Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 69772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
She scoffed. “You do realize, right, that she would still be here, trying to break us up. At least now there’s nothing to break up.”
“Well, she just assaulted the woman I love,” I bluntly stated, not trying to hide how I felt about her. “As a police officer, she’s held to a higher standard than most. And I don’t care if she was once my friend. She owes it to the citizens of Dallas to treat the population with kindness. What she did today was unbecoming of a DPD officer. Or any officer for that matter.”
Shayne’s poor, blackened eyes turned to me. “You what?”
“Which part are you what’n?” I wondered.
I knew which part she was referring to. I just wanted her to say it.
“The, uh, love part.” She swallowed.
I grumbled under my breath, then stood up and stiffly started to walk around the room, resuming my pacing from earlier.
“I haven’t stopped loving you since the day I was stupid enough to tell you that the police department came first.” I stopped and turned to stare at her, letting her know the seriousness of my words by holding her gaze. “I was dumb. Plain and simple. I thought I could scare you away from your brother. It was stupid, and childish. I should’ve had a full conversation with you instead of trying to play the love card, making you choose. I know that wasn’t fair. It’s not easy to step away from your family. I should know better than most. I just… I was so frustrated. Your absolute love for your brother was going to get you in trouble. He was going to bring you down…”
I started my pacing again. “I guess me leaving you, breaking your heart and mine in the process, still served the purpose I was trying to accomplish—you getting away from your brother. You joined the military, didn’t fight for us at all, and never looked back. I fell on the scraps you offered me over the years like a starving dog. Every time you called, it didn’t matter where I was, or what I was doing, I dropped everything to get to you. Leave in the middle of a shift? Did it. Leave in the middle of dinner with my family? Did it multiple times. Woke up after only thirty minutes of sleep? I’d fuckin’ die for you, so a little less sleep than necessary wasn’t going to kill me.
“I’ve been trying to get you to give me another chance for what feels like forever now. Every time I bring it up, you shut me down… as you should. I broke something that was integral to our relationship when I left, and I deserve all of this and more. But, for fuck’s sake, Shayne! You’re the love of my life. And I’m the love of yours. This stops now. Because if I have to go through one more day like today, hearing my team hurt you so badly, I just might lose it on everyone. I’ll go fuckin’ psycho on…”
“Um, sir?”
We both looked toward the door to see a doctor there, hesitating to come in.
Shit.
“Do you mind, uh, giving us a few moments?” she requested diplomatically.
I nearly snorted in derision.
Like hell was I leaving her now.
Not after the hellish day I’d had.
Though, her day had been worse, I knew. But my fuckin’ heart couldn’t take another second of her being out of my sight.
“I’m her fiancé,” I replied stiffly, not about to let some doctor kick me out after what she’d just said.
“Okay,” Dr. Kinsler glanced quickly from me to Shayne and back before saying, “If that’s fine with you, Shayne?”
I gritted my teeth, but Shayne’s quick reply kept me from lashing out. “He’s going to find out anyway. He’s a cop.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for the doctor to explain, not bothering to contradict her.
“Your kidney function is looking very good, considering the trauma sustained during the assault,” Dr. Kinsler started quickly. “Your concussion should be monitored overnight. You can go home in the morning as long as your levels continue to approve on your kidney function, and you don’t have any issues with your head overnight.” She hesitated. “As for the other thing we discussed…”
I waited, thinking that what I was about to hear I wasn’t going to like.
Shayne’s shoulders slumped in on themselves, as if she was waiting for news that she knew would break her.
I stepped toward the bed and caught Shayne’s hand in mine, hating myself a little more when I saw all the cuts on her palms.
“The placental abruption was terminal for the fetus.” She looked like she was swallowing glass as she said those words. “Right now, the next step is to let nature take its course since you weren’t very far along.”
Shayne’s eyes dropped to her lap.