Chapter 28 343 a.m.
Chapter twenty-eight
Rose
The storm has finally stopped.
Low moonlight seeps through the gray clouds, pale and weak after a night of thunder and mayhem. The smell of rain lingers as emergency lights flash against puddles of water.
Stepping out of the hotel’s main entrance, the cool air pierces my face, and I tug the blanket the EMTs gave me around my body. Moments ago, I finished giving Denny a quick rundown of what happened in that room. He wants a full statement tomorrow, and Mom should be at the hospital soon.
We found her.
She’s safe.
Right now, though, I can’t stress about timelines or how the day played out. Because all I want is to find the man who saved my life.
Our lives.
Across the street, an ambulance sits with its back doors open, light spilling out onto the wet pavement.
Cal’s on a gurney with rain still clinging to his clothes.
His shirt’s torn open around his shoulder where blood seeps through fresh bandages.
Paramedics move quickly around him, their commands clipped and urgent, but the moment he spots me, our eyes meet and hold.
And he smiles.
I dart across the intersection, my heart pounding. No matter how fast I move, it isn’t quick enough.
Within seconds, I’m at his side. The sight of him steals my breath. His dark skin is ashen and almost gray from blood loss, with dark circles bruising his beautiful face.
But he’s here.
He’s alive.
And still so handsome.
“Ma’am, we’re taking him in a few seconds,” the paramedic says firm yet also kind.
Cal turns his head slightly. “Can you give us a minute?”
The paramedic hesitates, then nods, signaling the others to step back, and they scurry away.
And just like that, it’s only us.
“Are you okay?” he inquires, loaded with concern. His hand finds mine, warm against the night chill.
Am I okay? This man took a bullet for me, and he’s wondering if I’m okay.
“I should be asking you that,” I joke, squeezing his hand gently.
He shrugs his good shoulder, a faint smile ghosting across his lips. “It’s only a flesh wound.”
I force a genuine, shaky laugh, tears welling up.
“That right there,” he murmurs, his smile deepening. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”
The mood shifts, turning heavy again. “You saved us,” I choke out.
The corners of his mouth tremble with exhaustion. “Well, getting shot wasn’t part of the plan, but I’ll take it.” He pauses. “I’m so happy we found her.”
My body just reacts—I bend down and kiss him. It’s soft, quick, and full of every emotion coursing through me.
Gratitude.
Happiness.
Exhaustion.
Lust.
And the beginnings of love creeping in.
As I pull back, his knuckles brush against my cheek, both rough and surprisingly gentle.
“Guess that’s your way of saying thank you,” he says on exhale.
I grin. “Something like that.”
“We really have to get going.” The paramedics move to load him into the ambulance, but he grabs my hand before they can roll him away.
“I would love a repeat of that night,” he says without elaborating. I grin, knowing exactly what night he’s referring to.
The night he left me confused on the sidewalk after our amazing date at the bar.
The night he almost kissed me and then bolted.
The night Cal says he regrets more than anything.
The night Niko showed up.
I snicker, even as my eyes sting. “You’re really asking me out right now?”
“Timing’s everything,” he says with a tired grin.
“Of course,” I answer. “But we will make it better this time.”
“Oh, absolutely.” His thumb grazes my palm before he lets go and they lift him into the back of the ambulance. He winks. “I’ll see you soon, Sheridan.”
“Wait!” I call out, cutting through the noise as the EMT reaches for the door. I’m not ready to let him go.
Not quite yet.
Before anyone can stop me, I climb into the rig and reach for him. Our lips meet for a final time before the healing begins. When we pull apart, I cradle his face in my hands, my thumb tracing the rough edge of his jaw.
“The storm we breathe,” I whisper, the words trembling but sure. The same ones on the neon light in his office. A promise of survival, and love.
Us.
His gaze locks with mine, a faint smile curving his lips. “The storm we breathe,” he murmurs.
We’re holding on tight to this moment, too afraid to let go.
