Chapter 77 "I almost lost you, Celene"
Chapter 77 "I almost lost you, Celene"
Cole's POV
Celene drifted off in my arms, the medication pulling her back into unconsciousness almost immediately. The room settled into silence, broken only by the steady drip of the IV and the quiet movements of the doctor.
Another bag of clear fluid hung beside the bed, feeding slowly into her vein. The room carried the faint scent of antiseptic, smoke, and the lingering fear that refused to leave.
I hadn't moved from the chair beside her bed. My thumb rested against her wrist, feeling the steady beat of her pulse. Every rise of her chest held my attention. Every fall made me wait for the next breath.
Fuck!!! How the fuck did I let this happen??!!
The doctor checked the monitor one last time before turning to me.
"The toxin is flushing out well, Boss. Her vitals are stable. She'll feel weak for a day or two, but she's officially out of danger."
Out of danger.
The words should have eased something inside me.
They didn't.
I gave a single nod, never taking my eyes off her. He was insignificant at this point... I watched her sleep till she finally stirred awake around dawn.
Her fingers twitched weakly against the mattress before her lashes fluttered open. The pale morning light spilling through the curtains softened her features, but the sight of her awake still hit me harder than I expected.
Before I realized I'd moved, I was already leaning forward, my hand closing around hers.
"Cole..."
The way she whispered my name... so soft, it barely disturbed the silence.
"I'm here." I said...My voice came out rough after hours without speaking.
Her tired eyes searched my face before a faint smile touched her lips.
"You didn't sleep."
"I don't need sleep..."
"You do."
"I don't, Kitten."
Her fingers curled weakly around mine. The grip lacked its usual strength, but it was intentional.
"I'm okay," she whispered.
I searched her face for any hint of pain, any sign she was pretending for my sake.
I found none... she was so strong... so strong, My Celene...
Relief loosened something inside my chest, though it never reached the knot in my stomach.
Her eyelids grew heavy again, and within moments she drifted back to sleep, her fingers slowly slipping from mine.
Only then did I make myself take a deep breath and stand.
My muscles protested after hours in the same position, but I had to...The calm that settled over me wasn't peace, it was fucking restraint.
I'd buried the executioner in me long enough to make sure she'd live.
Now there was unfinished business waiting for me.
By the time morning settled over the estate, sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office as though the night had never happened.
Jeffery stood near the door with his arms crossed. The glitter that had once covered his face was gone, leaving behind his usual cold expression.
"Bring the other fool to me."
"Yes, Boss."
A few minutes later, two guards dragged the head cook into my office.
He looked exhausted. He should be... she was poisoned on his watch... she almost died on his watch... fuck him!
His uniform was wrinkled, his face slick with sweat, and his eyes stayed fixed on the floor as though looking at me might get him killed faster.
I didn't bother sitting behind my desk.
I walked straight toward him.
My gun rested comfortably in my hand, cold and fucking familiar.
The click of the slide echoed through the room, and he understood what was going on... he quickly collapsed onto his knees.
"Boss, please—"
"Silence."
The plea died instantly. I stopped in front of him, my boots only inches from his trembling hands.
"You left your station."
"I locked it," he blurted. "I swear on my life, Boss. I locked the deadbolt before I left... you saw it yourself."
"Ehat I saw was you being careless... and because of that my woman almost died."
I raised the pistol until the barrel rested against the center of his forehead.
"You had one job, and you failed... you failed badly..."
His breathing turned ragged as I rubbed the gun around thr hair on his head...
"I would never hurt her," he pleaded. "I've served this family for twelve years."
"Twelve years," I repeated quietly.
"And you erased every one of them in two minutes."
All I could think about and see was Celene choking over and over as the memory crashed back into me.
All I think about was her blood staining the dining table.
Her body convulsing in my arms.
My finger tightened on the trigger.
"You failed, and it will not be fair if I let you live, now... would it?"
He immediately began to wail...tears streaming down his face.
"Cole."
The single word stopped the room cold.
I hadn't heard the door open.
I hadn't heard her footsteps, but I'd know that voice anywhere.
My jaw clenched as she stepped inside slowly, wearing one of my oversized shirts. She still looked pale, but she stood without wavering.
"Kitten... you shouldn't be here... leave." I said, never taking my eyes off the man kneeling before me.
"No."
Jeffery shifted uneasily near the doorway.
"Celene..."
My voice dropped lower.
"Turn. Around. And. Leave."
She met my gaze without flinching.
"No"
"Celene..."
"I'm fine, Cole... you don'thaveto do this." She said, shrugging her shoulders.
"That's not the point."
She glanced at the gun before looking back at me.
"But he didn't poison me... why kill him? Why hurt him at all?"
"He created the opportunity."
"And you already killed the man who did."
Silence stretched between us. How the fuck did she know about that so soon... I was going to talk to her about it myself...
"Don't give me that look... you knew I would find out...You can't execute everyone who makes a mistake," she said quietly.
"This wasn't a mistake."
"It was."
"It was a breach."
"It was still a human mistake that even I could make."
Her voice never shook.
She wasn't looking at a monster.
She was looking at me.
"Don't add yourself to equations like this...I dont want to picture it... I almost lost you, Celene."
The words came out harsher than I intended, but yeah... they were the truth.
"I know." She responded...no argument...no excuses...just understanding. She understood me...