Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Adelaide
I held Axel tight to my chest as I walked into Tristan’s hospital room, swallowing past the lump in my throat at the sight of his pale features. He was connected to an oxygen machine, a heart monitor, an IV drip, and multiple other cords.
I strode over to his bed, running my eyes over his features. He looked weak, not at all like the strong, dominating man I had known for most of my life.
“Darlin’…” River drawled softly as he stepped into the room. I slowly ripped my eyes from the pale, weak man lying in the hospital bed to look over at River. “The doctor asked me to come to tell you that he needs to run some more brain scans on Tristan.”
My bottom lip trembled as I fought hard to keep myself composed. Turning my head, I stared back down at Tristan’s still form. “Adelaide?” River softly called. He stepped closer to me, shadowing me. My fingers shook as I adjusted Axel to one arm and reached out to run my fingers down Tristan’s face. His skin was warm, but with how dead he looked, he might as well have been cold and lifeless.
“Why him?” I asked, my voice breaking.
River gently grabbed my arm and turned me around to face him, pulling me into his arms as I clutched Axel tighter against my chest. Tears streamed down my face as River held me in his arms, giving me as much of his strength as he could.
“I don’t know why it had to be him, darlin’,” River said quietly, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “Tristan is strong. I think you should give him a chance of surviving before you make any kind of decision on pulling the plug on him.”
Jesup had informed me of the decision the doctor had put into his hands. I hated that Jesup was now putting it into mine. I would never be able to pull the plug on Tristan. I was selfish enough that I would keep him in that hospital bed and unresponsive for the rest of my life if it was what kept him here on Earth with me.
I looked up at River through my tears, only to find him already looking down at me with understanding, blue eyes, but they were also clouded with the pain of seeing me falling apart. “You really think he’ll pull through?” I asked him, my voice breaking.
River nodded. Reaching up, he gently wiped my tears off of my cheeks. “Tristan is still madly in love with you, Adelaide,” River quietly reminded me. “He’ll pull through this, no matter how long it takes him. He hasn’t given up on the idea of you and him yet, and that may be what saves his life this time. Even if it takes him a long time, I have a pretty damn good feeling that he’ll make it through this.”
I rested my forehead against his chest. “Why are you such a good man?” He put up with so much with me. I knew he wanted me all to himself, though he would never admit it. What man didn’t? No man wanted to be with a woman knowing she could never let go of the other men in her life.
“I’m not a good man, darlin’,” River bluntly corrected me as he ran his calloused hands up and down my arms. “I just want to be decent enough for you because I love you, and I hate seeing you like this. I want you to have everything you need. That’s all.” He leaned down and brushed his lips to my forehead.
A knock sounded on the door, and River and I both looked up to see Tristan’s doctor stepping into the room. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but it’s time for Tristan’s CT scan,” he told us, a silent cue for us to leave the room.
I nodded in understanding and turned around to face Tristan. I grabbed his hand in mine, squeezing gently. “Please pull through. I need you here with me, no matter how much you hurt me,” I said so quietly that I wasn’t even sure if River could hear me.
Giving Tristan’s hand one last, gentle squeeze, I walked out of the hospital room.