Chapter 306

“You’re stable.”

Her eyes were wide, and her lips had pressed together. She was trying to be brave enough to hear the answer.

He brushed a loose strand of hair away from her forehead.

“You made it through surgery. The doctors are pleased with your progress. You’re still recovering, and there are things they’ll need to keep watching, but right now, you’re here. You’re awake. You’re talking to me.”

He swallowed. “That’s what I know.”

Kylie looked at him for a long moment. Then she nodded. “Okay.”

However, her eyes were filling.

He noticed the first tear before it could fall.

It gathered along her lower lashes, making the blue of her eyes look even brighter. She blinked quickly, turning her face slightly toward the window.

Christian’s heart twisted. “Hey.”

“I’m fine.”

He did not challenge her.bHe simply moved his chair closer to the bed. “Okay.”

She sniffed. “I’m just tired.”

“I know.”

“And everything hurts.”

“I know, baby.”

“And I feel weird.”

“That’s allowed.”

She shook her head faintly. “No, I mean—”

Her voice cracked.

She stopped.

Christian watched her fight it.

He could almost see the decision being made behind her eyes. The familiar, automatic effort to gather herself before anyone could witness the part of her that was not composed.

Kylie had always been good at turning her feelings into something manageable.

A joke. A smile. A dramatic complaint that made everybody laugh before they could ask whether she was actually okay.

She could make almost anything look lighter than it was.

He lifted his free hand and gently rubbed her hair. “It’s okay. It’s okay. Just breathe.”

Her eyes squeezed shut.

He stroked her hair again, slowly, the way he had done during the worst moments of her panic.

“If you want to cry, just cry.”

She shook her head. One tear slipped down her temple and disappeared into her hair.

“Blue.”

“I’m not—”

“You don’t have to explain it.”

Her mouth trembled.

He brushed his thumb over her forehead.

“It’s alright to cry to regulate your nervous system,” he told her softly. “You don’t have to hold everything in just because you’re awake now. You’re safe enough to feel what happened.”

She opened her eyes.

For a second, she looked almost offended.

“Are you giving me a lecture about my nervous system?”

Christian’s mouth twitched. “Would you prefer a PowerPoint presentation?”

A tiny laugh escaped her.

It immediately turned into a wince.

“Ow.”

“Okay. No laughing. That’s an order.”

“You’re not my doctor.”

“Thank God. I’d be a terrible one.”

She tried to smile. Then her eyes filled again.

Christian’s expression softened. “Hey. Come back to me.”

She looked at him. “I’m here.”

“I know.”

He leaned closer, letting her see his face.

“I’m right here.”

Her lower lip trembled. “I thought—”

She stopped.

Christian’s chest tightened.

He knew she was trying to find the words for something neither of them had wanted to think about.

He waited.

“I thought I was going to die.”

The room seemed to become quieter.

Christian did not move.

“Yeah,” he finally whispered.

Her gaze held his. “I was so scared.”

Christian bowed his head.

“Everything was strange. I couldn’t tell if I was dreaming. But I kept hearing your voice.”

Christian raised his face, and stared at her. “What did you hear?”

She looked embarrassed. “I don’t know.”

“Anything?”

She swallowed. “I heard you say my name repeatedly.”

He pressed his lips together.

She watched his expression change. “Christian?”

He shook his head once, trying to steady himself. “Nothing, baby. I’m listening.”

“You look like you’re going to cry.”

“I’m not.”

She gave him the faintest smile. Then she grew serious again.

“I heard you say my name,” she repeated. “And I wanted to answer you.”

Christian’s fingers tightened around hers.

“But I couldn’t.”

He looked away.

Kylie noticed. She shifted her fingers against his palm.

“Christian.”

He raised his face.

Her eyes were full of tears again, but she was no longer looking toward the window or trying to hide them from him.

“I wanted to tell you I was there.”

His jaw worked.

“I wanted to tell you I could hear you.”

He nodded. “I know, Kylie.”

He bent over their joined hands, pressing his forehead against them.

For a few seconds, he could not speak.

Kylie watched him.

“Baby,” she whispered.

He shook his head. “Give me a second.”

She waited.

He took a slow breath, then another. When he finally lifted his head, his eyes were red. He looked almost angry with himself for it.

Kylie had never wanted to kiss him more.

“Come here,” she whispered.

He leaned closer at once.

She could not lift her arms properly, and the movement pulled at something sore beneath the hospital gown. Her face tightened.

Christian noticed immediately.b”Easy. Don’t move too much.”

“I wasn’t going anywhere.”

“I know. I’m coming to you.”

He carefully adjusted himself beside the bed, one hand supporting her shoulder while the other stayed away from her wound. He did not pull her into a hug or ask her to stretch farther than she could manage.

Instead, he lowered his face until his forehead rested lightly against hers. They stayed like that.

Their noses almost touched.

His eyes closed.

Kylie could feel his breath against her cheek. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

His eyes opened. “For what?”

She looked down. “For scaring you.”

He stared at her. Then he pulled back just enough to see her properly. “No. Don’t apologise to me for being shot.”

“I wasn’t going to say that.”

“Good. Because I would have to be very rude about it.”

Despite herself, she smiled.

He brushed his thumb along her cheek. “You don’t have to apologise for what happened to you.”

Her smile faded. She looked at him.

Her body was too tired for that, and every movement seemed to remind her that she had been hurt. The tears came quietly at first, gathering beneath her eyes and sliding down her cheeks.

Then her breathing faltered.

Christian reached for the tissue box and gently wiped one tear away. “That’s it,” he murmured. “Take your time.”

She tried to speak, but nothing came out.

He stroked her hair.

“You’re okay. You’re here. You’re breathing. You don’t have to do anything else right now.”

She shook her head, crying harder.

“I couldn’t—” She swallowed, her voice breaking. “I couldn’t move properly. And everything was happening so fast, and you were there, and I couldn’t tell if you were hurt, and I thought—”

She stopped to catch her breath.

Christian’s face had gone pale.