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I slid off to his side. “But, I thought you said—”

He sighed. “He and my stepmother got into another fight last night. I mean, a really good fight. The hospital threw them out. I haven’t seen either of them since.”

“Then maybe your father is still in town. Just not allowed back in the hospital.”

“He called me to let me know he’d be back before I was released.”

The flatness of Clint’s voice turned my stomach. I took his hand, lacing our fingers together as I rested my head against his good shoulder. He drew in broken breaths, trying so hard to stay strong when I knew all he wanted to do was be weak.

I kissed his arm. “It’s just me. You can let it out.”

“He fucking left me, Rae. To rot in this hospital bed. And Cecilia isn’t allowed back in the hospital. At least until tomorrow morning. And I have no one. Just the doctors and the nurse staff who come in here with their pitiful glances and their small talk.”

“You have me.”

He snickered. “Thank fuck for that.”

I nuzzled against him. I wat