Page 150 of Shadows of Obsession

Anna shook her head, her fingers gently uncurling my fists and lacing her own through mine. She traced the lines of my knuckles with her thumb, her touch soothing despite the violence of my thoughts. I knew what she was communicating: she didn't want to dwell on it, didn't want to give him any more power. And she was right. Daniel was dead. Anna was safe. That had to be enough.

A knock at the door interrupted the moment, and we both looked up to see Connor stepping into the room, two steaming cups of coffee in his hands. He offered one to Anna, who took it gratefully, wrapping both hands around it like she needed the warmth before settling into a chair on the opposite side of my bed.

Connor took a sip of his coffee and looked at me with a mixture of concern and relief so genuine it made me uncomfortable. "How are you feeling, man?"

I managed what I hoped was a smile, though it probably looked more like a grimace. "Like I've been stabbed," I joked, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. A deflection, because if we didn't joke about it, we'd have to actually talk about it.

Connor chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, that's to be expected. You gave us quite a scare, you know. I'm just glad you're going to be okay."

Anna nodded in agreement, her hand never leaving mine. "We both are. I don't know what I would've done if…" She trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

I squeezed her hand, a silent reassurance that I was still here, that I wasn't going anywhere. "I'm sorry for worrying you both. I just couldn't let him hurt Anna. I had to do something." I had to save her. Nothing else mattered.

Connor leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his expression serious. "You did what you had to do, Jax. No one's blaming you for that. In fact, the sheriff said it was a clear case of self-defense. You saved Anna's life."

Before I could respond, there was another knock at the door, and a doctor in a white coat entered the room, clipboard in hand.

"Mr. Mercer, it's good to see you awake," he said with a warm smile that seemed too bright for how I felt. "I'm Dr. Stevens, the surgeon who operated on you."

I nodded, my grip on Anna's hand tightening slightly. "How bad was it?"

Dr. Stevens flipped through the pages on his clipboard, his eyes scanning the notes with the practiced efficiency of someone who'd done this a thousand times. "The knife wound was deep and caused significant damage to your liver. We had to perform emergency surgery to repair it and stop the bleeding. You lost a lot of blood, but thankfully, we were able to stabilize you."

Anna's hand trembled in mine, her face paling at the doctor's words. The reality of how close she'd come to losing me was hittingher all over again. I rubbed my thumb over the back of her hand, trying to offer comfort, even though I was the one in the hospital bed.

"So, what's the recovery time looking like?" Connor asked, always practical, always thinking ahead.

Dr. Stevens looked up from his notes, his expression serious but not grim. "You'll need to stay in the hospital for a few more days so we can monitor your progress and make sure there are no complications. After that, you'll be discharged, but you'll need to take it easy for several weeks. No heavy lifting, no strenuous activity. Your body needs time to heal."

Weeks. Great.

I nodded, taking in the information even though part of me wanted to argue that I'd be fine, that I could push through it. But the pain in my side was a pretty effective reminder that I was, in fact, not fine. "And the pain? When will that start to subside?"

"We'll manage your pain with medication, which we'll gradually reduce as you heal," Dr. Stevens explained. "You may experience discomfort and soreness for a while, but it should improve with each passing day."

Anna spoke up, her voice soft but steady with determination I recognized all too well. "I'll be there to help him every step of the way. Whatever he needs, I'll make sure he has it."

Something warm settled in my chest at her words, pushing back against the pain and exhaustion. I wasn't alone in this. I had Anna. I had Connor. I had people who gave a damn.

Dr. Stevens smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "That's good to hear. Having a strong support system is crucial to recovery. I have no doubt that with your help, Mr. Mercer will be back on his feet in no time."

Connor clapped me on the shoulder, carefully mindful of my injuries, and grinned. "You hear that, Jax? You've got a whole team behind you. We'll make sure you don't overdo it."

I internally grumbled that I had a whole team of people telling me what I can't do, but despite that, I couldn't help but laugh, the sound filling the room and lifting some of the somber weight that had been hanging there. "I don't think I have a choice in the matter. Between you two and the doc here, I think I'm in good hands."

And I was. For the first time in a long time, maybe ever, I had people who cared about me. People who'd fight for me. People who'd help me heal.

Anna squeezed my hand, and Isqueezed back. We made it.

EPILOGUE

Anna

"Jaxon, stop. You know what the doctor said."

I tried to sound stern, really, I did, but the smile tugging at the corners of my mouth completely undermined any authority I was trying to project. I could hear the amusement in my own voice as I continued chopping vegetables at the kitchen counter, the rhythmic thunk of the knife against the cutting board providing a steady soundtrack.

Jaxon had been home for two weeks now, recovering from his injuries and growing stronger with each passing day. I'd taken it upon myself to make sure he followed Dr. Stevens's orders to the letter, insisting that he rest, relax, and give his body the time it needed to heal properly. Someone had to keep him from overdoing it. And that someone was apparently me.