Page 46 of The Criminal’s Cure

I’ve experienced pain in my life.

There was the time Emmett dared me to jump off a swing in our backyard when I was seven, and I splintered the bone in my leg so badly that shards of it were poking through the skin.

I’ve been captured by an enemy, and for twenty-eight hours, I was beaten with a pillowcase full of bars of soap until I was absolutely senseless.

And once when I was a teenager, my dad took me ice fishing in Northern Canada.

I fell through the ice and the brutal frigidity of the water felt like one thousand knives stabbing every inch of my skin.

Those were all painful experiences, but nothing compares to the feeling of watching someone you love and care about hurting and not being able to do a damn thing about it.

The influx of displaced patients and doctors overwhelmed area hospitals, forcing the transport of serious cases to better-equipped cities.

Maddie was flown to Denver, and as soon as I was cleared, I came to her.

I’ve sat next to her bedside for the last three days, listening to the hum of the machines she’s connected to and praying that today is the day she wakes up.

After she left the room, Maddie must have known she wasn’t going to make it down from the third floor in time, so instead of heading for the stairwell, she ran in the opposite direction and ducked under the desk at the nurses’ station.

No one expected the explosion to be as big and destructive as it was, so she probably thought she could shield herself from some of the debris there.

Thankfully, she had the peace of mind to think of that, because the stairwell completely collapsed.

Her quick thinking saved her life. I can’t even bring myself to think about what might have happened if she was in the stairwell when it came down or trapped on the elevator when it happened.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion once Bauer and I crashed through the window.

There are parts I remember so vividly it’s like I’m playing back a movie, but other parts are so hazy I’m not even sure they happened at all.

I don’t know how I got to the triage area, but after the explosion, the first thing I could remember was sitting in the tent being checked out by one of the nurses.

I remember asking for Maddie about a dozen times, but no one would tell me what was going on.

I wasn’t sure how much time passed, but eventually, Peyton came to find me.

She told me they found Maddie, but they were taking her to a different hospital, which made no sense to me at the time.

All I wanted was to see her, but I didn’t have the chance before they loaded her into the medicopter and headed for Denver.

When they made me stay for observation, I was irritated, but soon found out it was more about clearing me in the investigation into Bauer.

Once they were satisfied I wasn’t working with him and he’d done this on his own, I was cleared.

I was optimistic about Maddie, but it all faded once I got to Denver.

She was in bad shape and hadn’t improved much at all in the thirty-six hours since the bombing.

I had to lie to the nurses and tell them she was my fiancé to get any kind of information about her, but I didn’t think twice about it. They wouldn’t release medical information to me because we weren’t technically family, so I didn’t have a choice.

Maddie has several fractured ribs, a collapsed lung, internal bleeding, and her left leg is broken in three places.

The worst of her injuries though, and why she is still unconscious, is the small bleed in her brain.

Right now, they can’t tell how extensive it was because of the swelling, but from their imaging and tests, it looks like it’s at least been contained—it’s not getting any worse, but it’s also not getting any better.

I guess that’s as good as anything right now.

It means that her body is trying to heal, and we will hopefully know more soon.

Her doctor warned me about all the possibilities. That she might not remember anything when she wakes up. That she might need months of rehab and therapy to regain simple skills and movements. That she might not wake up at all.

I can’t let myself consider that possibility, though. I know in my heart that she’s going to wake up, and she’s going to be okay. That I’ll see her beautiful eyes again and hear her sweet voice. I have faith that soon I’ll be taking her back to Las Vegas, where she and Ty and I will be a family.

Ty didn’t know the details of the explosion, which is a minor miracle considering how much the news channels have covered it.

My brother flew in to stay with him for a few days and Ty’s been thoroughly distracted by his excitement to see his uncle.

It temporarily took his mind off of things, but it’s just a matter of time before he starts asking questions and hopefully when he does, I’ll have some answers.

Bauer survived the explosion, but was taken into custody immediately. I would have preferred him to have been blown to bits, but I know that he’ll get exactly what’s coming to him. There’s a moral code in prison, and people like Bauer don’t stand a chance.

