The Lies That Binds

Chapter 158

The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the hospital corridor, clinging to the air like an unwelcome specter. Piper sat in one of the uncomfortable waiting room chairs, her elbows resting on her knees and her face buried in her hands. Every nerve in her body was taut, her heart pounding with a rhythm that refused to settle. The faint hum of the fluorescent lights above only heightened her sense of disorientation.

Gabriel was in surgery. Those words echoed in her mind over and over, each repetition sharper than the last. She hadn’t realized how much blood there had been until they’d reached the hospital, the sight of it staining her hands and clothes like a grim badge of failure. Now all she could do was wait.

“Piper.” Noah’s voice was low, almost hesitant. She glanced up to see him standing nearby, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket. His face was pale, his usual composed demeanor cracked by the weight of the night’s events. “You should get some rest.”

“I can’t,” she replied, her voice hollow. She looked away, her gaze fixed on the tiled floor. “I need to be here when they tell us something.”

Noah hesitated before sitting down beside her. “He’s strong,” he said quietly. “If anyone can pull through this, it’s Gabriel.”

Piper didn’t respond, her fingers curling tightly into the fabric of her pants. The thought of Gabriel lying on an operating table, fighting for his life, was almost too much to bear. He’d been her rock through all of this—steady, unflinching, determined to protect her and Lily no matter the cost. And now he was paying the price.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway, brisk and heavy. Jasper appeared, his expression stormy as he approached. He stopped in front of them, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

“No word yet?” he asked, though it was clear he already knew the answer.

Piper shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. “Not yet.”

Jasper muttered a curse under his breath, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “This shouldn’t have happened. We were supposed to get him out of there, not... not this.”

Piper flinched at the anger in his tone, but Noah bristled. “We all knew the risks,” he said sharply. “Don’t act like this was avoidable.”

Jasper’s glare turned on Noah, his voice rising. “You think I don’t know that? I was there, wasn’t I? But maybe if someone had been paying more attention—”

“Enough!” Piper’s voice cut through the brewing argument, her gaze snapping between them. “This isn’t helping. Fighting each other isn’t going to change what happened.”

The two men fell silent, though the tension between them remained palpable. Piper let out a shaky breath, leaning back against the chair. Her exhaustion was bone-deep, but she couldn’t let herself fall apart. Not yet.

Hours passed in an agonizing crawl. Piper stayed rooted in the waiting room, her mind consumed by memories of Gabriel—the way he’d always seemed so unshakable, his sharp wit, his quiet but fierce loyalty. She couldn’t lose him. Not after everything they’d been through.

A soft voice broke through her thoughts. “Ms. Blackwood?”

She looked up to see a doctor standing in the doorway, her scrubs wrinkled but her expression calm. Piper surged to her feet, her heart leaping into her throat. “How is he?”

“He’s stable,” the doctor said, her tone professional but kind. “The bullet caused significant damage, but we were able to repair the worst of it. He’s in recovery now, but he’ll need time to heal.”

Relief flooded through Piper so quickly she almost collapsed. Her knees buckled, but Noah was there in an instant, steadying her with a hand on her arm. “Thank you,” she managed, her voice breaking.

The doctor nodded. “You can see him briefly once he’s moved to a room. Just give the nurses a little time to get him settled.”

As the doctor walked away, Piper sagged against the wall, tears streaming down her face. She hadn’t realized how tightly she’d been holding herself together until that moment. Gabriel was alive. He was alive.

Jasper stepped closer, his voice low but strained. “He’s going to be okay?”

She nodded, her voice trembling. “They said he’ll be fine... eventually.”

Noah released her arm and stepped back, his own relief evident despite the tension still radiating from him. “That’s good,” he said softly. “That’s what matters.”

The hospital room was dimly lit, the beeping of monitors providing a steady, rhythmic backdrop. Gabriel lay on the bed, pale and motionless, but the rise and fall of his chest was enough to reassure Piper that he was still there. She sat beside him, her hand resting gently on his, as if her touch alone could keep him tethered to the world.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “This is all my fault. You shouldn’t have had to—”

“Stop.” Gabriel’s voice was weak but firm, his eyes fluttering open to meet hers. “This isn’t your fault, Piper.”

Her breath caught, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. “You almost died.”

“But I didn’t,” he said, his lips quivering into a faint smile. “Thanks to you.”

She shook her head, her grip tightening on his hand. “I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep putting the people I care about in danger.”

Gabriel’s expression softened. “You’re not the one putting us in danger. Anton is. And we’re going to stop him. Together.”

The conviction in his voice was both comforting and heartbreaking. Piper didn’t know how to respond, the weight of her emotions threatening to overwhelm her. She leaned forward, resting her forehead against his hand as she let her tears fall freely.

Outside the room, Jasper and Noah stood in the corridor, their voices low but heated.

“You’re really going to act like this isn’t a big deal?” Jasper demanded, his arms crossed tightly. “Gabriel almost died tonight because of Anton. And because we let him go alone.”

“No one ‘let’ him do anything,” Noah shot back, his voice sharp. “Gabriel made his choice. Just like we did when we went after him.”

“And what about Piper?” Jasper asked, his tone hard. “You think she’s okay with this? You think this hasn’t broken her?”

Noah’s expression darkened. “Of course she’s not okay. None of us are. But sitting here pointing fingers isn’t going to fix anything.”

Jasper stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. “You think I don’t know that? You think I don’t care?”

“I think you’re more focused on your own feelings than on what she needs,” Noah said coldly. “And that’s not helping anyone.”

The two men stared each other down, the tension between them threatening to boil over. Before either of them could speak again, the door to Gabriel’s room opened, and Piper stepped out. Her eyes were red and swollen, but her expression was composed.

“Stop,” she said, her voice firm but quiet. “Whatever this is, it ends now. I can’t handle any more fighting.”

Jasper and Noah both looked at her, guilt flickering across their faces. Piper let out a shaky breath, her shoulders sagging.

“We’re all on the same side,” she continued. “So start acting like it. Please.”

The two men exchanged a glance, the weight of her words sinking in. Slowly, they nodded, the hostility between them fading but not disappearing entirely.

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