Unrestricted by K.A. Berg

Author:K.A. Berg
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BergBooks LLC

Chapter Sixteen

Tanner

I’m relieved to find Ashley sleeping when I get back to the hospital in the afternoon. She might as well have reached into my chest and ripped my heart out when she kicked me out of the room. I know she hates me—I hate myself—but that doesn’t make the sting of her anger hurt any less. I have countless battles to look forward to with her from here on out, and the road ahead is going to be hard, but nothing will stop me from being here for her, not even Ashley herself.

“Hey,” I greet Quinn as I take the empty seat next to her.

She smiles sadly. “Hi.”

“How’s she doing?” I ask, unsure whether or not I want to know the answer.

“Worse than expected.” Tears well up in her eyes.

“What happened?”

“She said the accident should’ve just killed her too,” Quinn says.

“Goddammit.” I’d known her reaction would be bad, but I hadn’t expected her to wish she were dead.

Quinn sniffles. “She’s mad I called you too.” Quinn has always been the strong one. I hadn’t thought about how hard all of this must be on her.

I suddenly wish I hadn’t told Alex to take a night off. He’d wanted to come back with me, but I’d told him I’d be okay, completely forgetting about Quinn.

“Let her be mad at me, Quinn. Let her pin it all on me.” I’ve been preparing myself to take the blame anyway.

There had been a glimmer of hope she might have forgiven me when she woke up. She’d seemed to be looking to me for answers. I should have seen her attention for what it was though—I was just the only one in the room she knew. I see that clearly now, and it was a reality check.

“But it’s not your fault. You have every right to be here,” Quinn argues.

“It’s okay. I knew this was coming. I’ve done wrong by her, and because of that, she’s landed here. It’s on me. You’re the only one she’ll lean on, and she needs you. We know she’ll pull through now, why don’t you go home and get some sleep in a real bed? You’re going to need it.”

“She’s going to be pissed if she wakes up and you’re the only one here.”

I have no doubt Quinn’s completely correct in her assessment, but I’ve spent the last few hours preparing myself for the oncoming storm. Alex has tried to convince me to give Ashley some more time apart, but I can’t do that. I need to be with her, even if she doesn’t want me to be.

“I can handle it,” I tell her.

Quinn can’t deal with Ashley all on her own. Plus, Ashley can’t run from me here, we might as well start hashing things out now. I’d felt the anger radiating from Ashley as soon as she heard I’d gotten to see the baby, and I understand her rage. I’d be more than angry myself if I hadn’t gotten to see our little miracle. Ashley didn’t have the chance, and she’s heartbroken.

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