Echo (Bleeding Hearts #1)(72)

The nurse clearly saw my frustration and took pity on me.

“I’ll tell you what you need to do,” she gentled her tone. “If that will help.”

“Please,” I encouraged, collapsing onto the barstool.

“You’ll need to change the bandages daily,” she explained, pulling supplies from her bag and setting them on the counter.

She demonstrated how to do it in slow and simple steps and explained what I needed to look out for as far as signs of infection went.

I felt better with the information, but my chest still tightened as she walked towards the door.

“Thank you,” I blurted.

She gave me a gentle smile and shook her head. “Don’t forget to take care of yourself too, Miss Valentine.”





Chapter Twenty-Nine



I walked into Ryland’s bedroom to find him tapping away at his phone as if he hadn’t just been stabbed two days before. What little display of vulnerability I’d seen in the hospital was no longer there as he conducted business as usual.

The only way I could even tell he wasn’t himself was by the few pieces of hair sticking every which way on his head. That and the fact he had his shirt on inside out. He didn’t even seem to notice, which was very unlike him.

When he heard my sigh, he looked up at me, his features softening a fraction before they hardened again. He was still pissed at me for not being at the hospital this morning, and I hadn’t even had the energy to explain why yet. I did call and check in with Matt, though, who reported that Nicole was safe and sound at his apartment. He said she would stay there until all of this blew over. It was the only good news I’d heard all day.

“You don’t have to stay.” Ryland kept his eyes glued to his screen. “If you have better things to do.”

I wanted to take his phone and throw it at the wall.

“Don’t,” I snapped, my voice wavering already.

He blinked up at me in confusion. “Brighton…”

“No.” The damn burst, and I didn’t even care. “Don’t you Brighton me. You didn’t even think to ask why I was late this morning. And I didn’t want to upset you, it’s the only reason I didn’t tell you before.”

“Tell me what?” his voice gentled as he patted the bed beside him. “Come here.”

I remained where I was, blinking away the tears. God, I was sick of crying.

“Nicole was having a mental breakdown last night, and I didn’t know how to handle it,” I said. “I found her this morning in her room with a bottle of whiskey and a bunch of pills. She freaked out when I tried to call an ambulance.”

Ryland tore his gaze from mine and took a shaky breath. “Is she okay?”

“She’s with Matt,” I replied. “He says she’s doing okay. But Ryland… she’s not going to get better. Not until this…”

“Stop,” he croaked. “Brighton, please come here. I need you right now.”

It was the most honest thing he’d ever said. And so I went.

He pulled me against his side, and we both ignored the elephant in the room for a while longer. I would ask him what he planned to do to Brayden, but not tonight. My psyche couldn’t handle it, and I didn’t think his could either.

“I almost lost you,” I cried.

“You didn’t,” he whispered. “I’m still here.”

It was true, and yet, I couldn’t relax. Because even though he was still there, I didn’t know for how much longer that would be.



***



I woke to the sound of Ryland groaning and rolled over to find him clutching his ribs. He was still half-asleep and probably didn’t even realize he was doing it.

Then it occurred to me I’d forgotten to give him his pain pills last night. Already I was doing a horrible job of playing nurse.

I scurried from the bed and into the kitchen, shaking a couple pills into my hand and filling a glass of water.

“Brighton?” Ryland’s panicked voice came from the bedroom.

I padded back down the hall, and his face filled with relief the moment he saw me.

I sat down beside him and handed him the pills, watching to make sure he took them before he sank back against the pillow. His hair was even more mussed than the day before, and I smoothed it back into place as I looked into his troubled eyes.

“Ryland, I’m not going anywhere.”

He nodded, but it was obvious he didn’t believe me. And I didn’t know how to get through to him, so instead, I decided to take his mind off of it.

“I’m going to get you cleaned up, okay?”

I didn’t give him time to argue as I walked to the bathroom and gathered the supplies I needed. When I came back, I found him struggling to undress.

“Here, let me help you,” I offered.

He gave me a frustrated sigh but allowed me to undress him. I put a towel down beneath him and placed my bucket of soapy water within reach.

To my surprise, he laid back and relaxed against the pillows, allowing me to get straight to work.

“You aren’t fighting me on this.” I smoothed the cloth over the hard planes of his body, careful to avoid his bandages.

He grinned. “I can’t say that this doesn’t appeal to me.”