Never Stop

30. Ander

Chapter thirty

Ander

M y truck comes to an abrupt screeching halt in Via's driveway, and we all begin to rush out before it's even placed in park, running towards the house. As we inch closer, we get past the trees to the porch and see the wide-open front door. I stop, turning to Izzy and Mav.

"You both stay here, call 911 NOW!"

Without a second thought, I run back to my truck, grab my handgun from the console, and rush back to the porch.

I can feel a presence behind me as I reach the front door. Looking over my shoulder, I see Maverick.

"You aren't going in there alone, brother." I want to tell him to stay behind again that he's unarmed, and he has no idea how dangerous this asshole is, but I don't.

There's no doubt in my mind that this is Liam's doing. The texts Via thought she was having with Izzy weren't with Izzy after Izzy lost her phone five days ago. Then Izzy's car went out yesterday. Now, Liam is out of jail. All coincidences that seem too coincidental for me. Liam is behind this, and Via will not be safe until we find her. I will find her.

That dick head better hope, for his own sake, that she's untouched, unharmed, and mentally okay .

Maverick and I make our way through the front entrance, and he stays on my back as I clear the rooms.

The living room is clear.

The kitchen is clear.

The bathroom is clear.

Via's bedroom door is the only one that is closed; we can see straight into Izzy's room, which appears clear. We slowly open the door to Via's room, keeping my gun drawn, safety off, it's loaded, and I'm fucking ready.

There's no Liam. No Via. Then I see it: her dress. Her dress is ripped to shreds on the floor, where we notice a small pool of blood next to it.

"FUCK!" I scream, dropping to my knees, letting the gun fall to the floor next to me as I pull her dress into my arms.

"We were too late!"

I can't stop the screams from escaping. I just got her back. She was mine again. She has always been mine. Tonight was supposed to be our night. I will fucking rip that sick sadistic bastard to shreds when I find him.

I will find him . First, I need to find her .

Maverick continues to search the rest of the home as I try to collect myself. The fear is morphing into rage, and the rage is pumping hot in my veins.

Refusing to waste another second, I collect myself, pull up from the ground, and follow in the direction Maverick took off when I hear him.

"She's in here!" Running to the sunroom in the rear of the house, where I heard Maverick's voice bellow, I cut the corner to see the love of my life lying there. Stripped of all clothing except her bra and underwear, she has multiple cuts. Her body is bloody and bruised, and she is unconscious.

I fall to her side, pulling her into my arms just as we hear the sirens closing in.

"V, baby, I'm here," I cry out. Frantically feeling for a pulse, my heart does a backflip when I find a faint one.

No sooner than I can do anything else, the EMTs rush in, and I lay her on their stretcher. Following them out of the house, I hop in the ambulance with them, never letting go of her hand. I answer their questions and hear them talking, but I can no longer make out their words. The rage, fear, and utter sadness have meshed into my soul and made themselves at home. Everything goes black.

"It's been seven fucking hours, and no one has told us a single thing!" Izzy shouts at the Trauma Unit receptionist as I just continue to pace the floor of the god-awful waiting room; I'm sure I'm burning holes in the floor, and quite frankly, I couldn't give a single fuck even if I tried to.

"Ma'am, someone will be out to update you all once we stabilize her and have more answers, " the receptionist says in a curt tone.

She's been patient, but I can tell she's getting sick from Izzy asking for an update every five minutes. They need to tell us something before we all explode. The officer who arrived with us is the only one who has been allowed back so far and has yet to give us any updates.

Izzy throws her hands in the air and turns away from the reception desk, rolling her eyes as she screams, "This is bullshit," and she makes her way over toward Dessa and Maverick, who are sitting in chairs along the wall across from where I'm pacing in the waiting room.

I run my hands down my face and finally decide to sit. I take a seat in a chair across from Maverick. My leg bounces a mile a minute as I drop my head in my hands. Right then, I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Mr. Cole?" a soft feminine voice calls out from behind me. I flip my head up as I jump to my feet and stand, turning to see an older, short Filipino lady wearing scrubs and a white lab coat and holding a file.

"How is she?" I respond. The lady offers me a closed-mouth, flat-lined, sympathetic smile as she holds her hand toward me.

"I'm Doctor Abayon. I'm the lead doctor on Ms. Foley's case."

I nod, shake her hand, and try to muster the patience to take this conversation at her speed. I need to know that she's okay.

"Doc, how is she? Please."

Her forced smile falters slightly, and she sways on her feet in discomfort,

"Ms. Foley sustained multiple injuries. I'm aware that you all are the ones who found her, so you're aware of her external injuries, but it's the internal injuries that have us the most concerned," She pauses, opening the file, and pulls what appears to be an X-ray or CT images out. Izzy and Dessa are at my side, pulling the images out of the doctor's hands before she can speak, and I can hear their gasps. Which only pisses me off further. I don't want shock; I want answers.

