“I had to leave her outside with Molly. She’ll be okay for a bit.”
“Isn’t she a service animal?” He tried to rise but didn’t get far without his arms to aid him.
“Here, let me.” I pushed the button to raise his head. “They have strict rules about animals in hospitals.”
“I was hoping to see her.”
“She’d like to see you too. Sorry to disappoint either of you.” I wished she was there now.
He blinked slowly. “I thought you couldn’t leave Hades and Persephone. Where—”
“They’re fine.” I stepped closer. “Ariel sent someone from the sanctuary to take over for me on the show.”
His brow furrowed. “Because of me?”
“Indirectly.” I put the bags on the cot next to Sebastian and sat. “Ariel knew I shouldn’t be on this job more than a few days. I’m not interested in managing the hybrids’ social media feeds. When they asked for the extension, the money was too good to turn down, so of course we had to take it, but I was personally horrified by what it would mean.”
He smiled. “I was so glad you were staying.”
“Are you doing okay?” I leaned over the railing on the side of his bed. “Is there anything you need?”
“I’m okay for now. Glad to see you.”
“I had a pretty bad time for a while after they took you away,” I admitted. “There was a news helicopter overhead and the cops asked everyone questions. People were shouting orders and running around.”
And you have PTSD.“Oh no.”
“Morrigan more than earned her keep. She helped find you. Did you know that?”
He nodded. “Molly told me.”
“She led us from the golf cart to the bluffs where she stopped and barked her head off. I looked over the edge. My God. There you were.”
“I love Morrigan so much.” Sebastian bit his chapped lower lip. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“You scared her.” I couldn’t help admonishing him. “She’s not a search and rescue dog. She was extremely upset by what happened. We both were. It looked like you tried to—”
“I’m sorry, Stone.” He turned his face away. “Sorry that I upset Morrigan.”
“Just Morrigan?”
He made a choked sound. “Sorry I made things so hard for you.”
“Sebastian. You can’t do that ever again,” I whispered. “You came soclose.”
He didn’t know I could see the real Sebastian and not the flawless, no-fucks-to-give face he presented to everyone else. He didn’t know I had insight into his mind because I recognized the damage left by trauma since I had my own, but he must have had some sense of my feelings because instead of saying he’d been too wasted to know what he was doing, instead of making excuses, he nodded solemnly.
“I promise. I won’t do anything like that ever again.”
I had no choice but to take him at his word. “I got you some things.”
I pulled the fruit and cookies I’d gotten out of the bag and placed them on the rolling table next to the bed.
“I don’t know if you need this but—” I held out the gift bag.
“’Fraid you’ll have to open it for me.”
His arms looked like fat sausages wrapped and bandaged. On one, the dressing carried above the elbow.
