no turning back

• fifty two •

elijah

The doctor flashed me a polite smile as she fiddled with the various sensors and lines attached to me. I tried not to look or it would make me queasy. Not much could rattle me, but there was something unnatural about having so many foreign things plugged into me.

"She hasn't left your side since they brought you in," said the doctor.

I lifted my head to see her, grimacing at the pain that rippled through my ribs. "Oh, yeah?"

"Mhm." She eyed me over her tablet. "I see lots of loved ones, including spouses, and I have to say—it's been a long time since I've seen a woman look at her husband like yours does at you."

A smile curled at my lips. I didn't doubt her love for me at all. She could have taken this chance to run away from me, but she stayed here by my side, day and night. She was the reason I was spared from that entire situation and had the chance to dispense my uncle for good. Damn, I love the fuck out of that girl.

"I love her very much," I murmured.

She mirrored my smile. "I can tell. Maybe a love like that will find me someday," she added dreamily, and I chuckled. "Well, I think you might live, Elijah."

"Great. Where do I sign?"

"Not so fast. You haven't been drinking your water, so I fear you owe me one more night."

I sigh. "Can't you send me home with an IV or something?"

"You have two broken ribs. Trust me when I say you don't want to try to leave that hospital bed right now. Tomorrow morning even won't be easy."

She didn't know I'd been shot, stabbed, and knocked out on multiple occasions, and I'd never been hospitalized for any of them. I was pretty sure I'd be fine.

"Don't make me alert security on you," she said.

"Fine," I grumbled. "Are we done here?"

Chuckling, she nodded and grabbed her tablet. "Yes. Hit the button if you need anything."

"Send her back in here. Please."

"Sure," she said, smiling to herself as she strolled out of my room.

I let out a long breath, relieved to be rid of her presence. There was only one woman whose presence I wished to be in at this moment. I relaxed at the idea of my sweet wife returning to me, hands itching to pull her onto the bed and hold her. The devastating dread I experienced when I thought Ammu had her and was going to use her against me . . . I couldn't believe she was here, safe and sound and wholesome.

One could imagine how quickly that relief turned to alarm when a balding man stepped into the room. He moved deftly, like he was sneaking about. My eyes narrowed on him as I stiffened against the starchy sheets.

"Benjamin Cast," I declared.

"Elijah Zare," he mocked my derisive tone with a smirk. "I'm sure you've pieced together how you got saved. Don't act so surprised to see me."

"I didn't expect you to come all this way, that's all."

"Of course I am. Gladys is like a daughter to me. I've been searching for you for months now, wondering if you'd killed her or trafficked her over the border."