Things We Never Said (Hart's Boardwalk 3)

Michael’s face clouded over. “That little fucker will pay for it.”

The memory of Ivy smacking him across the head with her Oscar came to me. “Ivy didn’t kill him?”

Michael smirked despite the hum of fury I could feel vibrating off him. “That statuette weighs over eight pounds, and it gave him a nasty concussion, but it didn’t kill him. Unfortunately. He is in custody now, though.”

“Shouldn’t you be there interrogating him?” I trailed my fingers over his mouth. He curled his hand around them.

“I’m right where I’m supposed to be. Jeff is leading the interviews. I do need to call him—I promised I would let him know as soon as you woke up.”

“How long have I been out?”

“You went straight into surgery.” He glanced at the wall behind me, presumably at a clock. “It’s been a couple hours.” He kissed me softly again. “I need to go tell a nurse you’re awake. And I’ll track Bailey and the girls down. Cooper and Vaughn forced them all to go to the cafeteria because they were driving me a little crazy.”

I gave him a tired smile. I could only imagine.

“I called your dad,” he said. “He’s on his way.”

Oh God, my dad. “He’ll be worried.”

“Of course, he is. He’s your dad.” Michael kissed me. “Okay,” he whispered over my lips, “I’m going.” But he kissed me again.

“Michael …” I tried to soothe him. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here when you get back. I promise.”

The muscle in his jaw flexed. “What I said to you on the boards … I didn’t mean it.”

“Ssh. I know. But I did mean it. I’ll wait forever for you, Michael Sullivan.”

He shook his head. “No waiting required. I’ve been yours since day one.”

* * *

After the doctor came in to see me, I realized why Michael had been so freaked out. I’d lost a lot of blood, and they’d had to give me a transfusion. But the shot was clean through (they found the bullet in Ivy’s carpet), so that was good. I’d sustained some soft tissue damage, but I was young and healthy, and he was confident I’d make a full recovery.

When the doc left, Bailey, Jess, Emery, Cooper, Vaughn, Iris, Ira, and Ivy all crowded into my room while Michael stood by my side. Not for long. The nurse appeared as my friends clucked and cooed around me and demanded most of them leave.

Iris grabbed my free hand before the nurse expelled her. “I won’t ever be able to thank you for what you did for my Ivy.”

“Me neither.” Ira’s eyes shone with tears.

“Anytime.” I pretended to be cool and nonchalant about it.

Ivy, who looked way more awake and alive than I’d seen her in a long time, followed her parents out but not before thanking me too. “You saved my life.”

“You saved mine,” I returned. She nodded, but I called out, “Ivy.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t waste it. It’s precious.”

Ivy gave me a shaky nod before disappearing out of the room.

“I’m not leaving,” Bailey insisted.

“Only three visitors at a time,” the nurse said.

“Cooper and I are leaving,” Vaughn said, attempting to placate the nurse. “Can’t you let the ladies stay? They’re like sisters to Dahlia.”

“Two of them can stay or all three if the detective leaves.”