River shoved one of the cops back. "She's fucking hurt, man!"
Tate and Max came running into my room, too.
"I'll arrest you next," the police officer bellowed at River.
"Then fucking do it," River said.
Tate grabbed River's shirt and put him against the wall.
"Let me up," Axel pleaded. "I can't hurt her again."
The officers pulled Axel away, and they cuffed him.
"What the fuck did you do?" River asked.
"I took care of it, Lacey," Axel said. "I did. For you. This is my fault."
"No it's not," I protested. "Axel … "
"What the hell did he do?" Tate asked the officers.
"He attacked the other driver," one of the officers said.
"Shit," River said.
"What?" I asked.
"I made sure he'll never do that again," Axel said.
"Did you kill him?" I asked.
"No," the same officer said. "But he … well, he gave him a good lesson. Even though it's illegal to do that."
The officers dragged Axel away.
He called out, "I'm sorry to you all! I love you, River. Don't be mad at me anymore!"
"Nobody is mad at you, asshole," River said.
He started to move but Tate grabbed him again. "River. Stay here. I'll follow and see where this ends up, okay? Stay with Lacey."
Tate left the room.
As loud and wild as it got, it was suddenly quiet.
I looked at River and started to cry again.
"Doc, when the hell can we get out of here?" he asked.
"As long as she doesn't show any signs of serious concussion, I'll get the paperwork together right now."
"Thank you," River said.
The doctor left, and River came to my side again. He hugged me, and I clawed at him, vowing to never let him go.
"I always knew Axel was loyal, but shit," he whispered. "I've never seen him do that before."
"I knew he meant nothing by what he said. I wasn't mad at him. He's grieving."
"I know, darling."
"River, look at me."
Our foreheads then touched. "I'm sorry I let everything in our past get to me the way it did. I should have never-"
"That doesn't matter anymore, Lacey."
"The world is trying to keep us apart, River."
"No it's not. It's testing us. But this time, we fucking pass the test. Nothing can tear this love apart, darling."
"I love you, River."
"I love you, Lacey," he said. "You're going to be okay. I'm going to take care of you for the rest of your life."
We kissed.
Somewhere in the recess of my heart, I wondered if that was going to be the moment when River would actually propose to me. After all, he was crouched and almost on one knee.
But that didn't happen.
He didn't propose.
That was going to come later.
River
A MONTH LATER
The brakes squeaked as the truck came to a stop. I looked over at Lacey, a red bandana covering her eyes. She had her arms crossed and she was pouting, but that was all part of the fun. I never thought in my wildest imagination I'd see just how beautifully powerful she was. Every day was a battle for her, and she did it with a smile on her face and never once failed to make me smile, too.
"We're here," I said.
"Can I take this thing off?" she asked me.
"Not yet," I said as I opened the truck door.
I ran to the back and got the wheelchair out.
Yeah, the feeling hadn't completely returned to her legs. It was painfully slow for Lacey, and the more that time went by, the more it seemed a wheelchair would be needed for the rest of her life. I already had a plan in place for that. I wanted to do what I set out to do years ago and buy Lacey a house. And whatever accommodations the house needed, they would be done.
But before all of that planning, there was one thing I needed to do.
I opened the passenger door and lifted Lacey up.
"Kiss me," I said.
"I can't see you."
"Good."
I planted my lips to hers. There was nothing sweeter … unless I let my lips travel down her perfect body and rest between her legs.
I held her and kissed her for a little while.
Finally, she broke the kiss. "I hate not being able to see. I already feel useless as it is."
"Never," I said.
I turned and helped Lacey down into the chair, then reached for the bandana and pulled it off.
We were in front of the cabin.
Lacey quickly turned her head and looked up at me. "River?"
"I know, it's not much of a surprise. But I promised you that no matter what happens, we would have fun. I said I'd carry you, and I meant it. Or push you around."