Inked Devotion by Carrie Ann Ryan
Chapter 19
Brenna
Iwoke up to the sound of my screams, only they were of an echo, not truly what I was doing at that exact moment.
“You’re safe, you’re safe,” a deep voice said next to me. I knew that voice. I loved that voice, but it wasn’t the voice I needed to hear.
“Beckett?” I muttered.
“I’m here, Brenna.”
“Go get the nurse, Archer.”
“I’m on it,” Archer whispered as there was a scuffle of shoes against tile. I tried to think, tried to do anything, but I couldn’t.
I opened my eyes, then closed them again, the light hitting me too brightly.
“The baby?” I asked, the first thought to my mind.
“We’re not family, so they’re not telling us anything. I’m only allowed in here because I’m your emergency contact.”
“My phone,” I muttered, remembering that I had put him in as my emergency contact in my phone a while ago just in case I had been in an accident. Like this.
“Benjamin,” I said quickly, trying to get up from the bed.
The lights nearly blinded me, and everything ached, but Beckett reached out and gripped my hand. “He’s in the room next door. He should be fine.”
“Should?” I asked, not crying because I couldn’t, couldn’t do anything. The shock was too real. But everything ached.
“The rest of the family’s with him. Mom and Dad too. Archer and I were in here with you.”
“What happened?”
“We’re not sure, but it looks like a car jumped the median and hit you guys nearly head-on. You weren’t going that fast, and even in the rain, you guys were driving safely. It hit you, and the truck’s totaled.”
“I’m so scared. And they won’t tell you about the baby?” My hands went to my stomach, and I held back a sob. I needed to be strong, but all I wanted to do was break.
Beckett shook his head. “No, I don’t know anything about what’s going on, only that I’m here with you. No matter what.”
“I need to see Benjamin,” I whispered.
I needed to tell him that I was sorry for overreacting, for being so scared that I had almost lost everything.
“We’ll make that happen. You should rest. We can talk later.”
“I need to talk to him now. I need him to know.”
I needed to tell him that I loved him. I didn’t want to tell Beckett that. Beckett didn’t need to be the first person to hear those words.
“We’ll get him in here, I promise. Just breathe. You need to take care of yourself.”
“The doctor’s on his way,” Archer said, out of breath. “I’m just glad that you’re okay. Well, you know.”
We didn’t know, and that was the problem.
Archer looked between Beckett and me, and nodded tightly, then headed back out, though I wasn’t sure exactly why.
“I’m so sorry,” Beckett whispered.
I frowned, looking up at him, my head aching.
“If I hadn’t been such a guilty asshole for treating you the way that I did the past few months, I wouldn’t feel like I’m one of the reasons that you and Benjamin keep fighting.”
“That’s not it. I promise you. Benjamin and I have our own issues, but in reality, they have nothing to do with you. I promise.”
“I just want you to know that I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you too,” I sighed. “Just not like that.”
Beckett reached for my hand, squeezed it slightly, then looked up and froze. I followed his gaze and blinked.
Benjamin stood in the doorway, in a hospital gown, a bloody bandage on his forehead, and an IV sticking out of his arm as he leaned against the IV pole.
“What the fuck are you doing out of bed?” Beckett growled.
“I needed to see. I needed to make sure she was okay.”
“Fuck, come sit down.”
“I don’t think I can move right now. They kind of pumped me up with a lot of drugs.”
I tried to get up, and both twins gave me identical glares, so I sat there, nerves racking me at the thought of what could be wrong with Benjamin, the baby, everything.
Before I could say anything, two harried nurses came in and started trying to move Benjamin around, growling at him.
“I need to make sure that the baby’s okay. That Brenna’s okay. I know I’m not supposed to be out of bed, but for fuck’s sake, just let me see her.”
“There’s no need for that kind of language, young man,” an older nurse said as she walked in, a glare on her face. “If you don’t sit down, we’ll make you.”
“Benjamin, stop being an idiot,” Beckett growled, and they shoved Benjamin into the wheelchair behind him.
“I just need to know,” he whispered. “I needed to see you.” Benjamin turned to me, and my heart broke. He was here, bloody and in pain, but he was alive. And I needed to know about the baby.
The room I was in had two beds, with a curtain separating them. The other bed was empty, and with a few pointed questions, and nurses that I would forever be grateful towards, they put Benjamin in the bed next to me.
Another doctor came in and began talking about ultrasounds and checks, but I couldn’t keep up. “We’re going to check for a heartbeat, and together we’re going to get through this. Now Benjamin, sit still and let the nurses take care of you, or they’re not going to let this happen. Do you understand me?”
Her voice was fierce, and we both nodded before Beckett quietly left the room, leaving us with the staff and each other.
The beds were close enough that Benjamin and I could reach out and grip each other’s hands, and I squeezed hard, wanting him closer but knowing we couldn’t be yet.
The nurses worked on him and me, and then the most beautiful sound in the world reached our ears.
“There it is, the heartbeat. Everything looks good here. I’m going to run a few more tests, but the baby looks good here.”
I looked over at Benjamin, and I wept.
