The Merger (BWWM - Book #1 / Complete)

Chapter 15 - The Bodyguard

Chase's POV

"Ladies and gentlemen, we just received breaking news. Layla Jordan was rushed to the hospital today. While at the movie theater in The Palm Willow Resort and Spa, some monster threw a piece of contaminated  glass at her. She is currently in critical condition at Diamond Grove General Hospital. Our thoughts and prayers are with Layla and her family."

There is only one person that I can think of who did this - Miranda. She is a walking dead woman.

"When I find her, she is going to have the same fate as Candi. When are people going to stop testing me?"

I got on my phone and made a quick phone call to the receptionist desk.

Austin's POV

The nurse came back. "I have Ms. Jordan's room number now. It is 1408."

"Austin, you can go ahead with Braelyn first."

"Come on, baby girl. Let's go see mommy. Thanks, Ryan."

"Follow me please." So, Braelyn and I followed the nurse to Layla's room. When Braelyn and I walked into Layla's room, I could see my little munchkin became sad. I was too. Layla was hooked up to a breathing machine. They had her propped up on her side so she would not lay on her back. I walked around the bed to see what that guy did to her neck. "My goodness, look at the gash on her neck."

"Daddy, is mommy going to be okay?" Braelyn asked me as she laid her head on my shoulder.

"Let's hope so, baby girl."

"Layla, please wake up for us. Fight through this pain you are feeling. You are a strong, beautiful woman who raised a strong, beautiful daughter. To say it hurts seeing you like this is an understatement. Everyone misses you. I miss you."

"Mommy, I miss you. Please be okay."

"Braelyn, blow mommy a kiss."

"Love you, mommy. Please get better soon." Then, Braelyn laid her head back on my shoulder. Then, we left the room.

Ryan's POV

I saw Austin and Braelyn coming back into the waiting room. Braelyn was in tears. "I can't go in there by myself."

"Ryan, I can go with you if you would like."

"Yes, I would like some company. Thanks, Kam."

"Before you go, Kamea, please do not stress yourself when you go in. I do not want to have you admitted, understand?"

"I promise, handsome. Come on, Ryan. Let's go."

I was scared to see Layla but need to see her. I craved to hold Layla close to me. Kam noticed and grabbed my arm. "Layla is a fighter, Ryan - literally, she is. She almost beat Miranda up at the resort. Layla will fight through this. I just know it."

I hope Kam is right. When we walked in Layla's room, I was really hurt to see her in this state. A thought popped in my mind, so I asked Kam for her opinion.

"Can I ask you something? Since you are Layla's best friend, do you think she would elope with me? We would still have our wedding in April."

"I think she would. You both could do what Cris and I did. He had just asked me to be his girlfriend. But I didn't want to wait for a while until a wedding. So, I asked him if we could get married. And, then, have a ceremony for family and friends."

"That sounds like a great idea. After what happened in Milan and here, I want us to be together now more than ever. And before we were going to have a big wedding in April. But, now I am thinking small with just family and friends."