Page 144 of Forgive Me Father

"She’s awake?" Roman’s voice interrupts, his hands overflowing with flowers. The sight of him, a beacon of hope amidst my chaos, brings a wave of relief that catches in my throat.

Attempting to move, both Roman and Aiden gently restrain me.

"You need to stay put, baby," Roman urges softly. "You took a serious hit."

"W-What happened?" I ask, my voice a whisper as I try to piece together the fragments of memory.

"I’ll leave you two alone," Aiden says with a warm smile. "But I’m not sure how long I can keep Zoey at bay."

He exits the room, and Roman moves closer, carefully settling me back onto the bed. He envelops me in his arms, his touch a grounding force amidst the whirlwind of emotions.

"Fucking hell. I never thought you could feel as good as you do right now," Roman sighs, pressing a tender kiss to the top of my head.

"Did I kill Luca?" I ask, the fragments of memory surfacing in hazy flashes.

"He’s dead, baby. That’s all you need to know," Roman whispers, his fingers gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

Tears well up and breach the waterline of my eyes. I bury my face in Roman’s chest, allowing his embrace to anchor me.

"It was terrifying, Roman," I sob. "What they did to those kids, what they did to me—"

"I’ll never let anything happen to you again, Eden. I swear to God—"

God.

Had He finally heard my desperate prayers? Is that why Roman was here?

"He sent you to me," I whisper, lifting my gaze to Roman’s. "I needed you, and He sent you to me."

"God has a funny way of working," He murmurs softly.

"Not just this time," I sniffle. "In the park, He sent you to me. You've always been there when I needed you," I continue, my voice breaking as his hands cradle my face.

"Those twenty-four hours without you were literal Hell, Eden. I never want to be apart from you again," Roman whispers, his lips finally finding mine.

He kisses me with a passion tempered by tenderness, careful not to be too aggressive. As I cling to him, my fingers reach for his ring, only to find it missing.

"Your ring—"

"I don’t need it," He replies softly. "The only thing I need is right here."

A gentle knock interrupts us. "Ms. Faulkner?" A nurse calls from the doorway.

I’m eager to shed that last name.

"You have someone who’s been eagerly waiting to see you. If you don’t mind a bit of extra company," The nurse smiles, glancing at Roman, who is occupying the bed.

"Someone’s here to see me?"

"Let me in!" A young voice demands, pushing past the nurse with a bright new energy.

Hannah.

She scrambles onto my bed, her excitement palpable, completely ignoring Roman’s astonished gaze.

"You’re alive!" She exclaims, grabbing my cheeks. "The stuff they put in these bags made me feel amazing. You took that bullet like a champ," She says with a grin.

In the light, I can see how many teeth she’s missing. A new vitality seems to have been breathed into her.