Wreck Me - Page 199

Exhaustion drags me under, and when Dane sits next to me, I place my cheek on his shoulder. It feels surreal that we did it. He takes my hand, interlinking our fingers. Something clicks into place, and it’s like I can breathe freely for the first time in my life.

The doctor announces that he removed the bullet from Celine’s bicep and no bone was affected, and she is recovering in her private room.

When Kaden goes to see her, I snuggle myself into Dane’s side, needing to feel him close, assuring myself he’s fine. Emotions overwhelm me. Silent tears rock my chest. He lifts me into his lap, and I bury my face in his neck as he caresses my back.

“Shh, I’m here. I’m okay, and she will be too.”

When I lift my gaze, I see Blake leaning against the opposite wall with his head lowered. Mia looks at him, worry etched in her eyes. Bailey sits in the chair furthest from us, eyes stuck on her phone while Hunter glares at her.

“Really? Can’t you put that damn phone away for a second?”

Rolling her eyes at him, she ignores him.

“I’m going to get you a tea,” Dane says, placing me back in my seat.

When he’s gone, I have a strange urge to rush after him and tell him not to leave, but he won’t.

I approach Blake and ask, “Why?”

“This is not the place nor the time.”

“There won’t be any better time for a member of my family to tell me why he worked for the enemy when he should have just pretended to do it.”

“I was trying to get in. That was the only way. I bought us time.”

“Did you tell them about Dane?”

“That was all on you.”

A weight lifts from my shoulders. To believe he’s a traitor would upend my whole belief system, but that doesn’t mean I am fine with what he did behind our backs.

“I started afterward, when I saw what they were capable of…”

“You could have told me.”

“I didn’t want to risk it.”

“I’m mad at you. I don’t know if I can forgive you.”

He nods, and I take the tea from Dane’s hand, returning to our seats.

When Kaden comes out and Celine’s parents leave, we rush inside, stumbling over each other to get to her first.

She chuckles and hisses at the same time when she sees us. Kaden grumbles low in his throat, eyeing us as if it’s our fault.

“We did it,” she says, and our group moves to her bedside.

“You saved me,” Celine tells Blake, who stands in the corner.

“No, you did that.”

“I call for a girl’s night out. No, make that multiple,” I say, and the girls nod enthusiastically.

“How are you feeling?” Bailey asks.

“She’s drugged out of her mind. She feels great,” says Dane, making Celine chuckle.

“Don’t do this solo again, okay? I was worried,” Mia says.