Page 236 of Broken Saint
“Tell me that there is still a chance for us.”
Suddenly, it’s like someone flips on a switch and I wake up, my eyes flying open.
“Ella,” Colt cries, thankfully standing and allowing his massive body to plunge me into his shadow. “Fuck. Ella. I’m here. I’m here. Everything is going to be okay.”
I stare at him in disbelief.
I knew he was here. I could hear his voice. But seeing him standing there, staring down at me with concern in his eyes is something else entirely.
“Bombshell?” he asks when all I do is stare at him.
He sent you away…
He broke your heart. Again.
“You…you…”
Dropping lower, he rests his brow against mine and gazes so deep into my eyes that I swear he can see right down into my soul.
“I know. I fucked up, baby. I fucked everything up so bad. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”
My nose begins to itch before tears burn my eyes. I don’t stand a chance at holding them back, and in only seconds, they’re streaming down my cheeks.
“I love you, Ella. I love you so much. You’re everything to me. Everything. I never should have done any of that. I was a selfish prick and?—”
“You came,” I whisper.
“I did. I’m not going to lie to you, things have been bad. Really bad. But we’re going to get through this,” he states firmly. “Together, yeah? We’re gonna fight all of it together.”
His words…they’re everything I want to hear, but I also know that I probably shouldn’t be accepting them at face value.
Before I get a chance to figure everything out, the door bursts open and two nurses come bounding in.
“Fantastic, you’re awake.” She smiles at me before turning to Colt. “Would you mind stepping outside for a moment?”
I want to tell him no, to assure them that he can stay, but no words emerge.
“Uh…” Colt looks between me and the nurse who made the request as if he’s expecting me to tell him to stay. But when I remain silent, he reluctantly stands to his full height and walks toward the door with his shoulders bowed.
The sight of him walking away from me is like a knife to the chest, and before I can stop myself, I call out.
“Wait. Please, don’t go.”
His large frame stills instantly.
“Please, Colt.”
I swear I don’t breathe as he considers his next move.
He just told me that we’re going to do this together; surely he isn’t going to leave already?
Slowly, he turns and looks over his shoulder. He’s got at least two days’ worth of stubble on his jaw, his hair is a mess, and his long-sleeved Maddison Kings Panthers shirt is wrinkled. I’m hit with a wave of nostalgia so strong it would knock me off my feet if I were on them.
My chest heaves as I remember that boy I first met at college. He was this enigma with walls built so high no one stood a chance of scaling them. But I did…I have.
I suck in ragged breath after ragged breath.
For years, all I wanted was for him to look at me like he is now. Those walls have crumbled to nothing but rubble around his feet.