I rub my forehead, leaning back into the recliner and settling in for another long night in the ICU.

Maddie’s hooked up to so many machines that every twenty minutes or so, an alarm goes off and a nurse has to come in and check it.

Most of the time, it’s just faulty tape or a disconnection, which makes the interruption pointless.

I’ve barely left this chair for longer than it takes to get a cup of coffee or use the restroom, so I’ve gotten to know the nurses pretty well.

“Mr. Molanari?” One of them peeks her head in the door. This one is here a lot, but I can’t remember her name. All I know her by is her rainbow stethoscope.

I give her a polite wave, but don’t say anything.

“I just wanted to let you know that someone delivered breakfast burritos this morning, and there are a few left over at the nurses’ station. They’re cold and possibly stale by now, but if you’d like one, you’re welcome to them.”

I run my fingers through my hair, shaking my head. “Thank you, but I’m okay. I’ll go get something from the cafeteria in a little while.”

She lets out a small laugh. “You said that last night, but I have it on good authority that you didn’t leave the floor.” She smiles, letting herself inside the room. “You know, you sitting here is not going to make her wake up any faster. She needs time. Let her body work its magic.”

“I know,” I assure her, not really in the mood for company. “But I want to be here when she wakes up. She’ll be confused, and I want to be the one to explain it to her.”

“That’s very sweet of you. But you should take care of yourself as well,” she insists. I humor her only because I need her help.

“I am taking care of myself, but I appreciate the concern. If you want to be helpful, you could find out for me if anyone has contacted her parents.”

She clicks her tongue. “You know I’m not supposed to give you that information, but I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you.” I smile. I know she can’t tell me. They’d been telling me that since I got here, but at least it’ll keep her busy for a while.

I’ve been anxious about Maddie’s family showing up since the moment I arrived. I’d assume the hospital has been in contact with them or they’ve seen it on the news, but as time goes on and they don’t show up, I start to second guess that.

Obviously, her dad is an irredeemable asshole, but I’d expect at least her mom and brothers. I don’t pretend to understand family dynamics, but there’s nothing in the world that could keep me away if my brother was in the hospital.

As I stand to stretch my legs, Maddie’s heart monitor starts to beep faster. I snap my neck in her direction, watching for any sign of movement. Is that...No, it’s just wishful thinking.

Wait. Slowly, her fingers wiggle and I race to the side of the bed, taking her hand in mine. The nurses hear the beeping as well and the room gets crowded.

“Is everything...” Rainbow stethoscope starts.

The words aren’t even out of her mouth when Maddie’s eyelids flutter. After a few seconds, she opens them and blinks several times. Her lips part and she moans gently.

I put my hand to her cheek, tears pooling in my eyes. “Hi baby,” I whisper, completely overcome with relief. She’s awake. After all the unknown and worry, she’s awake, and whatever comes next, we’ll deal with it together.

Maddie moans again, unable to speak with the tube in her throat.

“Sir, I am going to need you to step outside for a second,” one of her doctors says, stepping in front of me and adjusting something on Maddie.

“Can’t I just—”

“Mr. Molanari, the doctor is going to take the breathing tube out and then you can come right back in.” Rainbow Stethoscope smiles.

Unsure, I step back and let them do their jobs as Maddie locks eyes on me. All the other possibilities the doctor told me flood my mind. Does she even recognize me? Is she trying to figure out who I am?

“Madison, my name is Dr. Talbert. Can you hear me?”

Maddie nods her head, watching as I walk outside.

It’s torturous to stand out here and not know what is going on inside her room. I want to be there with her. I want to know if she’s okay.

After about fifteen agonizing minutes, they let me back in. The doctor is standing next to the bed talking to Maddie.

“I need water,” she says softly, a flicker of relief in her eyes when I come back into the room.

“I’ll get it,” I jump in, desperate to take care of her.

Dr. Talbert nods. “Do you know why you’re here, Madison?”

“I...I think...” She glances at me as if looking for reassurance. “There was an explosion.”

