“Do you know anything?” I question hopefully.
She looks over her shoulder at the door, I assume trying to decide if she should tell me what she knows. “When Dr. Moss comes in, let’s pretend we didn’t have this conversation. I snuck into the exam room with the ruse of needing some paperwork signed. She had x-rays on her arm and leg. Last I heard, they had set and stabilized both and will cast them when the swelling subsides. She’s going to be okay.”
“Jesus,” I pray. “Anything else? Extent of her other injuries?” My eyes wildly scan her face and my heart pounds rapidly. Goddamn it, I need to get to her.
“I’m sorry,” she says and stands. “It shouldn’t be much longer.”
“Her family is coming. Should I be somewhere else so that they can get to me?”
She nods. “Let’s go out to the waiting area. There’s a separate room for family that we can have you settle in. They will be able to find you there.”
It takes me a second to get everything settled with my leg. The pain is better now that I had the time to get off it. Not a hundred percent, but an immense improvement.
My new ‘holding area’ isn’t small, but once everyone arrives, it will be. I walk over to the windows, stuffing my hands into my pockets, and try to reason with my mind. I feel the almost uncontrollable urge to start bulldozing my way through this building until I’m with her. My demons, now recognizing her for what she is—their blessing—are restless without her soothing soul.
It took me so fucking long. I stole years from her—from us—because I was too much of a pussy to take a chance. I still worry that I might unwillingly harm her, but I now believe that we need each other on a greater scale.
Regardless of my fears and concerns, the only way I might ever begin to heal is with her walking each step with me.
“Maddox?” I tense when Axel’s hand touches my back. “You okay, brother?”
I’d love to punch him in the face, get some of this excess energy out, but I know he isn’t asking the ludicrous question for shits and giggles.
“No,” I tell him honestly. “But I will be when they let me back there.”
“I understand. Here.”
I turn and look down at the phone in his hand.
“Called your carrier and had your number transferred over, so if they call, it’s all good.”
“Appreciate it,” I mumble. “Where’s Izzy?”
“At home with Nate. She wanted to come with me, but Nate’s sitter needed an hour to get there. Melissa is bringing the girls and Cohen over before she and Greg head this way. Everyone else should be here shortly.”
I don’t respond, choosing to rather turn towards the window and wait. It shouldn’t be taking this fucking long.
An hour passes before the room is full of everyone who loves Emmy. All worried. Everyone silent. I’m sure they’re afraid to speak at this point, and I honestly don’t know what I would do if they did. I’m hanging by a thread that’s been unraveling for hours.
My eyes close just before two small arms wrap around me. She doesn’t speak—she doesn’t need to—and she just offers me her strength. I’m fine until she starts to hum and I remember when our positions were switched and Izzy needed me to be her strength. Her lifeline when her world was crumbling around her. Before she and Axel finally got past their issues and came together again. Fought their demons and won.
Her heavy belly brushes against me when I shift and open my arms. She gives me a soft smile and moves her body closer. I take everything she’s giving and look across the room where her husband is frowning. Even though I know he’s worried just like the rest of us, that frown is because his woman is in my arms.
“Appreciate it, Iz, but maybe you should get back to your husband now?”
She looks over at her grumbling husband and rolls her eyes. “He’ll get over it. You need me.”
She doesn’t let up. Not when Melissa walks over and joins. Not when Dee shuffles under my arm and burrows close to Izzy. And not even when Chelcie brings up the rear and wraps her arms around the three other girls. Each of them at one time was just as lost as I was. I’ve watched, helped, and cheered silently from the shadows as each of them overcame and thrived with one of my brothers.
Hope. Trust in the unknown. And love. It’s been right in front of me for so long, but I’ve been too blind to see it.
I close my eyes and let my guard down. Then I take the masks and shields I’ve used as tools to keep others out and throw them away. With a deep shudder, my breath catching and my arms tightening around the each of the women in my life who have loved every dark piece of me, I allow myself to break.