At the faint throb of her pulse, my breath left my lungs in a painful whoosh. It was as if the air were barbed. “Sutton,” I croaked.
There was no response. It was then that I saw the red marks on her throat—marks that looked a hell of a lot like the outline of fingers. Fiery rage swept through me in a wave of flames, but I kept my touch featherlight as I brushed the hair away from her face. “Sutton, baby, come on. You gotta open your eyes for me.”
Pain pulsed through me at the lack of color in her face and that trickle of blood at her hairline. I didn’t have the first clue what to do. If Trace or Shep were here, they would know. They both had extensive first-aid training, but I was just the idiot who’d gone on to play hockey.
Sirens sounded. That was good. Help was coming. Sutton just had to hold on until then.
My thumb swept across her cheek. “Come on, Warrior. Fight. For me. For us.”
There was a little movement behind Sutton’s eyelids as if she were trying to open her eyes.
“That’s it, Warrior. Show me those ice-blue eyes. The turquoise depths I could drown in.”
They fluttered in earnest now, the motion matching the beat of my heart against my ribs. Then, they opened. Sutton quickly squinted against the light and let out a little moan.
“It’s okay. You’re okay,” I told myself as much as her.
“Cope?” she rasped.
“I’m right here. I’ve got you. Help’s coming.”
“What happened?” Sutton croaked.
I couldn’t give her that answer, but Iwouldfind whoever was responsible. And I would make them pay.
32
SUTTON
Everything hurt.It was like the time I’d gone body surfing in Maryland and ended up tumbling against the rocks. But this time, I had the migraine of a lifetime on top of it. I should’ve been grateful they’d at least turned the lights down in the ER bay. But that was only after Cope had barked so ferociously that the nurse had almost wet himself.
I had a feeling it was also Cope’s presence that had landed us in a closed room instead of one of those curtained-off areas like most people got. But I couldn’t be sorry for it. Not when it meant less noise and light.
Cope’s thumb stroked the back of my hand, the pattern resembling a figure eight. “The doctor should’ve been back by now. MRI results don’t take that long.” He released his hold on me and shoved to his feet. “I’m going to go find him and?—”
“Cope.” My voice was a touch raspy thanks to the strangling I’d received, but that had nothing on the new stitches I sported on my forehead.
He turned back to me, a mixture of agony and fury in his eyes. “They need to get you meds.”
“They’re moving as fast as they can. There may be people here who need their attention more than I do.”
Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say because a muscle in his cheek began to flutter wildly. “Then they should hire more staff,” he spat between gritted teeth.
As if he’d conjured the doctor with his annoyance alone, the door swung open, and a man in a white lab coat with an unnaturally orange tan stepped inside. “How’s my patient?”
The over-the-top smile Dr. Bentley sent my way had Cope full-on growling in his direction. The doctor’s grin faltered.
“Where are her pain meds?” Cope snarled.
Dr. Bentley patted his pocket, his blinding smile returning. “Right here. We got the results from the MRI and X-ray. There are no signs of fracture, bleeding in the brain, or traumatic brain injury.”
That muscle in Cope’s cheek began to flutter wildly again. “So, give her the damn drugs and help her pain.”
“Cope,” I chastised gently.
He cut his gaze to me. “You’ve been lying here in agony for hours while they walk around with their thumbs up their asses.”
I heard it in his voice then: the strain and how desperately he was trying to stay in control. I didn’t blame him. He might be acting like a grouchy bear currently, but it was because he was freaked. I couldn’t say I would’ve been much different if I’d foundhimunconscious and bleeding from the head.
