I Was Done Begging novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: Marry Her or Leave

Lucas opened his eyes at four in the morning, and I was in the chair beside his bed.

I had been there since the surgeon came out and said the bullet had missed everything that mattered.

I had not left to wash my hands.

There was still a brown line of dried blood under my thumbnail.

He looked at the ceiling first, then at the drip in his arm, then at me.

"Celia."

"Yes."

"Did anyone get the plate?"

"You were shot."

"I know I was shot. Did anyone get the plate?"

I laughed so hard I had to put my hand over my mouth.

"No," I said. "It was taped. They lost the sedan at the river."

"Then he's still out there."

"Yes."

"Then you shouldn't be sitting by a window."

"Lucas."

"I mean it."

"I know you do," I said. "I'm not moving."

He looked at me for a while.

The monitor beeped.

Somewhere down the hall a cart rolled by.

"You got blood on your good dress," he said finally.

"I know."

"You pressed on it with both hands. The nurse told me. She said you wouldn't let go, even when they put me on the gurney."

"I wasn't going to let go of you."

"I thought you might have passed out."

"I didn't."

"You didn't fall."

I shook my head.

For three years, a part of me had believed I could only ever fall.

I took his hand.

His fingers were warm, and they closed around mine slowly.

"Don't do that again," I said. "Do not step in front of me."

"You stepped in front of me."

"That's different."

Keep reading free with an account. Start I Was Done Begging from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.