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"She’ll have whatever it is she needs," Jace said "However long it takes But I’ll be there with her every step of the way She’s never going to be alone again"

The driver roared to a stop outside the e inside, where he was ier ether

"Where is she?"

"They’re working on her now," Kaden said grimly "Doc came out briefly to ask about family I told him you were on your way Said it was definitely an overdose but they can’t rouse her enough to ask what she took or how much"

"Fuck!" Jace exploded

He dropped his hold on Kaden and then stalked toward the desk and the wary-eyed receptionist

"Bethany Willis," he bit out "I want to see her now"

She rose and walked around the desk as Gabe and Ash ca with her now You’ll have to wait out here"

"The hell I will! Taketo die alone I have to see her"

She looked helplessly at Gabe and Ash as if asking for their help in cal him Thankfully neither did or said a word and stared the woman down to show her that Jace had their full support

"Belinda, let him come back," an older doctor said from a few feet away

Jace immediately turned to the physician "Is she okay?" His heart haht Icy fear gripped hione?

"Come with me," the doctor said in a quiet voice

Jace followed behind, every step filled with overwhel dread He was led into a roo her was a bevy of doctors and nurses There was a tube down her throat, and one down her nose They were injecting so shit into the tube in her nose

"Is sheis she still alive?" Jace choked out

"We’ve ained consciousness," the doctor said "We don’t knohat she ingested or how et her to rouse so she can tell us what happened, but so far we’ve had no luck Maybe you can try to get a response froed toward the bed and one of the nurses stepped out of his way so he could get to Bethany’s side

He picked up her liht it to his lips, pressing his ainst it Tears burned his eyes and he sed, sucking in deep breaths so he didn’t lose his composure

"Bethany, baby, you need to wake up," he said in a low voice

"You need to speak louder," the doctor advised "I know you’re instinct is to be gentle, but she needs to regain consciousness"

Jace leaned over and kissed her forehead as he swept one hand through her bedraggled hair "Bethany, baby, can you hear me? You need to wake up and talk to us We’re worried sick, honey Come back to me Please just come back to me"

He broke off as a sob welled in his throat She lay un everywhere

"What about the tube in her throat?" Jace de to panic She can’t talk around that daht now it’s the only way she’s breathing," the nurse said gently "If she starts to come around, we can remove it But we need to find out what she took and how much"

Jace closed his eyes as tears ran freely down his cheeks

"Baby, please," he choked out "Wake up and talk to me You have to come back to me, Bethany I’m lost without you"

He pressed his forehead to hers and his tears seeped onto her skin

"Please come back to me I love you We can work this out, baby Just please open your eyes foryou Don’t leave me For God’s sake, don’t leave gishly He could tell how hard it was for her to even open her eyes And then he saw the brilliant blue and the constricted, pinpoint pupils She was clearly disoriented and then panic surged into her eyes

Joy flooded into Jace and he turned excitedly to tell the nurse, but they were alreadythe tube out Bethany struggled, panicking and gagging Jace gripped her hand and squeezed until he was sure he was hurting her

"Don’t fight it, baby Just give them a few minutes It’ll be over soon, I swear it They had to put a tube in to help you breathe"

Tears filled her eyes and they widened and then focused on him

"That’s it, baby Just focus on me Look at me and breathe Just breathe for me," he said brokenly

A few one, Jace had to step back long enough for them to ensure Bethany could breathe on her own They placed an oxygen cannula in her nostrils to replace the rebreather bag that had accompanied the tube in her chest And then finally they stepped back to allow Jace access once led to keep her eyes open He could see the strain it caused her Several tiishly as if she’d slip back into unconsciousness but he surged forward, de that she stay awake and stay with hione

"Yes, baby, I’m here"

He took her hand and put his face close to her so she could see him and feel hi his damp cheek where his tears had been and she frowned

"I don’t understand What happened?" she whispered

Confusion was heavy in her eyes and she glanced rapidly around, taking in the hospital environment and all the medical staff in her rooently "We need to knohat you took and how ht, Bethany I can’t--won’t--give up on you or us Whatever happened, we can fix it I love you We can get past this, I swear it It doesn’t matter to me Whatever happened, why you did it, it doesn’tthat ainst the sluggishness of her lids Her mouth opened and she tried to speak She closed her lips and then reached for hient, frantic

"Jace"

"What, baby? Talk to ht this Please, for me For us"

"I didn’t do it," she said fiercely "I didn’t take anything I wouldn’t You have to believe me"