Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Laney
As I peel my eyes open, my head throbs in pain. The sound of a machine clicking isn’t helping, and just as I look around the white room, a blood pressure cuff squeezes my arm.
I hate these damn things.
“Ms. Bennett, you’re awake.” A soothing voice echoes as a nurse enters the room with a rolling computer cart and stands next to me.
“Am I? Or is this the afterlife?” I squint at the sunlight coming in through the window.
She smirks, shaking her head. “You’re gonna be alright, don’t worry. That boyfriend of yours, however...I finally kicked him out to get some fresh air.”
“Ayden’s here?” I wince as I try to move. “Where’s Serena?”
“Broken rib,” she tells me, fluffing a pillow near my side. “That little sweetie pie is just fine. She’s with your mom in the waitin’ room. Most likely talkin’ the staff’s ears off about how she’s goin’ to go live on a ranch and have a bunch of horses. She’s already named six.”
I try to laugh, but it hurts.
“What happened?”
“Airbag went off in your car when the bomb exploded and knocked your head right into the metal doorframe. You had your seat belt on, so when the airbag hit you, it smacked right into your chest. Hell, it did its job, but the car wasn’t moving, so the impact crashed into your body.
Thank the Lord above you didn’t break your collarbone or jaw.
Those usually require surgery. Could’ve been much worse, Ms. Bennett.
A broken rib and a concussion are minor injuries compared to what could’ve happened.
The explosion made the roof of your garage collapse.
A rib could’ve punctured your lung. The whiplash could’ve fractured your skull. A guardian angel was lookin’ over ya.”
“Wait, what? The garage? What about Zane?”
“The security guy?” she inquires, and I nod. “I’m so sorry, miss. He didn’t make it.”
My eyes widen just as the door flies open, and Ayden bursts in. The nurse tells me she’ll be back in a little while.
“Oh thank fuck. You’re awake, baby.” He grabs my hand and then cups my face. “How are you feelin’?”
Confused. Heartbroken. Scared.
I swallow hard, my throat dry and sore. “Serena’s okay?”
“Fine, sweetheart. Little warrior barely got a bruise.” Ayden brushes his thumb over my cheek and tucks loose strands of hair behind my ear. “She was buckled in the back seat, safe and sound.”
I rolled my window down to talk to Zane and then...I heard it. Boom.
“The nurse says Zane didn’t make it?” I suck in my bottom lip.
Ayden shakes his head, lowering his eyes.
“A piece from the ceiling fell and landed on top of his chest. His lungs collapsed, and the impact of the explosion made him lose consciousness. He wasn’t breathing by the time the paramedics arrived.
They worked on him for a half hour, but it was too late. ”
Tears surface and fall down my cheeks. I can’t believe he’s dead.
“How long ago?” I ask, unsure of how long I’ve been here.
Ayden carefully sits next to me on the bed. “Two days ago. You’ve been in and out because of the pain meds, and they’ve been monitoring your concussion. Swelling went down this mornin’ and they decreased your meds so you’d wake up.”
“Do you know what happened? There was a bomb?”
With his help, I manage to sit up and inhale a deep breath. My head is spinning, and not only because of the injury.
“It’s still an ongoing investigation, but early preliminaries have said a bomb was planted in the livin’ room. Most likely they were nearby to see that Zane was there, and when y’all were headin’ out, they activated it.”
“Your dad...”
“He has two warrants out—one for questioning in Gabby’s case and the other in regard to the explosion. They found him on surveillance at a Home Depot four days ago.”
“That’s the last he’s been seen?” That would’ve been Friday.
“Yeah, the day after Judge Carmichael would’ve received the file we sent him.”
“Someone tipped him off,” I murmur.
“Looks that way. Boyd isn’t happy. The police department put out a wanted alert. Wherever he’s hidin’, they’ll find him.”
“How are they gonna link him to the bomb?”
“Don’t worry about that, sweetheart. They have lots of ways.”
How is he so calm knowing his dad is out there somewhere?
“What aren’t you tellin’ me?”
Serena rushes in ahead of my mom before Ayden can answer. “Mommy!”
Ayden stands to give her room so she can hug me. “Easy, baby,” he tells her.
Serena gets as close as she can, and I kiss her cheek. We chat before the nurse comes in to check my vitals. Ayden watches, and I know he’s keeping something from me.
Once the room has cleared and my mom takes Serena home for the night, Ayden sits next to me with a cup of soup. He’s insisted on feeding me, and because it hurts to lift my arm, I let him.
“How is it?”
“Bland,” I say honestly.
“Well, don’t get too full. Green Jell-O is next.” His mock amusement almost has me laughing.
I finish the soup and flavorless Jell-O, then Ayden fusses with my pillows until I tell him I’m comfortable. The truth is, my ribs hurt like hell. But not much can be done about that.
He lifts the blanket and removes my sock. “You want a foot massage?”
“Sure, and while you’re doin’ that, tell me the truth about what’s goin’ on.”
He raises a brow as his thumb digs into the arch. “About what?”
“The explosion happened two days ago, and you don’t seem the least bit concerned that the man who put me in here and killed Zane is out there somewhere.”
His eyes lower as he stays silent.
“Why don’t we have security now? Is someone watchin’ my mom and Serena? Is there a guard out my door?”
“No.”
“Ayden Carson, I swear to—”
“He’s dead,” he blurts out, and I blink. “Sweetheart, he’s dead, and he’ll never hurt us again.”