Chapter 61: Risk It All

Elijah’s eyes fluttered open, as he felt groggy and confused. The soft beeping of machines pulled him from the disorienting fog that clouded his mind. His vision was blurry at first, and it took a few moments before the familiar ceiling above him began to take shape. 

His body felt heavy and sore. Each inch of it protesting even the smallest of movements. He tried to shift, but his muscles screamed in resistance. The moment he made his attempt, a soft voice filled the silence.

“Elijah?”, Jasmine asked. Her voice was laced with concern. 

She was suddenly by his side, her presence comforting yet filled with an urgency he couldn’t yet place.

“Get the doctors. Hurry.”, she ordered someone in the distance. 

She reached out, her hand brushing his cheek gently. Her touch was warm, and Elijah found himself instinctively leaning into it. Despite the dull pain that shot through him as he moved, he turned to face her. 

“Are you okay?”, he asked. 

His voice hoarse, barely above a whisper. His throat felt dry, and it took all his strength to force the words out. The last thing he remembered was Clara, her cruel intentions, the hitman, and the desperate need to save Jasmine.

Jasmine giggled softly. 

The sweet sound that eased the knot in his chest, but also sent a wave of relief through him. 

“I’m fine.”, she said with a smile. Although there was a softness in her eyes that hinted at how much she’d been through. She didn’t want to startle him, but she had been worried. 

His face displayed his worry.

“I swear. I am fine. I’ve been worried about you.”, she said to comfort him. 

Elijah’s vision started to clear as he looked around the room. He realized where he was, but he wasn’t sure how he had gotten there. He did feel a trace relief knowing their roles weren’t reversed. 

Hospital machines beeped steadily, and the sterile, white walls seemed all too familiar. He was in a hospital room, but how long had he been out? The haze of his memory seemed distant, like a dream he was still trying to wake from. His brow furrowed, confusion creeping across his face.

“You’ve been out for three weeks.”, Jasmine explained softly.

Her fingers brushing his hand, as she tried to ground him in the present. The doctors had warned her that he may not take well to the news of lost time. They also warned that he may not even wake up at all. 

Three weeks. The words sank in slowly as Elijah processed them. He felt a pang of guilt at how much time he’d lost, not just for himself but for everyone around him. How much had happened in those three weeks? And why couldn’t he remember it all?

As his mind raced, he pulled back the covers with a groan. He had no drive to stay in a hospital bed, but the movement made him wince as pain flared across his torso. His chest felt tight, and the moment he pulled the blanket away, he saw the bruises that lined his skin. 

Bandages wrapped around his torso, securing the wounds he couldn’t quite remember sustaining during the fight. His fingers gently brushed against the tender skin, tracing the lines of the bruises, feeling the soreness beneath the layers of medical care.

“What about your brother?”, he asked suddenly. His voice cracking as he remembered Benjamin’s state. The image of him barely breathing came back to him with full force.

Jasmine’s expression faltered. She took a deep breath before she responded. Her voice shaky. “He’s not doing so well.”, she paused. 

He reached out to cup her chin. Wiping a stray tear from her cheek. 

She continued, “He’s in a medically induced coma. They aren’t sure he is going to make it.”

Elijah’s heart sank at the news, she continued to describe the injuries he had sustained. A brain bleed, broken bones… it was more than anyone should ever endure. He tried to process it, but the weight of it hit him hard. 

The desperation in her eyes telling him all he needed to know about how she was holding up. They had beaten him within an inch of his life, and she were next had he not gotten there. 

Memories flashed in his mind. He remembered the blood, his slumped broken body, and the helplessness he had felt seeing Benjamin in such a state… but unable to do anything about it. Elijah reached out, his fingers trembling as he grabbed her hands. He needed to feel the warmth of her touch as he absorbed the weight of her words.

“I’m so sorry.”, he whispered, “I should’ve been there. I should have seen it coming or gotten there sooner.”

Jasmine squeezed his hand reassuringly, “You have nothing to be sorry about. They had him for weeks. And you were there, Elijah. You were the one who stopped them from killing us.”

He nodded, but it didn’t feel like enough. 

His mind replayed the events again. Clara, the hitman, the chaos in that warehouse. He had fought with everything he had, but it hadn’t been enough to stop everything from falling apart. 

