Page 85 of Push My Buttons

I force my eyes open, blinking against the harsh hospital lights. A face comes into focus above me—Jace, his features tight with worry, his eyes red-rimmed like he's been crying.

"Hey," he says softly, his hand finding mine. "You're okay. You're safe."

I try to sit up, but pain explodes in my head, forcing me back down with a gasp.

"Easy," Jace cautions, his hand gentle on my shoulder. "You hit your head pretty hard when you fell. Try not to move too much."

I blink, trying to clear the fog from my brain. Hospital. I'm in a hospital. The memory of what happened comes back in disjointed pieces—leaving the apartment, the fight with Jace and Theo, Marcus at the café, running out, bumping into someone...

Someone who called me Lilliana.

Terror surges through me, making the monitors beside my bed beep frantically. I clutch at Jace's hand, trying to convey my panic without words.

"It's okay," he soothes, misunderstanding my fear. "You're safe here. The doctor says you're going to be fine. You hit your head, but you're going to be okay."

I shake my head, wincing at the pain the movement causes. I need to tell him. Need to warn him. I glance around for something to write with, but there's nothing within reach.

"What is it?" Jace asks, concern deepening the lines around his eyes. "Are you in pain?"

I close my eyes, focusing on the memory of my voice. The word forms in my mind—clear, urgent, necessary.

My lips part, the first syllable catching in my throat like a hook. "Le—"

The room tilts suddenly. Ceiling lights stretch into white streaks. Jace's face blurs above me as darkness creeps in from the edges of my vision. The monitors shriek somewhere far away.

His fingers tighten around mine as I slip under again.

Chapter 32

Wren

Iwakeagaintothe steady beep of monitors. My mouth feels like it's stuffed with cotton, and my head throbs with a dull, persistent ache. I blink slowly, trying to orient myself. Hospital. Still in the hospital.

Theo sits beside my bed, his head bowed over his phone. He looks terrible—hair disheveled, clothes rumpled, dark circles under his eyes. When he notices me watching him, his entire face transforms.

"Hey, you," he says softly, setting his phone aside. "Welcome back."

I try to move my hand to sign, but find an IV needle taped to the back of it. The slight movement sends a stabbing pain through my skull.

"Easy," Theo cautions, gently placing his hand over mine. "You've got a pretty nasty cut on the back of your head. Eight stitches. Doctor says you're lucky—no surgery needed, just a concussion and a hell of a headache."

I swallow hard, my throat raw and dry. Theo notices immediately, reaching for a plastic cup with a straw.

"Small sips," he instructs, holding it to my lips.

The water is lukewarm but feels like heaven on my parched throat. When I've had enough, I pull back slightly, and Theo sets the cup aside.

"Where's Jace?"I sign awkwardly with the IV in my hand.

"I made him go get coffee and some air," Theo explains, his expression softening. "He was... not doing well after you passed out again. You scared the shit out of us, Wren."

I remember fragments—Jace's worried face, trying to speak, monitors shrieking. But before that... the memory. Levi. His hands on my throat. The truth about my brother.

I need to tell them. Need to warn them.

"Theo,"I sign, my movements urgent despite the pain.

"Wren," he interrupts, suddenly taking both my hands in his. His eyes are bright with unshed tears. "Before you say anything else, I need to tell you something."