Sweet Surrender (Sweet #1)(89)

Gray awoke with a start. Sunshine blasted through the window, hitting him square in the eyes. Which told him he’d slept entirely too damn late.

He rolled over, and his body screamed in protest. When he hit his wounded shoulder, his breath left him in a staggered gasp.

Ignoring the protests of his body, he shoved himself out of bed and stumbled over to retrieve the watch he’d taken off the night before. Ten-f*cking-thirty.

He left the room with a bang and nearly tripped over his shoes in the hallway. Bending, and nearly passing out with the effort, he scooped up his shoes and walked into the living room.

“So the dead has awakened,” Micah said from where he was slouched on the sofa.

“You should have damn well woke me up hours ago,” Gray snarled.

Micah lifted a brow. “You needed the sleep, and Faith wasn’t going anywhere.”

“Except I need to see her,” Gray bit out. “I have a lot of explaining to do.”

Micah shrugged. “As soon as you get your shoes on, we’ll go.”

Gray sat down and yanked his shoes on. Then he shoved himself upright again and looked expectantly at Micah.

“Okay, okay, man, I’m coming,” Micah said as he got up from the couch. “You ought to have someone look at that shoulder while we’re at the hospital. Make sure your arm isn’t going to rot off or something.”

Gray glared at him. “I’m taking the antibiotics. It’ll be fine.”

They walked out of the apartment and climbed into Micah’s truck.

“Have you heard from Pop this morning?” Gray asked as they drove off. “Do you know how she’s doing?”

“Nope. Nothing yet. She’s probably still sleeping.”

Gray sighed impatiently. Not seeing her, touching her, holding her was driving him nuts. He should have been there with her. Soothed her hurts. Comforted her when she was scared. It tore his damn guts out that some cop had found her out on the streets, scared half out of her mind and running for her life.

“Quit beating yourself up over there,” Micah murmured. “It won’t change anything.”

Gray pressed his lips together and didn’t say anything.

Twenty minutes later, Micah pulled into the hospital parking lot.

“I’ll drop you off out front, and I’ll go park. I’ll meet you in Faith’s room.”

Gray nodded, and when Micah pulled up at the patient loading and unloading point, he pried himself out of the truck, trying to keep the pain at a minimum. He hadn’t taken any painkillers this morning because he wanted to talk to Faith with a clear head.

The automatic doors swooshed open, and Gray walked inside. He stopped short when he saw Faith across the lobby getting out of a wheelchair pushed by a nurse.

Connor stepped to her side, wrapped an arm around her and tucked her against him as they started forward. Gray’s heart raced. Fuck. She was being discharged, and he’d never even been to see her. He’d left her alone the entire goddamn night.

He hurried forward as fast as he was able without taking a nosedive. When he was a few feet away, Faith looked up and saw him. He stopped short when he saw the flood of pain fill her eyes. His chest nearly caved in.

“Faith,” he began.

Her lips trembled and tears filled her beautiful eyes.

He closed the distance between them and reached for her hand. He flinched when she pulled it away and cupped it with her other one.

“Baby, are you okay? God, I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I just woke up.”

“It’s okay,” she said in a faltering voice. “Pop and Connor stayed with me.” She looked away, but he saw a tear trail down her cheek.

“Faith, baby, look at me,” he said. But she refused and closed her eyes.

“This isn’t a good time,” Connor said evenly. “She’s had enough for today. She needs to get home and rest.”

He started forward, but Gray couldn’t let it go like this.

“Faith, I love you. That’s all that damn well matters. Nothing else.”

She turned her gaze on him, and all the breath was sucked right out of his chest at the raw pain he saw there. She opened her mouth but closed it just as rapidly. He could see her retreat, fold in on herself. Her shoulders sagged, and he could see the utter fatigue draped over her like a mantle.

Connor’s arm tightened around her as though he feared she might crumble. But it was Gray who was crumbling. Connor pressed his lips together and ushered Faith past him. Gray turned and watched her walk slowly out of the hospital entrance where Pop had pulled his SUV around.

Micah strode up then, and he stopped in front of Faith. He bent down and kissed her cheek. “How are you, baby doll?”

Gray didn’t hear her answer, but he saw Micah’s reaction. Worry narrowed his eyes, and he reached out to touch her face.

“You go on home and get some rest. Let Pop and Connor take care of you for a while.”

When Connor helped Faith into Pop’s SUV, Micah approached Gray, a look of sympathy on his face.

“I f**ked up,” Gray said in a low voice. “I should have told her the truth. If I had, none of this would have happened. She’d be in my arms, in my bed, safe.”

Micah shook his head. “You can’t think like that, man. Give it a day or two. Let her come down from all the emotional turmoil.”