Cole’s POV
I was at the hospital before Emily even woke up. I had barely slept, but that wasn’t important. The moment the doctors gave me the final clearance, I signed the discharge papers myself. It wasn’t like she needed my permission to leave, but I didn’t trust anyone else to handle it.
When I walked into her hospital room, she was still asleep, her face turned away from the door. Even with the bruises marking her skin, she looked untouchable…like she was still holding her ground, even in her sleep.
"She’ll be ready to go in an hour," the nurse told me in a hushed voice.
I nodded. "I’ll take care of it."
The nurse left, and I stood there for a moment, watching her. She looked peaceful in a way I rarely saw…without that guarded edge she always had when she was awake. A lock of her