"In addition to Ms. Foley's multiple lacerations, she also has multiple fractures. One particular fracture has caused further complications because of the location—"

"Via, her name is Via." Izzy cuts her off dryly.

"Damnit, let her talk to you two," I say under my breath, but my tone is firm, and I flash them both a knowing look.

"Ms. Via has three broken ribs, which are minor breaks. She also has a small skull fracture. As a result of her injuries, Ms. Via has incurred a traumatic brain injury."

The doctor shifts on her feet again, offers another sympathetic smile, and closes the folder as she continues.

"She is currently being made comfortable. She's on some strong medications, so she's resting well, and we expect her to begin waking soon. We are sorry for not updating you all sooner; we had all hands on deck to ensure we gave her the immediate care she needed."

I nod, "Thank you, Doctor Abayon. What does all that mean, though? Is Via going to be okay?" My voice is low, pleading. Beggining even. I need this woman to give me even a sliver of hope that the love of my life will make it out of this. I'd do anything for that chance.

She grabs my hand and squeezes softly, "It means your girl is currently stable. "

"It may take some time for her to come out of this. You all are welcome to see her now, two at a time. We need to be mindful that she may be a little confused when she comes to." Doctor Abayon squeezes my hand again. "I can tell she's a fighter." She throws a kind wink at me.

Damn right, she is, but she shouldn't have to be.

The past twenty-four hours passed by in a blur. Every second meshed itself into the next feeling like one long damning hell that I couldn't escape from.

The only thing keeping me grounded is her .

Dr. Abayon assured us that it could take time for her to wake up but that she would . I won't be okay until she does. Until I see her beautiful piercing eyes, feel her reciprocate my touch, and hear her voice, none of this will feel even remotely okay.

Every part of me needs her as severely as my lungs need oxygen pumping through them for survival. She is my life support . If the past six years without her proved anything to me, I'm nothing without her.

I don't want to be anything without her .

Sitting beside her bedside, I lean over and brush a stray hair away from her cheek, letting my hand linger on her skin.

"Hey baby," I say, stroking the apple of her cheek with my thumb. It's time to wake up now, Rosie." I keep my voice soft, but the need in my tone is evident. I lean down and kiss her forehead, and as I do, I hear the shuffling of the door opening behind us.

"Mr. Cole," Dr. Abayon says softly, giving me a brief wave as I turn to see her.

"How's our girl?" She asks, clearing her throat as she presses further into the hospital room.

Our girl ? No, she's mine. Only mine. Back off, lady.

"She still hasn't shown any sign of waking up." I press my lips into a straight line as I reach for Via's hand.

She nods once, and then a smile meets her face.

"Well," she begins, "As expected, that may take some time, and that's perfectly normal. The good thing is that all of her vitals remain stable. After everything she has endured," she visibly cringes at the words, "she probably needs the rest." Dr. Abayon leans in and rubs Via's arm gently.

A soft knock at the door cuts her off. "Ander," Izzy's voice quietly fills the room.

"Hey, Iz, I thought you were going home and getting some rest?" I ask as she walks in further, looking as shitty as I feel. She just shakes her head. I sent everyone away for a bit. We had all been here for hours without sleep, and they needed rest.

"I just. . . couldn't." I nod, not putting up an argument because I get it. She drops her gaze to Via and then to Dr. Abayon.

"I'm sorry to interrupt. Should I?" She points to the hall and then holds my gaze. I shake my head and say, "Stay." Then, I shift my gaze back to the doctor and give her a nod, signaling her to continue.

Dr. Abayon clears her throat again and shifts uncomfortably, making my heart sink further into my gut. I can tell that whatever she's about to tell us isn't good news, and I'm not sure where this will go or if I'd be able to handle any more news today. I inhale, filling my lungs, and clench Via's hand tighter, bracing myself.

Before the doctor can continue, I feel a fluttering movement in my hand that isn't mine. I look down to see Via's index finger twitching in my hand.

"Doc. . ." I scream, pointing to Via's finger, and Dr. Abayon looks over and then flashes a soft, sympathetic smile, looking between Izzy and me.

"Well, it seems someone is trying to wake up." She looks between Izzy and me again, her face shifting to sadness briefly before resuming the stoic expression it previously held.

"Brain injuries are a tricky thing. We need to tread lightly. We aren't sure what she remembers, and after everything she's endured, we don't need to press her too hard once she's awake."

Izzy and I shared a look between another and an unspoken agreement not to bombard her, and then both nodded.

I release Via's hand as I make my way to lay in the bed next to her, clinging to her and being extremely careful not to move her or to hurt any of her injuries further.

"Hey, my Rosie," I whisper into her ear as I gently kiss her neck and rub my thumb in circles across her cheek. She starts to stir restlessly; her eyes squeeze shut as if she is stuck in a dream she can't escape.

