Page 99 of Loved By You

Where the hell am I?

I try to twist my head, another shooting pain goes through me. I lift my hand to touch my head but I can’t because of the sling keeping my arm close to my body.

As my senses slowly come back to me one by one, I feel warm air blowing on my other hand. I avert my gaze to the other side of the room and see Jack, hunched over, head on the edge of the bed, holding my hand, resting it against his face.

I wiggle my fingers to see if I can move them, and he jolts awake.

Wide blue eyes with dark circles meet mine and I’ve never seen him look so broken, so tired.

“Hey, you,” I rasp.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he whispers back. Lifting my hand to his mouth, he presses a kiss to the back of it. He closes his eyes; a tear rolls down his cheek.

“I’m okay.” I have no idea that I am. I don’t even know what’s happened to me, but I sense he needs to know I am okay.

“I thought I lost you when I saw you laying there…” he croaks. “It was like my world had ended, Ri.”

“What happened?” My voice sounds a little clearer and louder now.

He lays my hand back down on the bed, holding on like he’s never letting go. “You don't remember?” he asks.

I shake my head slowly, pain coursing through my head, and I wince.

"Be careful, you've got a broken collarbone and a nasty concussion and cut to the head."

I blink, trying to process his words.

"Lexi said Alex came over and he was shouting." He swallows hard, eyes glassy. "I found you when I came home, but he was gone."

Then it all rushes back to me and my heart near stops.

"Jack, the girls where—" I try to sit up, moving my sheets so I can go to them, but Jack gestures for me to lie back down.

"The girls are safe. They're here. Nothing happened to them."

My breathing slows, the anxiety leaving my body at the sound of his words.

"I need to see them, Jack."

He nods and stands just as I think to ask another question first.

"Is Alex... I mean where is he?"

“He was found about a mile from the house. He’s been arrested and he’s being questioned. They are going to need to speak to you, but when you are ready, okay?”

I nod slowly, careful not to cause that shooting pain in my head.

“You’re always saving me,” I say shakily.

He smiles. “I told you, sweetheart, you’re worth saving and if you let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that to you.”

I sniff back the tears that have started falling down my cheeks. “I'd like that”. He leans in and presses his lips to mine, it's tender and gentle and my body relaxes under his touch.

“There is a waiting room of people wanting to know you are okay and some doctors that need to check in on you. I’m gonna go get them okay?”

I smile, excited to see my girls. Jack opens the door and calls down the hospital corridor, “She’s awake.”

I hear the chaos before I see it. “Mommy,” Lexi calls and my heart flutters. No words have sounded better. She runs through the door and Jack scoops her up into his arms, kissing the top of her head, and my heart melts.

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