The Scottish Bride (The Brides of Holland Springs Book 5)(9)

With a heavy heart, she met her parents at the new hospital Jude had recently been transferred to. She sighed, checking her phone as the doors opened and discharged patients went home.

“Nothing.”

She slipped her phone into her back pocket and walked inside, waving to the staff as she caught the next elevator to the sixth floor. Her parents were already there, at Jude’s side. Her daddy looked worried and her momma devastated as she fussed over her son’s unconscious form while Waverly resembled a zombie, a beautiful pale zombie without the gore around her mouth.

“How is he?” she asked softly.

Waverly held up his hand, which was joined with hers. “The new pain meds are working.”

“That’s good.”

When no one agreed, she tried again. “That’s good, right?”

“Not really. He’s in a medically induced coma,” her daddy said. “They’re not telling us when he can come out.”

“Is it to manage the pain?” She glanced at her brother’s face. At the scars that traveled down one side of his cheek and neck, all the way to his fingers.

“It’s the only way he can get any relief,” her momma said softly. “I hate seeing him like this.”

As she began to sob, her dad wrapped her in his arms. “Love, he’ll be okay. I swear to it. Whatever needs to be done, no matter the cost, I will make it happen.”

“I know you will, Christian.” Her mom sniffed, burrowing into him like he was her shelter from the storm. Cadence’s heart pinched. It was exactly what Maddox should be doing for her now. He hadn’t been hurt as badly as her brother. To be sure, he should have been discharged by now.

“Everyone who needs to pay will, Zoe. They will pay for hurting our boy.”

Cadence sucked in a breath. “Everyone?” she asked. Not out of loyalty, but her dad took it that way.

“Every bloody one of them.”

“But what if... you mean Maddox, too?”

“Everything indicates he was the one driving.” Her dad let out a weary sigh. “I know Maddox is like family.”

More than you know, she wanted to say, but didn’t.

“I do have an investigator on this because something is off with Finn’s story.” He thumped his chest lightly. “I can feel it.”

She blew out a breath filled with relief. “That’s good. I think Maddox deserves to be considered innocent until proven guilty.”

“Really?” Waverly all but spit at her. “Your brother is in a coma, and all you are worried about is your husband’s reputation?”

“Your what?” her parents asked at the same time.

“My Maddox. You know I’ve always loved him... Can’t we discuss this later, once we know everything?” Cadence started backing up. “I mean, let’s not jump to conclusions.”

Her momma gasped. “Is that an engagement ring and a wedding band?”

Crap. Crap. Crap. How would she get out of this?

“They’re married. I was there.”

Cadence glared at her sister. “Thanks for clarifying.”

“You married Finn?” her momma asked.

“No, Maddox and I got married two months ago.”

“Does his parents know?”

She shook her head. “Only Waverly and Jude.”

“And Uncle Sebastian.”

“But not us. Not the people who raised you and love you...” Her dad shook his head. It was all Cadence could do not to throw herself in his arms and beg for forgiveness. She hated disappointing him and her mom, but she’d always felt like her dad understood her more than her momma. Or maybe he was more indulgent of her ways.

“I do love y’all, but I love Maddox, too.” She sniffed once and then, as if a dam broke, she started to sob. “But he’s pushed me away and said he didn’t mean it.”

“When?” her momma demanded.

“At the hospital after I told him what happened. That everyone was arguing and you blamed him for Jude’s pain.”

“Oh, Lord.” Her momma stood up, crossing the distance between them. “Why did you tell him that, honey? He’d just been in an accident. He’s not thinking straight.”

“Because we tell each other everything, and he’s my husband.” Her momma’s arms came around her, her hand stroking Cadence’s hair while she simply held her. “We made vows. We’re supposed to stay together when things get hard.”

“It’ll be okay, baby. Everything will work out for the best.”

Her dad joined them, hugging them close. “I promise to get to the bottom of it all before anything worse happens to Maddox.”

Cadence glanced at Waverly, who looked sad and apologetic. “Sorry for ratting you out. I’m scared.”

“So am I.” Cadence broke away from their parents and ran to her sister, squeezing her tight. “Don’t push me away. I couldn’t take it if another person I loved did that to me.”

“I promise I won’t,” Waverly said.

Cadence believed her.

Maybe, just maybe, everything would work out for the best. Hopefully, Jude would be able to wake up, pain free... and Maddox would be hers again.