Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Hello 473

Chapter 473

+25 BONUS

I'd only really taken a good look around this hospital room twice-once when I was searching for Hayden, and now, while trying to figure out what to pack.

Wayne crouched in front of me, his voice soft. "Rea, how are you feeling? Any discomfort?"

I was about to shake my head when a knock interrupted us. Jace walked in with the doctor.

"Let the doctor check you over. If anything happens on the plane, it'll be hard to deal with," Jace said, hist gaze briefly flicking to Wayne. I noticed the slight crease in his brow.

As the doctor moved closer, Wayne stood up and stepped aside, naturally giving him room.

The doctor listened to my heartbeat, took my blood pressure, and ran through a full exam. "You're recovering well," he finally said. "Everything looks normal."

"Thank you, doctor," Jace said, sounding genuinely grateful.

Wayne chimed in, "I'll walk the doctor out. I need to pack, too. Jace, stay and talk to Rea."

The door clicked shut behind them, and just like that, it was me and Jace. Alone.

I stared into space, lost in thought, while Jace's

like forever, he finally

knowing my eyes were distant, glazed over with

you wouldn't have come to Houston.

much blood to save me... and Hayden wouldn't have misunderstood." I blinked, then lowered my eyes to the second button on his shirt. "There's

said softly, "why did you do it? Risk your life

didn't look up, just gave a small, bitter

know what happened-if you hadn't given that last 200cc of blood, you wouldn't have

to that moment, when I'd watched my blood fill the bag for him. I smiled again, but it didn't reach my eyes. "If you're

you so much, might as well finish

you didn't make it, what was the point

words left my mouth, a thought crept in I slowly lifted my eyes to meet his. "Don't overthink it.

narrowed a bit,

little too quickly, a

saw it-the flash of disappointment in his

#25 BONUS

I said, hoping to stop whatever spiral he was about to fall into. "I

that's why I'm in your life-to help when you need

grew up together, shared meals, lived under the same roof. How could I just

split up, you've built so many walls around yourself. You won't even give me

I let you hang on to hope, I'd be just as bad as