Page 41 of Branded Souls (Ember Hollow Romance #3)

Skye

“ I think that’s all the questions I have for now.” Detective Whize closed his notebook.

We sat in the nearly empty waiting room of the local hospital. I stared blankly, my body exhausted and my mind numb. I felt hollowed out, scraped clean by everything I’d told him. Even repeating it all out loud hadn’t made it feel real.

Brandon stood and gave my shoulder a brief, almost awkward pat. “You’ve been through a lot, Skye. Maybe you should try to get some rest.”

I shook my head. The thought of rest after all this seemed impossible. My body might have been running on fumes, but my mind wouldn’t stop replaying every second.

The blood. The fear. The sound of the lock clicking into place was not something I’d soon forget.

“What’s going to happen to my brother?” I asked.

Whize’s expression betrayed a pinch of pity in his eyes before he looked away. “I honestly don’t know. ”

“He’s not a bad person,” I said, voice splintering like it was about to shatter.

Whize’s jaw set. “He attacked both of you. And from what you’ve told me, it sounds like he may have killed your father.”

I gritted my teeth. “Our father was a monster. He broke him. He just…needs help.” My voice wavered, the urge to cry building in my chest.

My brother. The thought of who he had once been made me want to fight for him.

But then the memory of Fox crashed into me, the blood he was covered in. The sight of his limp body sprawled on the concrete floor.

A cold shiver ran through me. Maybe my brother had become the monster now.

“I’m sorry,” Whize said softly.

I inhaled a deep, shaky breath.

“Is there anything you can do?” I asked with little hope.

Whize stared at me for a long moment, his hand tightening around his notepad. “Look.” He lowered his voice. “I will do everything in my power to make sure he’s taken care of while he’s in police custody. Other than that…it’s up to the courts.”

“Okay.” I nodded, though I wasn’t quite sure what that meant. “Thank you.”

Whize patted my shoulder again, standing from the stiff, uncomfortable chair.

As he did, a doctor bustled around the corner. He approached us, adjusting his glasses. “Detective,” he said in greeting.

Whize stashed his notebook into the pocket of his sportscoat. “Hey, Doctor. How are things going? ”

The doctor glanced at me. “Is that the sister?”

I stared back at him, feeling like less than a human being.

“Is my brother okay?” I croaked.

The doctor exchanged a look with Whize before answering.

“He’s out of surgery and recovering well,” the doctor said. “We had to repair some internal bleeding, but the laceration was small and the blood loss was fairly controlled. We believe he’ll make a full recovery. He’s starting to wake up now.”

Whize nodded. “Thank you.”

“Can I see him?” I blurted.

The doctor glanced at me uncertainly. “He’s okay to have visitors, but that’s up to the authorities.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Whize cut in.

The doctor nodded, then turned and walked back down the hall, leaving us alone.

“I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to see him, Skye,” Whize said cautiously.

I stood, fists clenching at my sides. “Please.”

I wasn’t sure why I wanted to see him. Maybe I needed the confirmation that he was alive. Everything was so overwhelming. My clashing emotions had me feeling dizzy and confused.

Whize regarded me, tilting his head. “Fine.” He relented. “But only for a few minutes. I’ll be right outside.”

My heart raced. “I understand.”

I followed him through the hospital halls until we stopped at a room with an armed officer standing outside. The officer frowned at Whize.

“She needs to talk to the suspect for a few minutes,” he explained .

The officer’s brows pinched together, but he stepped aside without question.

The detective opened the door for me. “Don’t get too close,” he instructed. “I’m keeping this door cracked open.”

I nodded, barely paying him any more attention as I stepped inside.

The tiny hospital room was dimly lit and quiet except for the rhythmic beeping of the monitors hooked up to my brother.

Ash looked unusually small in the bed. His skin was pale, with deep shadows under his eyes.

My heart broke.

His eyes were closed, and if not for the monitors behind him tracking vitals, I might have thought he was dead.

Tears welled as a strangled sob slipped from my lips.

Ash’s eyelids fluttered at the sound. It took him a few tries, but he finally caught my gaze.

His lips almost twitched into a smile, but then he groaned.

“Ash?” I whispered.

“Skye?” His voice was weak, gravelly. “I’m so sorry.”

I wrapped my arms around myself, squeezing tight to keep from shaking. “I’m sorry too, Ash.” My voice cracked.

His eyes drifted closed again before he forced them open. “I never wanted to hurt you,” he mumbled, his words slightly slurred.

Tears slid down my cheeks. “I never wanted to hurt you either.” My voice was thick.

“It’s not your fault.” It was the first time his voice sounded steady.

His hand twitched, as if he wanted to reach for me. Something metallic rattled, and I realized he was handcuffed to the bed rail.

I stifled another sob .

Part of me wanted to believe him, but another part knew that me leaving had changed everything for him.

“If I hadn’t left—” I started, but my voice broke.

Ash groaned softly, shifting uncomfortably. “This was my choice.”

The tears came faster now. “Why did you choose to hurt Fox?” I croaked, my chest shuddering.

His face hardened. “I didn’t think he was good enough for you.”

The words hit like a slap. I looked away. Deep down, I knew it wasn’t true. Fox had always been better than me. It was one of the reasons I’d walked away when I was eighteen. But I wasn’t that girl anymore. I had learned, grown. I was proud of who I’d become and what I’d survived.

Despite everything—despite my failures, my trauma—I had hope I’d grow stronger still.

I forced myself to meet my brother’s gaze again. To look at the man who had made these grave, irrevocable choices. Choices that were his alone. Not mine. Not even our father’s.

They were his to face.

More tears streaked my cheeks. “You’re wrong about Fox,” I whispered. “You’ve been wrong about so many things.”

“I’m—sorry.” His face crumpled in pain…and maybe grief, too. “I wish things were different.”

I shook my head, closing my eyes for a moment to halt the tears. “They aren’t different, though. You can’t take this back.”

I stepped toward him, careful not to get too close.

His eyes widened, tears welling in them.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen now,” I steeled myself, “but I wanted you to know that no matter what, I’ll always love you. Even through your darkest days. ”

“Can you promise me something?” he asked, his expression serious.

“What?”

“Stay safe, okay?” His face crumpled, like his entire world was crumbling.

I nodded. That was a promise I was comfortable making. “I will, Ash.”

“And…I love you too, Skye,” he choked out.

Maybe he didn’t know what love meant. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to think or feel when I looked at Ash now, but he was still my brother.

He had been broken, and though it wasn’t an excuse, my heart still felt for him.

We stared at each other in silence. I wanted to reach for his hand, but I couldn’t.

No matter how much he was still my baby brother, he couldn’t be trusted.

I stood there until Whize opened the door and told me it was time.

“Goodbye,” I whispered to Ash.

He started to sob as I turned.

I left him in that room, not knowing when, or whether, I would ever see him again.