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Chapter Forty-Four

Aurora Henry

Climbing out of unconsciousness feels like swimming through fucking porridge. The light is too bright, stabbing my eyes like a thousand needles. I close them instantly, again trying to escape the assault.

“Shit,” I mutter, my tongue heavy and cotton-dry in my mouth.

I force myself to crack open my eyelids, squinting against the glare. There’s Felix, sitting at my side, his dark eyes locked on me with that intense stare he has. He looks like he’s been up for days.

A sudden jolt of pain rips through my body. Felix is here, not even a heartbeat away. He jumps from his seat and races to my side like a goddamn superhero.

“Easy, darling,” he breathes out, his hand on my cheek, feeling like ice against my feverish skin. “You’re safe now. You’re with me.”

I stare into his dark eyes. I can’t help but feel relief wash over me in waves, knowing it really is him this time. Felix-fucking-Greyson found me and saved my ass from whatever hellhole I was in.

“Shit, Felix.” I gasp, the words just tumbling out of my mouth. “You actually… you came for me.”

“Of course I did,” he replies, his voice all gravelly and low.

The door creaks open, and a man in a white coat strides into the room. He’s got this air about him like he knows some shit I don’t. I squint at him through the haze of pain and exhaustion, trying to make out his face better.

“Miss…” he starts, voice all clinical and distant, “… you’ve been back for about six hours now. There’s a blood infection running through your system, infected cuts, and injuries that require immediate surgery.” His words sound like they’re coming from underwater, my mind slugging its way through the thick fog.

“Wha—?” I try to force the words out, but it’s like my brain short-circuits, smothering me under a wave of darkness.

Felix’s voice cuts through the murk, talking to the doctor. “What are her chances?”

“Difficult to say. We’ll do our best, but complications can arise.”

“Fuck that,” Felix growls, low and dangerous. “You fix her, or I swear to God…”

“Mr Greyson, I will do everything inmy power to help her.”

“See that you do.”

Their voices fade as the darkness engulfs me again, dragging me under like a goddamn anchor.

Chapter Forty-Five

Felix Greyson

Isit next to Aurora, her pale face barely visible in the dim light of the warehouse. The infection coursing through her veins keeps her eyelids heavy, barely able to stay open for more than a few minutes at a time. It pisses me off.

“Doc,” I growl, fists clenched. “How long is this gonna take?”

“Patience, Felix,” he replies, adjusting the IV drip. “The antibiotics need at least twenty-four hours to work before we can even think about surgery. The risk of hurting her more is too great otherwise.”

“Fuck.” I run my hand through my hair, frustration mounting. “There’s gotta be something else we can do.”

The doctor hesitates, glancing towards the unconscious form of Aurora. “Well, there is one other option… a medically-induced coma. Given what needs to be done, it might be best if she slept through the worst of it.”

“Jesus Christ.” The thought of putting her under like thatmakes my stomach twist into knots. But if it’ll help her heal, then maybe it’s worth considering.

On the thirdday of Aurora being back with me, Doc preps her for surgery in this godforsaken warehouse. It’s fucking insane, but Matteo swears by him. Hell, he even helped Matteo find Eleanor, so there must be something to him.

“Alright, Felix,” Doc says, snapping on a pair of gloves. “This is gonna take a while. You don’t have to stay for the whole thing.”

“Try and fucking stop me,” I growl out, my arms crossed over my chest. “I’m not leaving her side.”