“Is she going to wake up?” the young man who accompanied her in the ambulance asks, clearly concerned. Poor kid, he’s probably never seen shit like this before.
“I don't know,” I hear another nurse admit from the doorway. “I sure hope so, Cami's a really great girl. She just got hired here. I hear she's had a lot thrown at her, but she just takes it all, and smiles.”
“I'm the one who found her,” he repeats over and over, clearly feeling guilty. “She’d ordered a pizza, and I was late getting it to her. My girlfriend and I were having an argument so I pulled the car over to try to talk it out with her.”
His eyes begin to fill with tears so I walk over and pat him on the shoulder. “This isn't your fault. Whoever did this was probably scared away by you. In fact, you saved her life by acting so quickly and responsibly.”
He nods, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. “When she wakes up, will you call me?” he asks.
“Of course I will,” I reply, taking the now crinkled piece of paper from his hand. I look down at the name and number scrawled across the piece of paper. “Austin?”
“Yeah?” he asks.
“I'm sure she will be happy to thank you herself when she wakes up,” I tell him and then watch as he smiles and walks out the door.
Hours later, I’m standing over her, looking at her sweet face. I lied and said I was family, her brother, and no one questioned it. Gotta love the respect that comes with the vest. I would love to know who did this to her and show them the same fucking courtesy. Looking at her tears me up inside, wondering how anyone could do this horrible thing to such a sweet girl. I scoot out of the way as a nurse quickly checks her vitals, and then places another blanket over her before leaving.
No matter what I try to do, I'm distracted by the image of her battered face every time I close my eyes. As I pull into my driveway later that night, everything suddenly hits me. I don't cry, but an anger unlike anything I've known fills me. I thought Jackson dying was bad, but it was nothing compared to this.
Nothing.
I did my part overseas to hurt those motherfuckers, but this one is too close to home. I will find this asshole, and I will kill him.
It’s that simple.
21
Cami
My eyes flutter open slowly only to find my vision distorted, and there's a burning sensation on the left side of my face. Blinded by the bright overhead lights, I close my eyes again.
“Miss Garrett?” I hear, coming from only inches away.
Turning my face to the right, I open my eyes and try to make out who is talking to me. As my eyes begin to focus, panic fills me and I try to sit up. I scream out in pain as the soothing voice speaks again.
“Don't try to sit up. Do you know where you are?” he asks.
“Ella! Ella,” I scream as loud as I can. “Where's my baby?”
“Calm down, Cami, your daughter is with your Aunt.”
“No,” I say, barely audible. My throat feels like I swallowed acid. “Where am I?” I ask, and tears fill my eyes from the pain.
“You are in the ICU at Nashville General.”
Everything begins to come rushing back and I remember what happened. I lie there, staring at the person talking to me. “Do I know you?” I ask.
“Yes, Cami.” As my thoughts become focused, I finally recognize him.
“Jett Stewart,” I whisper as loudly as I can.
“Yeah,” he says, running his fingers through his hair. He looks like he wants to say more, but the nurse comes in at that moment and brings some pain medication.
“Well hello there,” she says to Jett. “How’s that head healing up?”
“Hey, Beth, it’s all right, thanks,” he responds. Beth smiles at him and is probably thinking the same thing I am. Damn, he’s hot.
“Cami, this will probably make you sleepy,” she says. I nod as the cold injection fills my veins. In a few moments, I can feel my eyes sliding shut as the pain begins to subside. But right before everything falls away, I feel a warm hand on mine.