Page 29

Eve

I don't know when I woke up or how long I'd been unconscious, but the beeping of the machines around me brought me back to consciousness, a steady rhythm grounding me in the present. My body felt like it had been through hell, every muscle sore and bruised, but the most overwhelming sensation was the weight on my chest, like something was finally right.

I tried to move, but a sharp pain shot through my side, and I winced. My ribs. I could feel the soreness in my wrist, and when I tried to adjust it, there was a dull ache that confirmed it was fractured. My whole body felt like it had been crushed under something heavy. There were bruises everywhere—on my arms, my legs, across my stomach, and my neck. The ones on my face were the worst. I could feel the puffiness and tenderness when I touched it, the bruises making my reflection look like a stranger.

But the most overwhelming sensation wasn't the pain. It was the steady, comforting pressure of someone's hand in mine.

At first, my vision was blurry. It took a moment for my eyes to focus, but when they did, the first thing I saw was him. Carson. His face was drawn, his eyes closed, his hand loosely gripping mine as he sat in a chair next to my bed. My heart flipped in my chest, the pulse in my neck racing, and for a brief moment, I wondered if I was still dreaming.

"Carson..." My voice was raw, barely above a whisper, but it didn't matter. He heard me. His eyes snapped open, panic flooding his features as he jerked forward, his grip tightening on my hand.

"Eve? Eve, you're awake..." His voice was hoarse, and I could see the relief in his eyes, the way his breath hitched as if he could finally exhale after holding his breath for what felt like forever.

I smiled weakly, trying to push away the haze in my mind. "I'm okay," I managed, the words coming out hoarser than I'd meant, but I smiled anyway. "I'm okay."

Carson shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes, and I felt my heart squeeze in my chest. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, his eyes bloodshot, his hair a mess, but none of that mattered. He was here. With me.

"I was so scared," he said quietly, his voice breaking. "You have no idea, Eve. I thought I... I thought I lost you."

I reached up weakly, brushing a stray tear from his cheek. "You didn't. I'm here."

For a moment, there was silence between us, the soft sound of the machines and his shaky breaths filling the space. I didn't want to think about the past, not right now. Not when he was here. Not when he was beside me.

I squeezed his hand, and then, before I could think better of it, I whispered, "Kiss me, Carson. Please."

His eyes widened, the flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. "Eve, I don't want to hurt you—"

"I need you," I interrupted, my voice firm despite the weakness in my body. "I need to feel you, Carson. Please."

The hesitation in his eyes faded, but I could see how much he wanted to protect me, how deeply he cared. He leaned down, his lips just brushing mine at first, as if waiting for me to change my mind. But I didn't. I pulled him closer, kissing him more urgently, and he kissed me back, his lips soft and gentle at first, then with more intensity, as if making up for lost time. My heart raced against my ribcage, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt whole.

When we pulled back, he looked at me, his forehead pressed against mine, breathing heavily. "I'm not going anywhere, Eve. I'm not leaving you again."

I kissed him again, deeper this time, his hands trembling as they cupped my face, his breath shaky as if he couldn't believe I was really there. The sensation of his lips on mine felt like coming home. Like everything was finally right in the world.

I smiled, but before I could say anything, the door creaked open, and Luke stepped inside. His eyes immediately found mine, a flash of relief crossing his face before he shut the door behind him, walking to the side of the bed.

"You're awake," he said quietly, but there was no mistaking the tenderness in his voice. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Luke reached out, giving my hand a gentle squeeze, and I could see the years of pain between us in the way he looked at me—like he wasn't sure if we could ever repair what our father broke inside us. But I knew one thing: we had time. We had time to figure it out now that he was put behind bars.

Lizzie and Katie followed Luke in, both of them looking at me with a mixture of relief and joy. Lizzie immediately pulled me into a tight hug, her voice cracking as she whispered, "You scared the hell out of me, Eve. I didn't know what I'd do if—"

"I'm okay, Lizzie," I managed to whisper, though the words didn't feel like they could ever be enough.

Katie moved closer too, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "You're so strong, Eve. We knew you'd make it."

I smiled softly, feeling the warmth of their love surround me. But even with all the care and concern from my friends, there was only one person whose presence made everything feel real.

