Killian shakes his head, his amber eyes dark with worry and exhaustion. I’m more grateful than I’ll ever be able to tell him that he spent the night in the apartment I keep for him inmy building tonight, because otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten Ember here in time to even give her a chance.
“They’re running some tests to make sure her organs are functioning. I didn’t understand half of what they said, but something about extreme blood loss sometimes leading to organ failure. But the doctors are quietly hopeful that we’re not looking at anything like that.”
I swallow past the lump in my throat and nod. “Thank you,” I whisper.
“Of course. We’re the only family each other has, and the minute you set your sights on Ember, she became family too.”
I press my eyes closed to ward off the unfamiliar emotions that roll over me in brutal waves. After so many years with my feelings solidly locked down, I don’t know how to make sense of any of it.
“I asked if there’s a private area we could wait, given the unwanted attention you’re getting, and they said they’ll see what they can do.”
I chuckle, the sound rough and devoid of humor. “Those eyes will get you everywhere with the ladies.”
He smirks. “Don’t you forget it.”
It’s another hour before we’re moved into what seems to be a patient room, but at least it gives us somewhere private to wait without curious eyes.
I step into the bathroom and stare at myself in the mirror above the sink.
Blood stains my cheek, my throat, my shirt, my arms, and a wave of nausea rolls over me.
I’ve never had an issue with blood. Hell, I’d go as far as to say I like it, but knowing it’s Ember’s, that it’s the very thing thatkeeps her heart beating, has an unfamiliar ache forming in my chest.
Fuck.
There’s a reason they say men like me shouldn’t fall in love.
I knew that going in, and yet I went searching for a queen, anyway. I was desperate to share this life with someone, even if that meant holding them at arm’s length.
Perhaps I could have stopped myself from loving the women who came before Ember. They weren’t right for me, even if I didn’t realize it at the time, and I doubt I’m the kind of man who is capable of loving more than once in my lifetime.
But Ember is different. She was born to be the queen of my kingdom. She just doesn’t realize it yet.
I flick the tap on and wipe the dried blood from my skin methodically. The water turns pink against the cream porcelain as it runs down the drain.
But even when it’s gone, I still feel it, just as every time I close my eyes I see Ember bleeding out in my arms.
God, I thought I was obsessed with her before. With watching her sleep, with making sure she ate, with tracking her every move. But after this, I know it’s only going to get worse. I don’t know how I’ll ever let her out of my sight again.
The bathroom door swings open, and I turn to snap at Killian, but the anger drains from me when I notice the doctor standing behind him.
“Is there an update?” I ask, my throat protesting against the simple words.
Without thought, I step out of the bathroom until I’m just a few feet from the doctor.
“There is.” The short man nods as he readjusts his glasses on his face, giving me a peek at his soft blue eyes. I’ve always believed you can tell a lot from the look in a man’s eyes, and I’m comforted by the kindness that stares back at me. “Emberis doing well, all things considered, but she’s been through a trauma. It’s going to take her body some time to recover. The tests show that her organs are functioning as normal, and we’ve given her transfusions to replace the blood she lost.”
“That’s great!” Killian looks over at me.
“It is,” the doctor agrees. “Given her age, we were optimistic that she would respond to treatment. But there’s a part of all this that we couldn’t start considering until Ember was out of the woods.”
He looks between us once, probably noting how much taller and broader we are than he is, paired with our tattoos. I’ve seen that same look more times than I can count. He’s about to deliver bad news, and he’s worried about how Killian and I will take it.
“Ember tried to take her life tonight, and that means we need to keep her on a mandatory psychiatric hold for at least seventy-two hours to evaluate her and make sure she’s not a threat to herself or anyone else.”
“She’s not,” I snap. “Ember would never hurt anyone.”
He takes a breath, looking back down at the chart in his hands to avoid my glare.