Benjamin was still in critical condition, and despite his victory over the hitman… Clara was still out there. Still a threat. And he couldn’t ignore it any longer. He had to get up and stop her from trying again.

A moment of silence passed before he looked up at Jasmine, his eyes searching hers. 

“How was your graduation? I am sorry I missed it.”, he asked. The sudden realization hitting him hard. 

She had been set to graduate, he made sure her application was accepted. It was supposed to be a milestone for her. A celebration of her hard work and resilience, and yet he’d been unconscious, unable to support her in any way.

Jasmine’s expression softened. A bittersweet smile playing at the corner of her lips. She looked down at her dress, smoothing it out nervously as she tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. 

“Actually, it’s today.”, she said. Her voice full of emotion, “I’m actually getting ready to go now, but you woke up. I couldn’t leave you to wake up alone.”

Elijah’s eyes widened. 

Disbelief flashing across his face, “Today?” 

His thoughts scrambled, his mind working in overdrive. She had been through so much, but she deserved it. It was her moment. He couldn’t miss it.

“Yes, today silly. I forgive you for forgetting, you’ve been through a lot.”, she teased. 

His heart raced with the thought of her going off to that event with the threat of danger still looming over her. A sense of dread sank into his bones because he knew she still wasn’t safe. He needed a plan.

Clara would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

“I can’t let you go alone.”, Elijah said. His voice low but filled with a sense of urgency.

Jasmine was about to protest, but he cut her off before she could say anything.

“I’m not going to let her ruin this for you.”, he said. 

“She’s not going to ruin this for me, I promise. I have a plan.”, she replied.

“Extra guards won’t help. I will go.”, his tone firm.

He gritted his teeth, pushing himself up into a sitting position. His body screaming an objection to his sudden movement. The pain flared up in every inch of him, but he couldn’t stop. Not now. He couldn’t let her see the pain.

He needed to get out of that bed. He needed to get to her graduation, protect her, and make sure she was safe. There was no way he was going to let Clara win. Not after everything they had been through.

Jasmine’s eyes widened in alarm as she saw him struggling to sit up. Panic began to set in. Her hand quickly going to his shoulder. 

“Please, stop!” she said. Her panic rising in her voice, “You’re still recovering, Elijah. Help! Someone, help me!”

He ignored her. His determination building with each second. He tore the wires from his chest, slipped the oxygen mask off his face, and yanked the IV out of his arm. His breath shallow but steady as he freed himself.

“I’m not staying here. I’ll get dressed myself if I have to.”, he gritted out.

Before Jasmine could say another word, the alarms blared through the room. They signaled the disturbance in the room. Medical staff rushed in, their frantic voices cutting through the air. Each of them trying to calm him down and force him back into the bed.

“Get out!”, Elijah growled, “Get the fuck out now or help me.”

His voice sharp as he pushed them away, “I’m fine. Help me get dressed or leave me alone.”

Jasmine stood frozen for a moment. Torn between trying to reason with him and knowing that nothing would sway his decision once his mind was set. She finally nodded, accepting the reality that Elijah was not going to back down.

The staff hesitated but respected her authority, stepping back to give her space. Jasmine moved swiftly. She had prepared him a casual outfit for when he was released, but it would have to do for today. 

She helped him pull on a shirt and adjust his bandages as gently as she could while making sure he was dressed. Her hands shook as she worked, but her determination matched his. There was no use in fighting him.

He wasn’t going to let her face this battle alone. And he wasn’t ready to accept that she had a plan. A plan that she had three weeks to fine tune with the help of his entire staff.

Once he was dressed, his body stiff and visibly weak, Jasmine helped him walk to the door. His steps were slow, but with her support, they made their way down the hallway and out into the parked car that had been waiting for her.

“Are you sure you want to do this? Another fight and you’ll be right back in here.”, Jasmine asked again. Her voice soft but filled with concern.

Elijah nodded with a clenched jaw, “I’m sure. I’m not missing this. This is important to you, which makes it important to me. I love you.”

The car door shut behind them. With Jasmine at his side, they made their way to the university. Every part of him ached, but it didn’t matter. 

He would endure death for her. He couldn’t leave her to face this day alone. He would protect her, no matter what it took.

As they drove through the streets, Elijah's mind remained focused on the day ahead… on Jasmine's future and on the dangerous woman still lurking in the shadows. They were far from safe, but for now, at least, they would have this moment. 

Even if it meant risking everything.