Page 29 of Cursed Fox (Willow Creek Security #4)

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Nancy

My leg hurt like someone was stabbing it with a million little needles as I waited for the nurse to bring Lex to me from the waiting room. I knew as soon as I woke up from the anesthesia and remembered what happened that I needed to see him first.

Lex would be blaming himself. Re-erecting the walls I’d carefully knocked down when it came to him feeling like he was cursed. This wasn't his fault. If anyone was to blame, it was me. I never should've ignored his directive and gone into the house before him.

I knew better. Wes had taught me better. And yet, the first mention of my daughter being in danger, I threw all caution to the wind. I wasn't saying I deserved to be shot for my actions, but if only I’d listened, the outcome might've been different.

Something I fully planned to remind Lex of just as soon as he came in.

Seconds later, I heard the heavy footfalls in the hallway and knew without a doubt it was him. Sure enough, Lex walked in just shortly after that, and I made sure to hide the pain as he rushed to the side of my hospital bed.

"I'm fine," I reassured him as he laid his head on my chest. Running my fingers through his hair, I did my best to show him I was all right.

"You were shot. That's the opposite of fine," Lex argued, but he wouldn't look at me. "I was supposed to keep you safe and look what happened."

I tugged on his hair until he looked up at me.

"This isn't your fault. Do you hear me? This didn't happen because you're cursed or because you think you deserve it after what happened to you while you were captured.

This is Thomas's fault, and maybe a little of mine.

I knew better than to run in without you, but I did it anyway. "

"Don't you dare blame yourself," Lex growled.

"Take your own advice," I threw back at him.

He had the decency to look ashamed at my remark. "I was so scared I’d lost you. I was worried I was going to have to watch you die like I watched my parents."

"Never." I knew I couldn't promise that, but in that moment, I was doing it anyway. Lex needed it, and I wanted to give it to him.

"You can't know that." He played with the thin hospital blanket. "Today proved that anything can happen."

I jerked my head back and forth, something I quickly realized was a bad idea when my vision swam and my stomach flip-flopped. Obviously it was too soon for such sudden movements.

"Yes, things can happen, but it also depends on how we react. I reacted badly when I stormed in. Jessie did an amazing job stopping the bleeding. The doctors said if it wasn't for her putting a tourniquet on my leg, I would've died."

I regretted my words when Lex closed his eyes and shuddered at the thought.

"I didn't though. I'm alive and I'm well."

"You have a bullet hole in your leg," he reminded me.

I didn't have to look down to know that was true. I felt the pain despite trying to block it out.

"I'd like to think of it as a battle scar."

That got me a small laugh. "One hell of a battle scar, don't you think?"

I shrugged like it was no big deal. "I just wanted to be cool like the rest of you."

That time I earned more than just a little laugh. I got a full-blown belly laugh with Lex's head thrown back and all.

I waited until he was done before saying, "I like when you laugh. You need to do it more often."

"I haven't had a reason to laugh in a long time, but something tells me my future is going to be full of it."

I could feel the smile stretch across my whole face. He was seeing a future with me, which reminded me …

"While I was bleeding out in that house?—"

Lex cut me off with a groan. "Don't remind me."

"No, I'm not trying to, but I thought I heard you say something to me and I wanted to know if you really said it or if my delusional mind was playing tricks on me."

"What do you think you heard?"

He was going to make me say it, the jerk. I could tell by the small upturn of his lips.

"Did you tell me you loved me?"

Lex gave me a serious look. "If I did, would you have said it back?"

My heart sped up.

Holy shit! I hadn't been hearing things. Lex really did love me. "Yes, I absolutely would've said it back to you."

Lex leaned in so his lips were just a hair’s breadth away when he said, "I love you very much. And I'm sorry it took until you were lying in a pool of blood for me to tell you."