Crashing down to her side, my heart beats dangerously out of rhythm when I realize she’s out cold.

“Call an ambulance!” I shout to the people standing around as I feel for her pulse.

“Is she okay?” Beau collapses down next to me, checking her neck where blood seeps out.

“It’s okay, baby. You’re going to be fine,” I promise, not knowing if it’s a promise I can keep, but I make it nonetheless, praying to God he doesn’t play another shitty trick on me.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Holly

“I want to know why my fucking wife isn’t waking up?” I hear a familiar voice pull me from a dream; a dream of meadows and sunsets and a little girl with dark curly hair running off into the distance.

“Mr. Dean, you need to calm down. Throwing your weight around isn’t going to wake her up. Like I told you, her vitals are fine. She just needs some time to wake up,” a woman’s voice I’ve never heard before tries her best to calm Sy from his raging outburst.

“Sy?” I croak out, letting the small bits of light filter under my lids. Oh, God. My head hurts.

“Holly?” he turns, rushing forward to where I lie and takes my hand.

“Where am I?” I ask, confused for a second as I try to remember the last thing that happened.

“You’re in the hospital. You fell,” he clues me in while running his finger along my brow. I can tell he has been stressing by the scowl he’s wearing.

“I did?” I try to remember what happened.

“You don’t remember?”

“No.” I strain to think, trying hard to recall how I ended up here.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” he asks, searching my face.

“I don’t know?” I try to figure out why my brain won’t focus on the lost memories.

“What the hell is going on?” Sy turns back to the nurse, demanding an answer.

“I've already asked you to calm down. I will escort you out of the room if need be,” she

scolds him and moves next to the bed.

“I'm not going anywhere.” Sy stands, looking down at the small nurse.

“Can you tell me what happened?” she asks, picking up my wrist and finding my pulse point.

“She fell. I already told you this,” Sy answers for me. I don't know what's happened, but things feel tense in here.

“I’m not asking you, Mr. Dean. I’m asking your wife.”

“Wife?” I ask, starting to freak out. How much has happened that I don’t remember?

“Do you know what day it is?” She places my arm back down and fills out something on her clipboard.

“Saturday,” I answer, knowing today is Jesse's party.

“Okay, dear. The doctor will be in shortly. Everything looks fine. Sit tight,” she states, smiling gently before turning a hard stare in Sy’s direction.

“Thank God, you’re okay, baby. I was so fucking worried.” He leans toward me and kisses my forehead.

“We’re married?” I ask, freaking out that I don’t remember.

“No, baby. I just said that to get back here.” He looks down at me sheepishly.

“I’m confused. So we’re not married?”

“No, but by the sound of your disappointment, it makes me question if I should just ask you now, and not later when I can have you under me,” he says, shocking me for a moment.

“Sy, don’t joke around like that.” I ignore my rapidly beating heart.

“No one’s joking right now.” He leans down in my face again. “When I saw you fall, fuck, baby, I swear to God, I felt my heart stop in my chest. You’re not allowed to do that again,” he says, kissing me softly.

“Oh, my gosh, I remember that guy,” I explain as the memories wash over me. My hand goes to my neck, and I feel the small bandage covering my injury.

“Just a small cut, no stiches,” Sy grumbles, watching me process it all.

“What happened to the guy?” My first question comes out, needing to know if everyone is safe.

“He's been taken in. The fucker screwed up big time, and after that stunt, Jackson has something to pin on him.

“Jesse?” I ask, hoping he is okay. I remember just before I fell he had stepped in on the side as the mayor’s son pushed me.

“He's in the room down the hall. Just some stitches, nothing serious, but he hurt his foot in the fall. I didn't see it, too busy trying to catch you, but I heard it. Fucker screamed so loud.”

“Oh, God.” My hands go to my mouth.

“It's an old injury so he’ll be fine. I think they're just waiting to get a scan of it to rule out any damage.” I knew Jesse had an old injury which stopped him from going back to work as a firefighter, but I don’t know exactly what happened.

“Am I interrupting?” a female voice asks.

“What’s the verdict, Doc?” Sy asks, getting straight to the point.

“Now first thing’s first; I need to ask you, Holly, are you okay if Mr. Dean stays in the room while we chat?” she inquires.

“Of course,” I answer, wondering what is going on.

“Good. Okay, the CT scan came back negative for any internal bleeding, which is good, but you do have a nasty concussion and we'd like to keep you in for the night,” she goes on, explaining the process of a concussion.

“Whatever you need,” Sy answers for me. I have to hold in a laugh at his good boy act.