*MARY'S POV*
Walking into the room, I felt my chest tighten at the sight of him. Josh was lying on the bed, his face pale, his breathing steady but shallow. Bandages covered his arms and chest, and there was a faint bruise along his jawline.
I pulled up a chair beside his bed, my eyes welling up with tears. “You idiot,” I muttered, my voice shaking. “Why did you have to be so reckless?”
He didn’t respond, of course. He was unconscious, his body working overtime to heal itself. I reached out, hesitating for a moment before taking his hand in mine.
“You’re going to be fine,” I whispered, more to myself than to him. “You have to be. I’m not done yelling at you yet.”
***
Hours passed, though it felt like days. Brianne came in to check on me a few times, offering food or water, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave Josh’s side.
As the first rays of dawn filtered through the window, I felt a slight movement in his hand. My heart leaped, and I leaned forward.
“Josh?” I whispered, my voice ba