Carson.

He was still by my side, still holding my hand like he couldn't bear to let go. His thumb gently stroked the back of my hand, grounding me in a way nothing else could. And when I looked at him, his eyes softened in a way that made my chest ache.

"I'm not going anywhere, Eve," he whispered again, his voice filled with the kind of certainty I hadn't heard in weeks. "I'm staying here. With you."

I knew he meant it. And in that moment, something inside me snapped into place. I didn't need anything else. All I needed was him.

I pulled him closer, my body aching, but I didn't care. "Kiss me again," I said softly. "Please."

Carson hesitated for a split second, his eyes searching mine like he was afraid to hurt me. But then, without a word, he leaned down, his lips capturing mine with a tenderness that made my heart swell.

It was like everything else in the world fell away—my brother, our friends, the hospital room, the pain, the past. In that kiss, it was just Carson and me, and nothing else mattered. I kissed him back with everything I had, letting the weight of all the time we had lost fall away. When we finally pulled apart, I was breathless, my chest rising and falling quickly.

"I love you," I whispered, my voice trembling with the words I had kept inside for so long.

Carson's eyes were bright with emotion. "I love you too, Eve. I never stopped loving you. Not for a second."

There was a silence between us, a quiet understanding that passed without words. We didn't need to talk about the past right now. We didn't need to go through all the things that had torn us apart. We knew, both of us, that this was our chance to start over, to heal together.

I squeezed his hand gently, still aching, still bruised, but with the strongest sense of clarity I had ever felt. "Don't leave me, Carson. I can't do this without you."

He smiled softly, brushing his thumb over the back of my hand. "I'm not going anywhere. Not now. Not ever."

And for the first time, I believed him.

The room remained quiet, the only sounds coming from the beeping machines and the soft voices of my friends talking amongst themselves. I was surrounded by love, by people who cared about me. But my eyes kept drifting back to Carson, his unwavering presence beside me.

The hours passed, and with every one that went by, I felt stronger. More alive. More like myself.

Eventually, everyone else drifted out of the room, leaving me and Carson alone. I could feel the exhaustion creeping back in, but I wasn't ready to sleep—not yet. Not while he was here.

"You should get some rest," Carson said softly, noticing how my eyes kept fluttering closed. "I'll stay here. You don't have to worry about anything."

I shook my head, a small smile pulling at my lips. "I'm not sleeping without you."

Carson chuckled quietly, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. "I'm not going anywhere, Eve. I'm right here."

And for the rest of the night, he stayed. Holding my hand. Sitting by my side. Not once leaving me.

The sound of commotion in the hallway jolted me awake hours later. It wasn't the soft, comforting sounds of my friends, but the harsh, angry voices of men shouting.

"What the hell is going on?" I whispered, trying to sit up, but the pain in my side made me gasp.

Carson immediately stood, his eyes narrowing in concern. "Stay here, Eve. Don't move."

I wanted to protest, but before I could, the door flew open, and I saw him. My father. He was being led by two officers, his hands cuffed behind him, and his face was contorted in rage. He spotted me immediately, his eyes locking onto mine with pure venom.

"Eve!" he screamed, his voice cutting through the air like a knife. "You think you can get away with this? You think you can do this to me?"

I felt a wave of nausea hit me at the sight of him, but before I could react, Carson was standing in front of me, his fists clenched. "You stay the hell away from her," he spat, his voice low and threatening.

"Carson, stop," I said softly, reaching for his hand. But he was already stepping forward, his anger flaring.

"I'm not going to let him get away with what he did to you, Eve," Carson growled, but before he could take another step, I kissed him. I kissed him with everything I had, with all the raw emotion I'd been holding back.

"Please, Carson," I whispered between kisses. "Don't."

He froze, the tension in his body dissolving as he looked down at me, his anger still simmering beneath the surface. "I just want to protect you, Eve."

"I know. But not like this. Not for me."

He exhaled shakily, nodding. "Anything for you."

The door slammed shut behind my father, and we were left alone again, the echo of his curses still ringing in my ears. But Carson was right. We didn't need to fight him anymore. Not like this.

We were stronger than he'd ever be. And together, nothing could tear us apart.