Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 19358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 97(@200wpm)___ 77(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 97(@200wpm)___ 77(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
Suddenly, the sound of a loud pop rang out from the room, silencing the yelling as well as everyone on our side of the door trying to determine how best to de-escalate the situation.
I felt my knees try to buckle and reached for the wall behind me. Please, no. Please. Please.
Tears filled my eyes as I stood there feeling helpless and terrified for Xavier.
Then the door swung open hard enough to hit the wall.
Xavier stood there—shirt half torn, blood on his sleeve, chest heaving. For a heartbeat, no one moved.
His voice came out hoarse but steady. “He’s down. Gunshot wound to the abdomen. I need a crash cart and a trauma team—now.”
Everyone jolted into motion. Everyone but me. I just stared at Xavier, trying to process that he was alive. That the blood on him wasn’t his.
As he turned to go back into the room to take care of the asshole who terrorized him, he caught sight of me. “Baby?” he asked, clearly confused about why I was there.
I let out a cry and lunged at him, crashing into him and holding on for dear life. My entire body trembled as I held him as tightly as I could. Sobs came unexpectedly and stole my breath.
I’d been trying to hold back with him, trying to stop myself from getting hurt, and I’d almost missed this. The warmth in his eyes, the simple endearment that cut straight to the truth of who we’d become to each other. I’d been too scared to recognize the gift of him, but now I’d gotten another chance, and I wasn’t going to waste it.
Thankfully, another doctor rushed in, gently nudging us out of the way and telling Xavier he had the situation in hand.
Xavier finally shifted and buried his face in my neck. “I love you. I’m sorry, but I need you to know that,” he said low so only I could hear. “I know it’s too soon and you’re not ready, but I…”
“I love you, too,” I said, not nearly softly enough because my voice was jagged with fear. “When I found out you were… I just… God. I can’t… I don’t want to do this without you anymore. I don’t want to be strong and smart anymore, taking it slow out of fear and caution. I just want to be with you.”
He kissed me fiercely before leaning his forehead against mine. “When I thought I might not see you again to tell you… I couldn’t stand the idea of something happening and you not knowing how deeply you were… are… loved. I know it’s fast, Hon. But this… us… it’s different than with anyone I’ve been with before.”
“Me too.”
We kissed again, not caring who might see, and when we finally broke apart for air, he kept me wrapped up tight in his arms. I was pretty sure my suit was covered in blood, but I couldn’t have cared less.
“Is Mr. Miller okay?” I finally asked.
Just then, a medical team wheeled Joey out on a gurney and took him toward one of the operating rooms. Janet raced inside the treatment room to find her husband and check on him.
Xavier nodded. “He’s fine. He’d already been sedated, so I’m fairly sure he won’t remember what happened. I suspect his son is on something. The team will do a tox screen to see what it is.”
One of the officers approached and began asking Xavier questions. Throughout all of it, he clasped tightly to my hand, never letting me out of his sight. The only time someone insisted they needed to question him on his own, he claimed I was his attorney and needed to be present.
By the time we were done with questions, the elder Mr. Miller came out of surgery. Xavier kissed my cheek, then left to check on him.
Janet came over to give me another hug. “I’m so grateful you were here, but Hon… I didn’t realize you and the surgeon…”
“It’s new,” I said with a smile. “But real.”
Her face was soft with understanding. “You two remind me of me and my Joseph.”
I squeezed her hand. “We’d be lucky to have the kind of relationship you two have.”
“What will happen to Joey?” she asked with concern.
“He’ll be treated and then released into police custody to face the consequences of his actions. Beyond that, it’s too soon to tell.”
Xavier came back dressed in fresh scrubs and let Janet know her husband was doing well and in good hands. “He’s in the recovery room. You can go sit with him now.”
Janet squeezed his arm before leaning in and giving him a quick hug. “Thank you so much, Dr. Rhodes. For everything. I’m very sorry for what happened here today. I’d known Joey was unhappy, but I hadn’t known he was violent, and… well, I don’t even know what to say.”