ALEX

"I''m not sure, boss. The medical team has yet to assess her."

The call ends before I realize I''ve hung up.

My foot ms the gas, the tires screaming as I rip back onto the road.

Two miles northeast. I repeat it like a prayer. Like it''ll bring her back to me faster.

The rain has now reduced to showers, which makes it a whole lot easier to see.

She was screaming.

That sound... it''ll haunt me forever.

I''m soaked to the bone with my teeth clenched and my hand a death grip on the wheel.

But I don''t care. I''ll drive through fire if I have to

Then, through the showers, red and blue lights appear in the distance, shing, pulsing sirens faint over the sound of my speed.

I m the brakes just behind an ambnce.

I barely put the car in park before I''m out and running toward Athena.

"Alex!"n meets me halfway, already pulling off his gloves.

"She''s awake and stable for now, but still in shock. I need to scan her for internal injuries. We can''t risk moving her too much."

I don''t hear anything else after awake.

She''s not very hurt!

My heart jumps in relief.

I rush past him to the back of the ambnce, where the doors are still open.

She''s sitting in the back of the ambnce, a nket draped over her shoulders, her hair damp and clinging to her cheeks. Her eyes are wide, staring nkly ahead, and my chest caves in at the sight.

I climb in and wrap my arms around her without hesitation, pulling her into me like my life depends on it.

She doesn''t resist. She melts against me, trembling, cold and quiet.

"Jesus, Athena," I whisper into her soaked hair. "You scared the hell out of me."

"I''m okay," she mumbles, her voice barely audible.

"You''re not," I counter, holding her tighter.

The paramedic shifts behind me, prepping her for transport. "We''re taking her to the hospital for a full scan-"

"No," she says suddenly. "I want to go home."

I pull back just enough to see her face.

"You''re in no state to argue," I say.

She looks at me, her eyes ssy but determined. "I want to sleep in my bed, Zayan, Please."

I pause.

Everything in me stills.

Zayan?

I must have heard wrong, right?

"Pass me the heated bottle." I say to Ryan.

"Can we go?" Athena''s soft voice pulls me out, and I nod.

I step down and lift her in my arms and ce her carefully in the back of my heated SUV.

"Just give a second." I smile at her, and she nods. Pulling the warm nket tighter.

I walk towardsn and pull him to the side.

"Why the fuck does she think I''m Zayan?" I whisper the question.

"She called you that?"

I nod once, my jaw tight. "She looked straight at me and said it. Not even a blink."

He exhales slowly, running a hand over his face. "Could be the shock. Mild concussion maybe. Sometimes disorientation hits hard after trauma. Let me check her properly-"

"Not now." I cut in, my voice low but final. "You said she''s stable and she wants to go home. I''ll convince her to do it tomorrow. ''ll stay with her and keep watch all night if I have to. Just tell me something, should I be worried?"

He hesitates, then sighs. "Honestly? It''s not umon. But if it continues after some rest, we need to get her scanned immediately. The fact that she''s coherent enough to argue and recognize some faces is a good sign, but Alex, keep an eye on her and bring her in tomorrow."

I nod. "I will. Thanks, man."

He sps my shoulder before turning away.f4b For original chapters go to fin?novel/f4b

I nce back at the car, where she sits curled into herself, the nket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. The rain''s reduced to a soft drizzle now, and the mist rising from the road makes the whole scene look dreamlike.

If this was another situation, it would have looked romantic with the soft lights

making the scene look like a fairytale.

I slide into the driver''s seat and turn to face Athena.

"Are you warm enough?" I ask softly.

She nods slowly.

"I''m fine, just hungry." she responds and I smile.

Feeding her must be one of my favorite things in the world now. I realized how

much I love it the other morning.

The only problem is, I can''t fucking cook and my chef is off today.

I hear a soft tap on the window making me slide it down.

"Boss."

"Ryan. Do me a favour will you?"

"Anything."

"Have her car removed and send her a new one. Simr to this but fully upgraded.

Something safer and top line. Make sure you add a baby car seater. I want it delivered to her building before sunrise."

He nods. "Already on it."

"I owe you."

"Of course you do." He chuckles and I tsk.

Should have kept that shit to myself.

From my rear-view mirror, I see Athena nce at me. Her eyes drifting from my

soaked hair to my drenched clothes, still clinging to me from the rain.

Then, quietly, she asks,

"Did you run through the rain for me?"

"What gives away my little secret?"

"You''re drenched." She points like I just asked her the dumbest question.

I probably did. But it was for me to hear her speak.

"I did."

Sheughs softly, "Hmm, maybe I should ept that proposal after all."

My heart stops.

Zayan proposed?