Assumption (Underground Kings #1)(55)

“I need you to get to Vanderbilt,” Justin says with forced calmness.
My gut tightens, and I know before he even says it that it’s Autumn. “Tell me she’s okay.”
“I don’t know, man. I’m gonna meet you there,” Justin tells me, and I can feel the pain in his voice as the words leave his mouth.
“I’m on my way,” I clip, hanging up, and I race out of the office, jump in my car, and head downtown.
When I pull into the parking lot of the hospital, I see that the news cameras and police cars have settled around the entrance of the emergency room. I spot Finn near the front doors in the crowd. I pull my car into the ambulance parking lot and get out, ignoring the yells from everyone around me. I toss Finn my keys before running into the building.
The minute I make it around the corner, the nurse’s station comes into view, and unlike most of the times I’ve been here, it’s completely empty. I run down the hall to where they took Finn the night he had been shot and stop dead when I reach the door. My eyes lock on Autumn through the small, glass window.
Her shirt is off.
Her skin is covered in blood.
Doctors and nurses are surrounding her.
My legs start to get weak and my stomach starts to turn. I swear I feel my life ending as I watch them work on her. I hear, “Code red,” from the other side of the door as someone pulls a set of paddles off the wall.
“You can’t be here,” someone says as I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn my head. “This is a personnel-only area.”
“That’s his girlfriend.”
I look over the nurse’s shoulder and see Justin coming down the hall towards us. Girlfriend? Yes, she’s my girlfriend, but she’s also my future…and she is lying on the other side of that door, covered in blood, and they are calling a code red. FUCK!
“He’s still not allowed back here. You need to wait in the waiting area.”
I try to look back in the room, but this time, the nurse blocks the door. “I need to be with her.” My voice is gruff to my own ears. As a man who hasn’t cried since he was young, I’m shocked to feel wetness on my cheeks.
“I’m sorry, hun, but you still can’t be here,” she repeats compassionately this time. “Come with me and I’ll show you where to wait, and as soon as we know anything, a doctor will be out to speak with you and her family.”
Family?
I’m her family.
She’s my family.
I’m her goddamn family!
I look at the ground, shaking my head, my hand going to the back of my neck. I can still hear loud voices from the other side of the door, but I can’t make out what they are saying.
“I need to be with her,” I repeat, but this time, I don’t know if I’m saying it for me or for the nurse.
“Those doctors in there will do everything within their power to help her, honey. Right now, you just need to be strong for her.”
I don’t know if I will ever be strong again if she doesn’t make it. I shake my head at my own thoughts. If she doesn’t make it, I’m not sure what I’ll do. My whole life with her flashes before my eyes—the way she smiles, the look she gets when she looks at me, her kindness and generosity to everyone she meets. All the things we would miss out on, like her wearing my ring, our wedding, her having my child, and the little moments you take for granted every f*cking day because you always think there will be a tomorrow.
I knew my own piece of heaven was too much to ask for. I f*cking knew it was too good to be true.
“Come with me, hun.”
I don’t even know that I’m following her until I hear Justin tell her that Autumn’s his sister when she asks if there’s anyone she should contact. He tells her that he’ll call everyone. I don’t even know if I’m breathing when my parents show up. It isn’t until my mom wraps her arms around me that I feel something.
“She’s strong, baby,” Mom whispers to me.
“I won’t make it without her.”
“You won’t have to,” she replies softly, and I feel her tears seeping into my skin.
I pull away and put my head between my legs, praying for the first time in years. I pray to every god out there or anyone who will listen.
“Are you all the family of Autumn Freeman?”
I stand up immediately, taking in the room for the first time since I got here. My family, some of Autumn’s friends, and my men are all sprawled throughout the room.
“I’m her fiancé,” I tell the doctor, walking towards him.
His eyes take me in, and then Justin is at my side. “I’m her brother.”
“Do you want to talk in private, or can I speak openly in front of everyone present?”
I looked around again at all the people in the room. “We can talk here,” I tell him.
“Let me start out by saying she is stable but still in critical condition.”
I feel my legs get weak and I let out a long breath.
“She suffered two gunshot wounds: one to the shoulder that hit a major artery and one to the face. The one to the shoulder caused her to lose massive amounts of blood, and the one to the face went in her cheek through her lower jaw, shattering it.” He takes a breath. “She’s a very lucky woman. Though the injuries are significant, we do expect her to make a full recovery.”
I lean my head back, saying a silent thank-you to whoever answered my prayers before looking at the doctor again. “When can I see her?”
“Right now, she’s being moved to the ICU. After we get her settled into her room, we will let you know when you can see her.”