I hear what he’s saying. I felt her pain. Every damn word was like a knife to my heart. Sitting in that chair and not being able to go to her was hell for me. I wanted to hold her, reassure her that no matter what, it’s us. I choose her, choose us. I want to prove to her that the trust she has put into me is worth it, that what we have is worth it.

“We’re getting dressed. We’ll meet you in the lobby.”

I end the call without another word. I pull up her name and hit send. I know she’s not going to answer, but I need to call her anyway. The call goes straight to voicemail. “Kensi, it’s me. Wherever you are, please be safe. I’m coming home. I need to see you. Fuck, Kensington. I woke up and you were gone, just gone, and I need you here with me. I need to…” I swallow back the tears. “I need you to know that I love you. You hear me, Kens? I love you so fucking much that I don’t know who I am without you. Please, baby, just send me a message or Bright or Nic. Just let me know that you’re okay. I’m scared as hell. I have this feeling… same as yesterday and… please, just let me know you’re safe.” Her voicemail cuts me off.

Sliding my phone back in my pocket, I head toward the lobby. Bright and Nicole are there waiting on me and I’m grateful. “I tried to call her; got her voicemail,” Nicole says once we are in the truck.

I nod. “Yeah, same here. I’m going to the apartment. If she’s not there, I’m going to call her dad.”

“Max, she just needs—” Nicole tries to speak, but I interrupt her.

“To be okay. Yesterday I was worried. I couldn’t shake this feeling that something was going to happen. I was right. JT…” I clear my throat. “JT is a part of why the girl that owns me is torn apart inside. I could feel something was going to happen, I just didn’t know. If I knew, I would have never…”

“We know that,” Nicole says gently. “You love her, anyone can see that.”

“I have that same feeling now. Only this time it’s… stronger. I won’t push her to see me or talk to me, yet. I just need to know she’s okay.”

The rest of the drive is silent. Nicole tries to call Kensington over and over again from all three of our cells and she never picks up. Always straight to voicemail, her inbox is now full.

I make good time. We pull into the apartment a little after seven in the morning. I broke a few traffic laws to make it happen, but finally, I’m here and so is she. I park beside her car and exhale. Once I see her with my own eyes and know she’s really safe, I’ll leave. A knot forms in the pit of my stomach at the thought, but I won’t push her, not yet. I’ll give her time to process this, and then I’m fighting for her. She is what I want.

The three of us climb out of the truck and Nicole leads the way up to their apartment. Placing her key in the door, she turns the lock and turns the knob. “Kensington!” she cries and I push through them.

My girl is lying on the floor, out cold. “Call 911!” I scream. I drop to my knees beside her, careful not to move her until I know if and where she is hurt. I gently run my hands over her body, checking for injuries. I don’t see anything. She looks like she fell. With blurry eyes, I scan around her to see if I notice anything that might have made her fall.

“Don’t move her they said,” Bright relays. “They’re on the way.”

I don’t see anything but papers, mail thrown around. I focus my attention back on her. I gently move the hair from her eyes. The only reassuring fact of the entire situation is that her chest rises and falls with each breath she takes. She’s breathing; I send up a silent prayer that she’s going to be okay. I hold her hand and stroke her hair, just waiting. Taking her in, she’s pale; she has dark circles around her eyes. I hate what this has done to her. The tears that I’ve kept at bay unleash and I let them. My heart is lying on the ground, out cold. I’m wrecked over this girl. Please, God, let her be okay. I repeat this over and over.

I feel a strong hand on my shoulder. “Max, let them take care of her.” I jerk my head around to see Bright and Nicole with a swarm of EMT’s behind them.

Reluctantly, I stand and step away from her. I don’t take my eyes off her. I watch as they check her for injuries and rule out any type of attack. They take her vitals. Her blood pressure is low, but not dangerously so. Nicole asked them. I need to remember to thank her. Words are not something I can form at the moment. I watch as they handle her with care and place her on the gurney. They push her out the door and I’m hot on their heels. “I’m going with her,” I tell them as we reach the life squad.

“Sir, are you family?” they ask me.

“Yes, I’m her fiancé.” The words roll off my tongue.

“Sir, we—”

“That girl is my entire world. I don’t want her to wake up alone and scared. I’m coming with you. I’ll keep my mouth shut; I won’t interfere.” I let them know that this issue is not up for debate.

“Climb in,” the female driver says. I don’t hesitate. It was going to take an army to keep me from it. I’m glad they are seeing things my way.

I zone out on the ride to the hospital. I think back to all the time I’ve spent with her. The thought of my life without her in it is unbearable. I continue my silent prayers to please let her be okay. I promise God and anyone else who is listening—my dad, her mom maybe—that I will love her for the rest of my life. I promise to take care of her, to see her through all of this. I just need her to be okay. Her letter said she didn’t want me to choose between her and JT. What she doesn’t realize is that there was never a choice to be made. She comes first, always. JT and I were friends as kids, our families were friends, but Kensington, she’s my entire world.

We arrive at the emergency room and they whisk her away from me. I try to follow them back to a room, but they won’t let me. I try for the fiancé bit again, and this time it’s not enough. “Sir, you must be family or listed as next of kin. We have a Nicole—”

“That’s me,” Nicole says behind me. “I called her dad and he’s on the way.” She steps beside me and lays her hand on my arm. “I give permission for Maxton to be with her,” she says with authority. I make a mental note to get her a really good gift for Christmas.

“Ma’am, unfortunately, no one is allowed back until we assess her injuries. Please take a seat and we’ll let you know something as soon as we can.” The nurse turns on her heel and scurries down the hallway.

“Come on, man. Let’s take a seat and let them see what’s wrong with her. Her dad will be here soon and we can fill him in,” Bright says.

Defeated, I follow him to the waiting room. Its only occupant a guy with a busted lip and what appears to be his girlfriend. Bright and Nicole take a seat on the opposite side of the room. Taking a seat next to Bright, he hands me a piece of paper. “We found that on the floor,” Nicole says, leaning around him.

“I’m sure after everything that happened, seeing Justin again, it was a shock to her. I’m guessing it freaked her out and she had a panic attack. Our freshman year, it happened a couple of times. Never out longer than a few seconds. This time… she was out for a while,” she says. I watch the tears race down her cheeks before giving the letter in my hands my attention.

Joe, Justin’s brother, both were a part of my childhood, Justin more so than Joe. He’s the one who killed her mom. The one who attacked her with intentions to hurt her. Joe wants to talk to her. Not. Going. To. Happen. I will not let him anywhere near her. I don’t care if it’s a fucking letter he wants to send her; it’s not happening. He’s caused her enough pain.

I toss the letter back to Bright and walk to the window. I rest my head against the cold pane. Closing my eyes, I whisper, “Dad, if you can hear me, please save her. I get it now. I never thought I would, but I do. I can’t explain to you what she means to me, but I know I don’t have to. You already know. Please, if you have any pull whatsoever, bring my girl back to me. We’re just getting started. It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since I told her I love her, and I do, Dad. My heart is bursting with love for her. I wish you were here to meet her. She’s amazing and smart. She’s so breathtakingly beautiful that sometimes when I look at her, I have to remind myself to breathe. I want to build a life with her, give her our last name, and make you a grandpa. I want it all with her, so I need you to help me. Please, bring her back to me.”