Page 139 of Heavy

When I nod, he steps aside, and I walk further into the room. The curtain that had kept me from seeing anything but his blanket-covered feet is no longer a barrier, allowing me to take in his stoic face.

This man, who has shown me what true happiness feels like and lifted a weight I didn’t know existed, now looks at peace for the first time since the moment I met him.

I haven’t had enough time with you… Please, wake up… Please…

I move to his side and gently lift the blanket to find his hand. Taking it softly, I lace our fingers together and hold both hands with my free one.

The beeping sound of the machines accompanies the soft blowing of air from the vents, and my own pulse in my ear. I suddenly feel something against the back of my legs, and when I turn, Eamon is pushing a chair up behind me.

I take it and just continue to stare at the man I love with every fiber of my being.

Moving one of my hands up, I draw my fingers against his cheek. “I’m sorry… I tried to protect her when I truly should’ve been doing that to you. Once again, someone made the wrong choice for you.”

Carefully, I lift his hand up and kiss his tattoo-covered knuckles. “I love you, Ronan. I should’ve shown it better…”

Time passes, and as tired as I am, I haven’t so much as blinked for longer than a few seconds. The doctors and nurses have come in to check on him, with no updates other than there isn’t any negative or positive changes. I’ll take that over the former of the two.

Eamon is asleep, and like myself, hasn’t left the room. I want to think it’s been a full day because of how much my stomach is screaming at me to eat something, but it equally could have only been hours.

When the door opens, I look up to see a nurse, accompanied by a police officer walking beside him. He looks at Eamon, who hasn’t budged even on their entry, then back to me.

“Are you Ms. Sanderson?”

I nod and hold onto Ronan’s hand tighter.Please don’t take me right now…It’s what I want to say, because I can’t leave his side. I need to be here with him every second, no matter what the outcome of his health is, whether he wakes up or his heart stops, I can’t leave.

“We just want to ask a few questions, that’s all.”

I nod.

“You had security cameras on your property, do you have access to the digital files?”

I nod again. “Kenneth Asuna, who may still be out in the waiting room, has access.”

Even though I created the account, I can’t think straight and know for a fact I’d not be able to give them the right details. I’ve got nothing to hide, and I have no doubt that Ken has taken care of anything that may implicate Ronan in any way. Me, on the other hand, probably not, but that’s alright. I deserve whatever justice is served to me at the end of my story.

He writes something down and then looks back up at me. “Can you give me an accounting of what happened over the past forty-eight hours?”

I take a deep breath. “My mom called me Wednesday evening and asked me to come over. I did, and the family that has been blackmailing me since May were there. They kidnapped my best friend, Genevieve Snowden, and my mom, Jasmine Byrne. The following day they took me back to my cabin with specific instructions to kill Ronan. They gave me a syringe of something and told me to inject it or they were going to kill Gene, my mom, and then him”—I lean forward, holding his hand to my chest—“and then me.”

“Why didn’t you call the police?” he stops me to ask.

“When? When they had me gagged and tied at my mother’s house? Or when they had me at gunpoint in the car on the way back to the cabin? Or when I was trying to convince Ronan to run?” My tone is patronizing, because what a stupid fucking question.

He only nods and writes something down before continuing, “Do you know why they were after Mr. Byrne?”

“Ronan killed the woman’s brother, but he was convicted and already did his time.”

“I see.”

“Have you arrested Samantha Serrano?”

“I can’t disclose that—”

“I’m terrified for my life. Is she in custody?” I press, not out of fear of her, but out of the need to know that the woman who put Ronan in this state isn’t out there, walking free. She deserves to be locked away, rotting in a cell.

He sighs, closes his notebook and places his hands together in front of him. “We have her, along with her husband, in custody.” His eyes shift away from me to Ronan, but I keep my gaze locked on him. He then looks slowly back to me. “I’ll leave you two alone, please note that we will be seeing you again for more questioning.”

It's then I feel slight pressure on my hand.