Kade paused right outside the threshold. A heavy silence seemed to freeze the air around him for a long, agonizing second, as if he were standing at the edge of a high cliff, trying to build the courage to take a step forward. His hand trembled slightly as he reached out, gripped the brass door handle, turned it slowly, and pushed the door inward.
Inside the large, warm bedroom, light poured through the tall windows. Sitting up against the tall wooden headboard of the bed was Damon.
Kade saw the white linen bandages that were wrapped securely around Damon's chest, and his skin still retained a pale, recovering tint from his severe blood loss. But his dark brown eyes were clear, alert, focused, and undeniably alive.
Kade stopped dead in his tracks just two steps inside the room. He stared at the man sitting on the bed, the breath trapped in his lungs.
