Eric hesitated, concern flickering across his face, but finally he nodded and stepped out, shutting the door behind him with a soft thud.
Silence swallowed the room. Eloise stood motionless for a long, long time. The steady beeping of machines was the only sound, each one a harsh reminder of how fragile life was.
Finally, she moved. Slow, heavy steps carried her to Ainsley’s bedside. She reached out with a trembling hand but stopped an inch from touching him.
Instead, she sank into the chair beside him, folding her hands tightly in her lap to hide how badly they shook. She didn’t cry. She didn’t scream. She just sat there, hour after hour, her eyes never leaving his broken body.
Five days and nights blurred into each other.
Every time Eric or Jacob tried to pull her away, she stayed r