"Hey V," Izzy says as she leans down and kisses Via's forehead softly.

Her eyes remain closed, and she groans in pain as she shifts uncomfortably. I pull out of the bed and resume my stance next to her bedside, reaching for her hand, but as soon as I grab it, she pulls it back.

Ouch.

She is starting to wake up, and that's all that matters.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Foley. My name is Doctor Abayon. I'm the lead physician on your case. You're in the hospital."

The doctor begins speaking to Via as if she's fully awake. The more she does, the more Via stirs restlessly as if she's trying to wake up. Dr. Abayon signaled for us to take a step back from the bedside, so Izzy and I released her hands, and each took a step back. Watching helplessly. Dr. Abayon pulled a phone out of her pocket, held it to her ear, and quietly spoke into the receiver, calling for assistance to room 311.

"You're safe here, Ms. Foley. You're safe." The doctor continues as she leans in with a flashlight, pulling Via's eyelids open, one at a time. In true Via fashion, as she goes to do it a second time, she swats the doctor's hand away with a groan, sending the flashlight flying to the floor as two nurses enter the room.

I look up at them for a split second, and by the time I look back at Via, her eyes are fucking opening. Izzy and I gasp in unison, the relief filling the room between us and staff alike.

It isn't quick by any means, and as her beautiful steel eyes are fully open, they stay trained on Dr. Abayon.

Her brows are furrowed in confusion. She presses her hands down on the bed next to her sides, pushing down to adjust herself in the bed, and she instantly winces and howls out in pain.

Out of instinct, I take a step closer. I want to reach in and help her, but one of the nurses darts a handout, stopping me.

My spine steels and I flash a look at the staff. The nurse leans in and whispers, "We have to take it slow so as not to startle her." Letting out a sigh, I nod in agreement, and I take another few steps back toward the window just out of Via's line of vision, but to where I can still see her, and I pull Izzy with me.

Izzy throws me a glare that would set me aflame if it could, but I'm unbothered. We both lean back against the window sill with our arms crossed over our chests, and we let the staff continue.

My leg is bouncing uncontrollably, and every part of me wants to pull her into me right now.

I don't want to take this slow. I need to hold her.

"Can you tell me exactly what hurts Ms. Foley?" Dr. Abayon presses, and her tone remains gentle.

Via's mouth moves as if she's speaking or trying to, but no words come out. She grabs at her throat, wincing and clearing it audibly. She coughs a few times and then lets out the word "everything" in a raspy, low voice that is barely audible. It may be low, but I hear her, and just the sound of her sweet voice sends shivers throughout my core.

Dr. Abayon nods and smiles, obviously pleased that Via spoke.

"This here is Ashley," Dr. Abayon continues as one of the nurses steps forward next to Via's side. "Ashley is one of your nurses, and she will give you some medicine through your IV to help ease the pain and get you comfortable. You may feel a little sting, but it shouldn't hurt." Via blinks a few times at her words as if she's trying to process them, but she nods.

The nurse I now know is Ashley. She steps forward and reaches for Via's arm with the IV. She gets to work as Dr. Abayon continues talking and accessing Via.

"You've been through quite the ordeal, Ms. Foley. You are so strong, and we will take good care of you."

Via clears her throat again, her brows still furrowed, and the look of confusion on her beautiful round face kills me. As the seconds pass by quickly yet in slow motion, all at once, her look of confusion quickly morphs into panic.

"Why am I here?" Her voice is still extremely strained, raspy, and gravelly.

I take another step forward, needing to touch her. Needing to let her know I'm here, the other nurse, whose name tag reads Victoria, steps in front of me again and shakes her head sternly, nudging her chin and gesturing for me to take another step back like she's scolding a child. Izzy huffs a sigh next to me, growing just as frustrated as I am.

I can't fucking take this.

Ashley finishes administering the medicine through Via's IV and stands next to Victoria, creating a human wall separating Via from us.

Dr Abayon, who I have to give it to her, seems to have the best bedside manner of any physician I've ever witnessed, takes another step towards Via, grabs her hands, and rubs across the top of each of Via's hands.

"You were involved in an incident that left you very injured, but you, my dear, are doing fabulous."

Dr. Abayon pauses for a few moments before continuing.

"Can you tell me anything you might remember?" She continues rubbing Via's hands gently, caringly.

Via raises her brows. She pulls her hands away from Dr. Abayon as she courses them over her face, rubbing her eyes.

I can see the lone tear gliding down her cheek as she wipes it away.

She shakes her head, dropping it into her hands, and I can hear and see the sob racking through her body.

She's fucking confused.

Dr. Abayon places a hand on her shoulder and asks softly, "Do you remember anything, Ms. Foley?"

"NO!" Via shouts, and I shrink into myself at the sound of fear in her voice.

