Music of the Heart (Runaway Train, #1)(76)

I fought the urge to say, Yeah, well, it’s all because of me thinking with my dick that Abby’s in the broken and bruised condition she is.

“Give us about thirty minutes, and you can go up to see her. She’ll be on the fourth floor.”

Extending my hand, I shook Dr. Mitchell’s. “Thank you so much, and thank you most of all for taking such good care of my Angel.”

“No problem,” she replied before she left the room.

“Need me to stay with you?” Brayden asked while Rhys and AJ nodded in agreement.

“No, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” AJ questioned.

“Yeah, you guys go on home.”

Brayden stepped forward to give me a hug. “Frank told us that Abby’s family should be here in the morning. They were going to have to drive since they couldn’t get a flight out.”

Inwardly, I cringed at that statement. “Okay, thanks for letting me know.”

After AJ and Rhys gave me a brotherly hug, Brayden said, “I guess we’ll head out for now and come back to check on Abby in the morning.”

“Thanks guys.”

While I waited to go up to see Abby, I called my mom. She was devastated to hear what happened. And because she was the most amazingly giving and caring woman, she told me to bring Abby back home to the farm for her recovery. The thought of having the two women I loved most in the same place made me very, very happy.

I had just hung up with my mom when a nurse came out to tell me that Abby was upstairs and I could see her. The entire elevator ride up I waged war on myself for what had happened. I played a thousand “what-if” scenarios in my mind of why I hadn’t ensured there were more security or insisted that Frank walk Abby all the way to the bus. Most of all, I wondered how I ever let someone like Bree weasel her way into my life and my bed.

When I got to Abby’s room, I hesitated outside of the door. I couldn’t help but be afraid of what I might find once I got inside. Guilt continued crisscrossing its way through my chest. The sins of my past had come barreling into my future and almost destroyed my perfect happiness. With a gutted feeling, I pushed open the door.

The room flickered in shadows as only the dim light over Abby’s bed lit the room. Even in the dark, I could see the extent of her injuries. Just the sight of the angry purple and green bruises along with Abby’s swollen face made me feel like someone had kicked me in the balls. Bending over, I braced my hands on my knees and tried stilling my out-of -control emotions by taking several deep breaths.

At Abby’s whimper, I jerked my head up. “Angel?” I questioned before striding over to her bedside. I took her hand that was bandaged with IV’s in mine. “Angel, I’m here, and I love you.”

Her eyes stayed pinched closed, but her brows furrowed. “Just rest, baby. You’re safe now, and I’m not leaving you.”

At her continued restlessness, I considered calling the nurse’s station and asking for more pain medication. But then an idea flashed through my mind, so I acted on it. Drawing the chair close to the bed, I eased down. I then began singing Angel again to Abby just like I had earlier. Almost instantly, she calmed and began to rest more peacefully.

I continued singing different songs to her until my voice was hoarse, and my eyelids drooped in exhaustion. Laying my head down on the side of the bed, I fell asleep with my head nestled against her hip.



Rays of amber sunshine bursting through the window blinds stung my eyes and woke me from my sleep. Raising my head, I looked at Abby. Some of the swelling had gone down in her face, but the bruises were just as bad. I was about to go to the bathroom when she moaned. At the fluttering of her eyelids, I leaned forward. “Angel?”

Her eyes flew wide open. She turned her head to look at me and winced in pain. “Jake…”

“Are you hurting? Let me get the nurse for you.”

“No, that’s okay. I just feel woozy and really sore.”

I nodded. “You’re in the hospital. Do you remember what happened?”

“Bree tried to kill me,” she replied hoarsely.

“Yes.”

“But I’m okay?”

I filled her in on everything Dr. Mitchell had said. Then taking her hand in mine, I squeezed it tight before bringing it to my lips and bestowing kisses across the back of her hand and fingers. “I’m so, so sorry for what happened to you, Angel.”

“But it wasn’t your fault.”

“Yes, it is. If I hadn’t ever been involved with Bree, she would have never gone after you like that.” Ashamed of the remorseful tears burning my eyes, I buried my face on the side of the bed. “I ruin everything for you.”

“No you don’t.”

Raising my head, I stared sadly at her. “Yes, I do. I’ll never be good enough for you.”

“Stop it, Jake. I don’t want you beating yourself up over this.” She reached out to run her fingers over my cheek. “You gave me the most romantic night of my life—you told a crowd of fifty thousand people that I was the girl you loved most in the world and that my love had saved you. Nothing that happened will ever take that moment away from me.”

I groaned. “You go and say shit like that and make me realize for the millionth time that you’re way too good for me.”