Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1164

Whitney wiped away her tears, trying to hold it together. Right now, she had no room in her heart for anything else—she just wanted him to make it through.

Bryce Florence, old grudges, past betrayals-none of that mattered anymore. Not with his life hanging in the balance.

He wasn't worth dying for, not really. Not when it came down to it.

Whitney stood frozen outside the operating room for a whole hour. Not a sound from inside. Her legs felt like dead weight, her body drained and shaky. Finally, she collapsed onto a chair, exhausted.

She was the only one in the hallway. Everyone she cared about was scattered across the hospital in different rooms.

Tonight was going to be a long, lonely night.

Her thoughts drifted to the little baby she'd just helped save. Sammy had said Ludwik had given her a nickname-Little Pumpkin. He'd told his son, "Your sister's real name, that's up to your mom."

Whitney stared at the operating room doors, her eyes filling again. She whispered, "I did everything I could to save the baby. Now it's your turn-wake up from this surgery, okay? Come pick her name yourself."

she'd been with him, how she'd hated him when things were at their worst. And in the middle of all that, she'd

after she found out, he kept it from her-and the

hard to find their daughter again. "Ludwik, if you don't wake up and take care of her,

a silly threat, and she knew it. But she wanted to believe he could hear her. She needed him to fight, to survive. That bullet to his stomach could take him away

her daughter's condition after the surgery.

a word out before Danny grabbed

went after Bryce—the bad guy—and got really, really hurt. Is he okay? I'm scared... I asked Uncle Shane but he said he didn't actually see Dad, so he doesn't know! Is

not like everyone

voice was sharp, trying to sound grown-up

He's in surgery right now, but I won't let anything happen to him. Now tell me has your

but the doctor said it's just the anesthesia. Her breathing's better, and

the weight on her

voice came through the receiver. "I just checked on your daughter in the NICU. Whitney,

let me know right away. I'll get the best