Page 42 of Branded Souls (Ember Hollow Romance #3)

Skye

I stared at a different hospital room door, gathering up the courage to step inside. My body was exhausted, wrung out and shaky. But as I stared at this particular door, it felt like my future was behind it instead of my past.

I wiped the last remnants of my tears from my cheeks and took a deep breath. Then I finally knocked.

His voice drifted through almost immediately. “Come in.”

Slowly, I opened the heavy door. His achingly familiar gray eyes met mine from the hospital bed.

I’d known Fox was going to be okay, but the reminder of it made my heart flutter. Thankfully, he only had superficial wounds. He’d passed out from the stress and blood loss, but after some stitches, he was more or less on the mend. They were keeping him for observation only.

I glanced around the suspiciously empty room. “Where did everyone go?”

When I had left to speak with Detective Whize, this room had been filled with his parents and brothers .

Fox tilted his head to the side, those assessing eyes scanning me from head to foot. “I told them I needed some rest.”

My brows rose. “And they listened?”

“Well, August is downstairs getting a coffee.” He chuckled softly. “He’ll be back at some point. I couldn’t get rid of him that easy.”

I pressed my lips together and nodded, looking away. My chest still felt tight, as if I couldn’t take a proper breath. I shifted on my feet, both afraid to get too close to him and that I would never be close enough.

“Skye.” His rough voice pulled my attention back to him.

A bruise blossomed on his jaw. Underneath his hospital gown were stitches on his shoulder and his side. More scars to add to his collection.

“Come here.” He lifted the paper-thin blanket that was draped over him.

I inhaled a shaky breath. “I don’t…” I stammered. “I don’t want to cause you any more pain.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You’ll cause me more hurt by not getting in this bed with me.”

My skin heated. I didn’t need to be told again. I crossed the space between us in a few strides. Carefully, as if he were made of glass, I climbed in beside him, curling myself against his uninjured side.

He wrapped his arm around me, placing a kiss on the top of my head. Emotion clogged my throat, but I refused to let any more tears fall.

“You shouldn’t blame yourself for any of this,” Fox murmured, his breath close to my ear.

“I know,” I said, and I truly meant it. “I’m not.”

It shocked me that I was able to say that. Maybe my brain was too tired to accept anything else. There was still so much guilt inside my heart. I wasn’t sure that would ever fade entirely, but I couldn’t take that weight.

Fox paused, seeming surprised. “Do you know how he’s doing?”

My hands curled into the rough hospital gown he wore. He was asking about Ash. “Physically, he’ll make a full recovery.”

Fox’s fingers drifted idly up and down my arm in a soothing motion. “I’m so sorry this happened.”

I lifted my face toward his. His brows drew together, pain etched across his features. It wasn’t physical pain, but the same ache throbbing through my chest.

“I’m sorry too. I never would have thought that—”

Fox cut me off by placing a finger on my lips.

“Skye.” He hushed me. “We don’t have to talk about it right now. There will be plenty of time for us to talk about it.” He leaned in, pressing his forehead against mine. “Because I never want to have to let you go again. I love you. I couldn’t stop loving you, even when I tried.”

My heart swelled. There would always be pain in this life, but this feeling I had when Fox looked at me, like he was right now, was never guaranteed. I chose to embrace it, holding it tight with all my strength.

“I love you too, Fox,” I breathed.

Some of the hurt in his face eased, and he let out a relieved breath.

Gently, I placed a hand on his chest, over his heart.

I remembered the tattoo inked there, the vertical infinity symbol with the triangle in the lower loop.

Our anchor. For the first time forever, I had hope.

Hope for us. Hope for our future. Hope for another chance.

“I never should have left in the first place,” I continued. “Not in the way that I did. ”

His eyes turned glassy as he blinked against unshed tears. “You’re my world, Skye. I didn’t know how to function when you weren’t in it anymore.”

My heart shuddered.

I dropped my hand from his chest and reached for his. Bringing it to my mouth, I kissed each one of his fingers. I had trusted these hands with my life—and with my heart.

“What are you doing?” Fox spoke so low my stomach tightened.

My gaze bounced to his. “I’ve always admired these hands. I’ve watched you fix so many delicate things. I had no idea they were capable of fixing hearts too. Of mending souls.”

He blinked at me, confused.

“Fox, I was broken in ways I didn’t even know I could break,” I explained softly.

“When I left you, I was ignoring all my broken parts, pretending they didn’t exist. But ever since I came back, you’ve been picking up every shattered fragment and gently piecing me back together.

I thought I didn’t belong in Ember Hollow. ”

I leaned into him, willing him to know that I meant these next words with every fiber of my being. “But I was wrong. I belong wherever you are.”

Fox’s arm tightened around me, holding me as if letting go wasn’t an option he’d ever consider again.

“Then we’ll make sure you’re never anywhere else,” he murmured, his lips brushing my hair.

I sank into him, pressing my ear to his chest and listening to the steady beat of his heart.

For the first time in years, the gnawing ache inside me eased.

It wasn’t gone, not healed completely, but no longer hollow.

The road ahead still held shadows, but for once, I wasn’t afraid of walking through them.

Because I wouldn’t be walking alone.

I closed my eyes and let myself believe in this—believe in him, in us—and in the possibility that Ember Hollow could be more than a place that hurt.

It could be home.