“Ma’am, we can’t wait anymore.” The EMT’s words break us from our love haze.
One last peck then I hop out of the rig and the doors close. I watch and yearn as the ambulance pulls away with the sirens echoing faintly in the distance.
Denny stands nearby, talking quietly with officers and hotel security. I cross the street again, and when he sees me, his face softens. “He’s going to be okay.”
“I know. I just—” I lower my head, tugging the blanket tighter.
“Just what?” he asks, leaning, concerned.
“I just realized I don’t have his personal number.”
Denny throws his head back and lets out a deep, hearty laugh. “I can fix that. Only ever gave you the work cell, huh?"
I nod, smiling.
He chuckles, shaking his head. "That Cal. Always so professional." Denny offers me a warm smile. "I'll make sure you get that."
As soon as I have that number, I know exactly what I’m going to do with it. “Thank you.”
“Is your car in the garage?” he asks. “I’ll walk you there.”
A rush of relief washes through me. “Yes, please. I don’t think I will ever look at a parking garage the same way again.”
We fall into a quiet stride, neither of us rushing to fill the silence, leaving the chaos behind us. “Your mom’s stable,” he says after a moment. “She’s going to be all right."
That’s when it hits me. Hearing that all my loved ones are now safe nearly knocks the breath out of me. I press a hand to my stomach and nod. “I know.”
He studies my face for a beat, then says softly, “You did good tonight, Rose.”
“Thank you,” I reply through a tight smile, not completely convinced as my thoughts drift to the mastermind of this whole thing. “What happens to Maggie?”
Denny’s jaw tightens as we turn toward the garage. “Well, she has been arrested and is on her way to the prisoners’ wing of the hospital. As soon as she’s stable, she will be transferred to county. After that, depending on what she’s charged with and pleads, well, that will determine her future.”
“Which I’m sure will be jail time.”
“Yes, more than likely.”
He stops and sets a hand on my shoulder, firm and steady. “Now it’s time to rebuild your life. And for you and your mom to heal.” I nod. “You sure you want to give Cal a chance? He can be a handful.”
We both laugh. “Yes. I do. More than anything.”
6:41 a.m.
Hours later, at the hospital, I sit at Mom’s bedside and watch her drift into sleep. The first appearance of morning streams in through the window. Steady beeps of the monitors fill the silence. A rhythm I can finally trust. She’s alive. She’s here. That’s all that matters.
Mom kept insisting I go home, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave. So, I called my neighbor to let out Juno as I pulled up a chair next to her bed.
Mom was having a hard time sleeping, despite her exhaustion. The doctor finally gave her something to help her rest, and when her breathing evens out into soft, steady snores, I smile. That sound is the most comforting thing I’ve heard in days.
I rise quietly and kiss her forehead. “I’ll be back in a few hours, Mom,” I promise.
God, I can’t wait to go home and take a long, hot bath, sleep, curl up with Juno, and call Cal.
Denny did give me his number, after all.
As I step into the hallway, fatigue catches up with me, but something else does too.
A thought.
A pull.
A need.
When I spot Denny down the hall talking with an officer, I draw in a deep breath and make my way toward him. He sees me, offering a small, tired smile. I’m sure he’s been awake for over twenty-four hours.
“I want to talk to her,” I demand, steadier than I appear.
His smile fades. He doesn’t ask who I mean. He already knows. “Maggie’s in police custody,” he retorts. “She’s under guard.”
“Please,” I beg quietly. “It will only take a few minutes.”
He studies me for a long moment before agreeing. “You get five. I’ll take you there.”
Two floors higher now, and this area of the hospital is colder, less friendly. The hallway grows more sterile the farther we go. When we reach the guarded door, two armed officers stand outside, arms crossed, their expressions like stone. When they see Denny, they both offer a single nod.
I peek through the narrow window.
Maggie sits semi-upright in the hospital bed.
Her arm is in a sling, while a cuff secures the hand of her good arm to the bed.
