Page 76 of Fallen Empire

As if on cue, the handle turned. I glanced up just in time to see Jaxson stepping through the door.

“She asleep?” he asked quietly, voice low so it wouldn’t stir her.

“Yeah. Probably about ten minutes ago,” I said, rising from the chair and stretching my legs. “The nurse came in and adjusted her meds.”

“Was she in pain?” His expression tightened, his jaw clenched the way it always did when he was trying not to lose it.

“Yeah. But you’d never know it,” I said softly. “She’s not going to tell you. Even if it is unbearable.”

That pulled a faint laugh from him. “She’s stubborn, huh?”

I looked back at her, peaceful, almost. If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought she was just napping off a long day. And maybe with all that morphine in her system, she was.

“She’s stubborn,” I said. “But she’s strong.”

I leaned over and pulled the blanket up to cover her arms, just in case she got cold.

“Hey, where’s Ben?”

Jaxson slid his hands into his pockets. “Cafeteria. With Nic.”

“Nic?” I blinked. “What’s she doing here?”

He shrugged toward Savannah. “Finishing up some of the debrief from the… shit show.”

Fair enough.

“Okay. She’ll probably be out for a while,” I said, grabbing my bag. “I’m going to see if Ben can run me by my place. I need a shower, real food, maybe a nap in my own bed.”

“Millie,” he said, taking a step closer. “Stay home tonight. I’ve got her covered. If you want to come tomorrow and do the overnight, that’s fine. But you need to rest. Eat. Let your bodybreathe. If she wakes up and needs you, I’ll give her my phone so you two can talk.”

Normally, I’d argue. I'd assume he just wanted me out of the way. But right now?

All I could think about was Ben.

“Yeah,” I said. “As much as I hate it… the dull ache in my lower back agrees. A night in my bed might help.”

He leaned in and kissed my forehead. “Thanks for loving her, Millie.”

I swatted him in the chest, just hard enough to make my point. “I loved her first, asshole. But if you break her heart—I'll break your face. Remember that.”

And with that, I turned and walked out the door.

I picked up my phone to text Ben in case he was thinking of leaving.

Millie:Don’t leave. I’m coming down.

His reply came almost instantly.

Ben:Corner booth in cafeteria.

I tucked my phone into my pocket and passed through the lobby, my eyes casually scanning the waiting area, until they landed on him.

The same man from the other day. Sitting in the same spot with his head down. Looking at something on his phone.

I started to keep walking. I really did. But something, intuition, maybe, pulled me back.

“Hey, it’s you,” I said, lifting a hand in a half-wave. “No good news?”