “All right. Thank you for letting me know. I’ll let you get back to your wife.”
He shot me a wan smile and walked away.
My phone chimed with a notification from my social media, and I noticed it was just after seven. Looking back to the desk, I saw a new nurse was typing away at the computer.
I caught Brock’s eyes. It took a moment, but then he shook his head at me. “Why do I know, I’m not gonna like what you’re gonna say next?”
“Where’s Clint? And did his buddy leave already?”
“Gabe,” Brock drawled.
I shook my head. “She isn’t pushing me away now, man.”
Cassie
IT WASN’T UNUSUAL FOR me to wake up with a song in my head, but I had no idea why I thought I heard the Dirty Heads singing “Lay Me Down.” My eyes fluttered open and my tongue felt like a piece of sandpaper in my mouth. I tried clearing my throat, felt the bed jostle, and realized the singing stopped mid-word.
“Have some ice,” Gabe said from my side.
I glared at him. “You shouldn’t be here,” I croaked, but even to my ears it didn’t sound right.
He shushed me, and offered me an ice chip, which helped the dryness in my mouth.
I continued glaring, but Gabe was impervious.
He grabbed my hand and his eyes held so much concern, but it wasn’t enough. My heart hurt from what he’d said Monday, but also the fact he so blithely left my apartment and went out for pizza. I didn’t know how he found out where I was, but I figured Brock or Clint told him. After all, he’d only come to check on me after Asher’s first attack because Brock had mentioned police activity in front of my building.
I tried to hold his gaze, but the medicine had me feeling drowsy and my lids slid closed.
“Get some sleep, love,” Gabe murmured.
As soon as I closed my eyes, I fell asleep.
The next time I woke up, he was just outside the door, talking in a low voice with a nurse, and I could see he had his most charming smile aimed her way. She noticed when I opened my mouth to say something, but Gabe bustled inside with her.
“How’re you feeling, sweetheart?” he asked.
I glared at him. “You leave,” I croaked.
“I’m not leaving, sweetheart.”
The nurse asked me if I was in any pain, and I shook my head. But as loopy as I felt, why would I be in any pain?
“Good,” she muttered. “We’ll start lowering the amount of your pain meds. Next time you wake up, we’ll have you walk the hall.”
I might not have been in pain, but I wasn’t looking forward to walking anywhere any time soon.
She smiled. “I see that doesn’t sit well with you, but it’s for the best.”
Gabe grabbed my hand and I wanted to jerk it away, but I didn’t have the energy for it.
TRUE TO HER WORD, WHEN I woke up again, the nurse insisted I take a walk. My mother had dropped off a bag for me, but had left half-an-hour before I woke up. Luckily, the bag included suitable footwear so I didn’t have to traipse up and down the corridors in socks. The nurse accompanied me back to my room, but I could see my father stood inside the room and Brock and Gabe were standing in front of him.
“She said she didn’t want you here,