With all the awful outcomes the doctor prepared me for, even those words out of her mouth are like music to my ears. She remembers.

“That’s right.” He smiles. “There was an explosion at your hospital in Las Vegas. We brought you here to recover in Denver, and that’s where you’ve been the last few days.”

Maddie is quiet, letting everything sink in as he talks.

“You’ve got some pretty extensive injuries and we’re going to have to talk about recovery, but I’m sure you two are anxious to catch up, so I’m going to let you rest for a bit and then I’ll be back. Sound okay?”

“Thank you.” She nods with a small smile on her lips.

Dr. Talbert and the nurses leave, and then Maddie and I are alone.

There are ten thousand things I want to say, but when I open my mouth to speak, nothing comes out. Instead, Maddie speaks first.

“You’re okay.” She shifts, adjusting her weight in the bed.

I let out a sharp laugh. “I’m okay? You’re the one in a hospital bed right now.”

“When I left the room, I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again.”

“I’m right here, baby.” I walk over and sit next to her on the bed, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. “You’re not going to get rid of me that easily.”

“I’m not sure I’d call a psychopath with a bomb easy…” Maddie smirks, and then her face softens. “Roman, I never really got to tell you how sorry I am for what...”

I shake my head before she can continue. “I don’t want to talk about it. You have nothing to be sorry for. I am the one who should be sorry. I acted like a complete fool and I almost lost you because of it. I’m the one that fucked up, and I hope you’ll forgive me and give me another chance.”

“Of course I will.”

“I swear to God I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you’ll let me.” I grin, kissing her forehead. It’s like I can’t stop touching her, like I’m trying to convince myself she’s real and this isn’t all a dream.

“I think I’ll enjoy watching you try.” Even lying in a hospital bed, she’s still got her feisty spirit. “Where is Ty?”

“He’s back in Las Vegas with Emmett. They airlifted you to Denver after the explosion and I came as soon as I could.

” I put my arm behind her and pull her toward me so that her head rests on my chest, careful not to jostle her too much.

If all the movement hurts her, she doesn’t let on, snuggling into me.

“Your brother?”

I nod. “He came when he got word of the explosion. He’s looking forward to meeting you.”

“And Bauer?” She stiffens.

“He survived the blast, but he was arrested immediately. You don’t need to worry about him anymore.”

“I just can’t believe he would do something like that. He dedicated his entire career to that hospital.” She shakes her head in disbelief.

Well, half of his career. The other half was as a drug dealer.

“He’s a sick man, Maddie. Nothing he did makes sense,” I assure her. “This has been going on for years, and there’s no way you could have known.”

“How many people were killed?”

I hesitate before telling her, knowing it certainly won’t make her feel any better. She’ll find out eventually, though, and it’s better that it comes from me. “Ten. A doctor, two nurses, and seven patients.”

Maddie closes her eyes tightly, biting her lip.

I press a kiss to the top of her head. “Maddie, I want you to put Bauer out of your mind. He’s not going to be a problem for us anymore, I swear.”

“I’ll do my best.” She sighs. “You know what would help?”

“I like where your head’s at, but I don’t think we can get away with having sex in here. Trust me, the nurses are in here all the time.” I give her a cheesy wink.

“Hmm, that sounds good, but I was actually thinking something more along the lines of ice cream. Cookies and cream, to be exact.” She tilts her head up and catches my gaze.

“I’ll tell you what,” I say with a chuckle. “I’ll go down to the cafeteria and try to sneak some up if you promise to stop thinking about Bauer.”

“Deal.”

“I’ll be back in a few minutes. Do you need anything else while I’m gone?” I ask, prying myself away from her. I really don’t want to leave, but I’d do just about anything she asked of me.

“Nope. Just the ice cream.”

“Easy enough.” I give her one last kiss. “I love you, Maddie.”

“I love you, too.”

I slip out the door, shutting it behind me and nearly running into someone as I do.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t—”

He stops when he sees me, and a wicked chill winds through me when I realize who it is.

Maddie’s dad is here.