“He’ll be fine. He’ll be fine.”
Ava could not believe anything else. Everything still felt unreal to her. From Ivy coming all the way to Spain to kill her to consolidate power to Adrian’s timely intervention that had saved her life and was the reason why his life was currently in jeopardy.
She had begun to even believe her own lies and she had begun to lose her feelings for him each day that passed since his betrayal. Even missing him severely had nothing on what she felt the minute she had seen him fall.
“Ava, you need to eat something. The doctor said we will soon know his condition when he wakes up.”
“If he wakes up, you mean.”
“You have to stay optimistic, Ava.”
Ava looked at her sister who hadn’t hesitated to save her life and felt their dark past disappear.
“Gabby, how can I? Adrian… Adrian is… I can’t eat anything until I see him open his eyes.”
“Ava, you can’t do that. You have more than yourself to worry about now. If Adrian knew, he would want your health at stake for this.”
Gabrielle was right even if Ava couldn’t say it out loud. Taking Ava’s silence as a sign of her concession, Gabby continued on.
“I’ll get you something, okay?”
Ava nodded, her gaze never leaving Adrian’s unconscious form on the hospital bed.
Gabrielle left the room and it was just both of them.
She looked at Adrian, it felt so strange seeing him there like that. He was supposed to be up and awake for her to be mad at him for destroying their relationship.
Tears dropped from her eyes unbidden.
“Why are you doing this to me, Adrian? Why did you have to come and rescue me? Did you think you were some sort of hero?”
She pounded on his chest with her fists weakly trying to hold back her tears. Suddenly his hand touched her clenched fists and her eyes widened with shock.
“Can’t the beatings wait till I’m fully awake?”
Adrian said drily.
Ava blushed, feeling mortified. She hopped down from the chair. He was awake. There was no need for her to be here.
Adrian’s hand caught her arm as she moved to leave. His grip was surprisingly strong for someone so injured. Ava couldn’t look at him. She would melt.
“Let go of my hand.”
“I’m never letting you go again.”
Ava almost laughed.
“You never ‘let’ me go. I left you, Adrian. Period. Thank you for saving my life but I don’t want to have anything to do with you. You are in no mood to fight or argue. The doctor specifically said that you need to rest.”
Adrian was insistent. “I only need you, Ava.”
Ava turned to look at him. The fear that he would die had left her. He was obviously fine enough to insist on crazy things.
“Well, I don’t, Adrian. I don’t need you and I don’t want you. Maybe for once think of someone other than yourself.”
That was wrong of her to say and she knew it. He had come all the way here to save her from that psycho, Ivy, even if it was sort of his fault that she had ended up on her radar. He didn’t have to do it but he had because that was Adrian.
“Ava.” He sounded heartbroken by her words but she pushed through before she could stop to reconsider her words.
“You broke my heart, Adrian. Just because you rescued me from a situation of your making doesn’t make you a saint. I stopped loving you the moment I told you my decision and you tried to force me to stay against my will, I don’t intend on starting again.”
His hand fell from her arm and she felt something snap between them. She ignored it and walked towards the door, she’d already opened it when she heard his voice.
“Then why’d you wait for me to wake up?”
Because I’m a stupid masochist who can’t stop loving you.
“Gratitude.”
Ava slammed the door as she stepped out of the room.
*******
He had really done it now. Ava would never forgive him. He thought that if she had time away to herself. Time on her own then she would find a place in her heart to forgive him.
I stopped loving you the moment I told you my decision and you tried to force me to stay against my will.
He sat in the bed ignoring the slight pain the movement caused. It was alright if she didn’t love him anymore, he would simply have to show her that he was still worthy of her love but how could he do that if she was a continent away and constantly at risk?
“Hello, Adrian.”
He had been so lost in his musings that he hadn’t even noticed someone had entered the room then he looked again. It was Gabrielle.
He gave a double take. She looked better and she had even begun to grow her hair out again. But the biggest difference was the energy she gave off of complete contentment and complete interest in him.
“Gabrielle.”
“I wish I could say good to see you but you don’t look good at all. Have they started you out on solids already?”
“No, I just woke up. I haven’t seen anyone yet.”
“Apart from Ava?”
Adrian looked at her surprised.
“How did you… never mind. Look Gabby you are the last person I want to discuss this with. If you want to pull one of your stunts again, you’ve got something else coming.”
Gabrielle laughed and shook her head ruefully.
“I deserve that and more besides, I acted disgracefully now that I think about it. I have a lot to make up for but I feel if I apologise to you, then you might feel I am lying once more but that’s fine. I don’t need your forgiveness, probably don’t even deserve it.”
Gabby took the seat next to his bedside but made no move to touch him and Adrian began to wonder. Had she really changed or was this just another ploy?
“I want to talk to you about something. You fucked up royally with Ava. Yeah, I don’t even want to think about how it happened but you did. Remember how betrayed you felt when I did the same thing and I wasn’t even your true mate. Now imagine how much it must hurt Ava.”
Adrian shut his eyes.
“You think I don’t know that? The worst part is I just found out that Ivy planned everything and I wasn’t even in my right state of mind. Ava didn’t let me explain myself–”
“You think that matters?” Gabrielle rolled her eyes. “Right senses or not, Ivy is carrying your child and you hid that information. I don’t want to argue about this but you need to fix this problem between both of you. Now.”
It would seem like Gabrielle was really on her sister’s side for once. At least for now. Not that it made a difference at this point.
“You think I haven’t tried?” Adrian ran his fingers through his hair. “She said she no longer has feelings for me. I broke her heart. I can’t undo that.”
Gabby touched him for the first time since she entered the room. She patted his hand.
“Both of you are true mates, there is no bond as sacred as this. I called you because I knew if anyone could find my sister safely it would be her mate. Don’t let this be the defining moment of your relationship. Ava is hurt but I know my sister.”
Gabrielle didn’t delve deep. He would find out about the pregnancy from his mate, not her.
“You are the one she needs the most right now whether or not she acknowledges it. And I know she still loves you. You are not allowed to leave this place without her. She can only be really safe with you.”
Gabrielle stood up to leave.
“Gabby.”
She paused.
“Thank you. And sorry about everything.”
Everything. There was so much both said and unsaid. She understood.
Gabby smiled slightly at him.
“I’m sorry too, Adrian. And you are welcome.”