The heat of anger is pumping through me, and I'm about to erupt. I clench my fists at my sides, my knuckles turning white from my own grasp. Izzy places her hand on my shoulder to calm me, and I simply shrug her off. I understand taking it slow not to scare her, but she needs me.

"Can you tell me your name and date of birth?" Dr. Abayon asks, keeping her voice gentle.

Via nods. "Olivia Rose Foley. May 19, 1999." She strains out. Dr. Abayon's smile grew, pleased with Via's correct answer.

"Very nice. Also, can you tell me your age?"

Via doesn't waste a second; she fires back as if she is proud to have the answer, like a kid in school having the correct answer to a pop quiz question.

"I'm twenty-four!"

Dr. Abayon softly nods, encouraging Via that she did well.

"Yes, wonderful. Now, can you tell me what year it is?"

With that, Via's features instantly fall. Her face goes almost expressionless as she tries to think. Dr. Abayon doesn't rush her; neither do Ashley or Victoria. They let her think about it for nearly a minute. Her eyes stay on Dr. Abayon for a bit, and then finally, they drop to her hands as she starts fiddling with her fingers. She's holding her hands together in her lap and circling her thumbs around one another like she often does when nervous. She's done it since we were kids.

"2023?" she replies, as a question, not an answer.

Wrong.

Dr. Abayon just nods. Her smile did not falter, assuring not to let it show that Via was incorrect in her answer.

"What month are we in currently?"

Via's confusion grows, and she huffs, clearly frustrated, as if she is struggling for the answer. She looks around the room for the first time, her eyes almost landing on Izzy and me, but they don't. She keeps searching as if the answer is somewhere in this room. She spots the whiteboard behind Dr. Abayon's head that reads the date above her medical plan minus the year. She lets out a soft chuckle, "February 15," She strains out in her little, sexy, raspy voice that she has going for her right now.

I snort, covering my mouth, and turn my head to contain my silent laughter. Fucking cheater . God, I love this woman.

Dr. Abayon chuckles, also noticing what Via has done.

"Yes, So February 15 of which year, again?"

Via beams with pride as she exclaims, "February 15, 2023!" Dr. Abayon doesn't correct her. She flashes a sympathetic smile and reassures her that she did excellent.

What does it mean for us if she thinks it's February of 2023?

Izzy's body wracks with an audible sob next to me, obviously in the same thought that I am. I flash a look at her, one that says, "Calm down, it's okay. Keep quiet," and by the time I look back to Via, her eyes are on us, squinting as if she's straining to see us in our little dark corner against the window, standing behind the wall of bodies standing in front of us.

"Who is that?" Via's wide eyes flash back to Dr. Abayon.

Dr. Abayon looks at us and nods, waving us out of the dark corner they pushed us into.

"You have some visitors who have been pretty worried about you. You must be very loved."

I go to push off the wall, and before I know it, Izzy is sprinting to Via's side.

"Oh my god, fucking finally! Via!" Izzy exclaims, throwing herself on top of Via and pulling her into a hug, forgetting that Via is torn and tattered right now.

"OW!" Via winces, gabbing her chest.

"I'm okay, Iz! You are hurting me."

She giggles with a rasp and forces a smile as she runs her hand through Izzy's hair. Izzy chuckles, and Via's eyes close, soaking in the moment with her lifelong friend. Izzy backs off and pulls her hands to her chest as she stands up straight next to Via's bed, still blocking me.

"Bitch, I was so worried about you." Izzy cries, "I'm so glad you're okay. If you ever scare me like that again, I'll kick your ass." Via laughs as her face cringes in pain at the same time.

"Don't make me laugh, it hurts." Via clenches her chest as she tilts her head back against the bed that is propped up in a sitting position. She shuts her eyes and takes a few deep breaths.

Okay, you've had your turn, Izzy. Move it on over. I need to touch and talk to my girl. I make my way up next to Izzy, and she steps aside. Via's eyes remain closed, and I trace my fingertips down her outer thigh over the blanket.

"Hey Rosie, it's good to see you," I speak softly, just above a whisper. My mouth turns up in one corner, the relief washing over me at the sight of her up close. Her hands fall from her chest, and she sucks in a breath as her eyes flash open, immediately finding mine. With that one swift movement, my smile falters, my heart shatters in the cavity where it lays in my chest, and my world collapses.

" Anderson !" She whispers my name out, not in relief as I'd hoped, but her tone wraps around my name and is laced with pain.

No.

"He cannot be here!" She shouts out, her voice shaking. Her eyes are locked in on me in shock and confusion.

No. No. No. No. No.

"Baby," I reach for her hand, and she pulls back; her brows are pinched, and her mouth is ajar.

My hands shoot up and cover my mouth, attempting to hold back the sob that is threatening to bust through the surface.

This cannot be happening .