Page 91 of Belonging to Them

“Not too bad,” I say.“Nothing that won’t heal.Where’s—where’s King?”

Sebastian looks down.

“Bash?”I ask, panic choking my throat.“Where is he?”

* * *

Kingston

I flicker in and out of dreams and reality.Ella is sometimes there, pressing a kiss to my forehead.Squeezing my hand.Reading aloud, I think, or talking to me.It isn’t clear.Not much is clear at all, actually.

A soft, rhythmic beeping lulls me to sleep, but I’d fight it if it weren’t for Ella’s hand in mine, and her whispered reassurances that all is well and I can rest.

When I fully wake up sometime later, Ella’s gone and Sebastian’s sitting next to me, reading something on his phone.His hair is messed up, his whiskers longer than usual.

“Hey,” I say.

“Welcome back, man.How are you feeling?”

I take brief stock of my body.“Like absolute shit.What happened?”

“You got shot in the fucking chest.One of your lungs collapsed.It was ugly,” Sebastian says.

“You’reugly,” I say.

He laughs.“Glad to see you’re back to your usual, mean self.”

“Where is she?”

He doesn’t need to ask who I mean.“Getting coffee.Her ass was falling asleep—she’s barely left your side.”

“How long have I been out?”

“A couple of days.You woke up a few times, but you probably don’t remember it.”

Given the pain in my chest, it’s probably a good thing that I don’t remember.

“She’ll be back any minute.She probably got stopped by fans.She’s been giving out more autographs than I am—the girl’s getting too popular for her own good.”

“Jealous, old man?”I ask.

He laughs.“No.Proud.So fucking proud of her.”

“Me, too.”

He looks toward the door, and I turn my head to follow his gaze.There stands Ella, two cups of coffee in her hands, wearing jeans and a hoodie.Her face is bare of makeup and her hair is pulled up into a messy bun, and she’s more beautiful than ever.

“Baby girl,” I say.

She grins widely at me.“Daddy.You’re awake.”

“Yes, I am.”

“How are you feeling?”she asks.“Are you in any pain?I’ll page the nurse?—”

“I’m fine,” I say.“How soon can you break me out of this place?”

She looks at Bash.“What did the doctor say?Four weeks?”