A brace is wrapped around her neck while a stiff white blanket covers her legs.
Her normally perfect hair is a complete mess.
She’s staring out the window, and her face is lit by the light of morning.
A sharp ache cuts through me. She’s a stranger now, nothing like the friend and cousin I grew up with. When did everything fall apart? How did we get so lost? And how was I so blind?
I shake these thoughts free and square my shoulders. Plus, the therapy needed to address these questions is going to cost me a fortune. Thanks, Maggie.
“She’s stable,” Denny says gently, the edge gone from his voice. “Cal’s aim is always perfect. The bullet only grazed her shoulder. He wasn’t trying to kill her, just stop her.” He pauses, watching my reaction before continuing, “We’ll be transferring her to county soon.”
Good. I do not want her in the same building as my mom.
He steps a little closer, lowering his voice. “Do you want me to go in with you?” he asks, quiet but steady, like he’s ready to shield me from whatever’s waiting on the other side of that door.
I’m still staring through the glass. “No. I’ll be okay.”
“I’ll be right here.” He opens the door for me.
Maggie’s head jerks toward the sound. The moment she sees me, her shallow expression hardens, sharpening like glass.
"Come to gloat?” she rasps, her voice hoarse from Niko's strength.
I step inside, closing the door behind me. “No. I just …” My thoughts falter. I hadn’t thought this through. “In a weird way, I wanted to make sure you’re okay.” It’s true. Why? I don’t know, really. When I look at her, I see my Maggie. But then, I remember.
Her lips twist. “How generous of you.”
I swallow hard, trying to steady myself. “You threw your life away, Maggie. You could’ve had so much—love, friends, a future that actually meant something. But you chose this instead … to hurt us. Kill us. And for what?”
Her eyes flash as she trembles with rage. “Don’t you dare pretend you care about me! You took everything, Rose! You always did. All the attention, friends, even Niko’s love. And now, you have Cal.” Her voice cracks. “You think I could stand there and watch you have what I never did?”
“I didn’t take anything from you,” I respond softly. As mad as I am, I won’t stoop to her level of bitterness and hate. “You couldn’t see that no one was keeping it from you either.”
She stares at me for a long moment, her breathing uneven.
Then she looks away. “I hate you,” she murmurs.
“Always have. I always will.” Her attention snaps back to me, sharp like daggers.
“God, do you know what a relief it is to say that? Not to pretend anymore and act fake. Act as if I loved you.” She rolls her eyes.
“It’s so liberating, you know? Keeping up that act was exhausting, let me tell you. ”
With a single nod, something inside me settles. An unexpected calm.
Maggie is gone. Whoever she used to be … she’s not coming back. I’m not sure she ever existed to begin with. And accepting that might be the only way I survive this. The only way I move on.
“Good,” I say quietly, meeting her stare. “I’m glad you finally stopped pretending.”
Her nostrils flare, anger sparking hard and fast, but I push on before she can twist it into something else.
“And don’t worry about faking anything anymore,” I add low and steady. “You won’t ever have to see me again.”
I walk toward the door, then glance back one last time. “Enjoy prison, Maggie.”
Her laugh is low and humorless. “Enjoy your perfect life. While it lasts.”
I walk out before she can say another word. And I leave her behind.
Forever.
Denny is waiting in the hall, arms crossed, his expression soft with something akin to pride. “She’s not worth another thought,” he says gently. “You’ve been through enough.”
Maybe he’s right. Maybe it’s time to stop replaying the what-ifs and start believing in what’s next.
“Go home. Get some rest. We’ll be in touch.” Without thinking, I go in for a hug. “Woah,” he stumbles back from the embrace. Then, he wraps his arms around me.
“Thank you,” I mumble into his chest. “For everything.”
When I step outside, the early morning air is cool and clean, washing away the weight of everything that’s happened. And as I look up, the clouds are finally breaking, revealing the first trace of morning light.