Page 62 of She's Mine

From there, I could work out the rest myself. The emergency services had found us, and we’d been taken to safety.

My only questions now were, “How long was I out for? And why can’t I feel either of my legs?”

“You’ve been recovering from surgery for the last twelve hours,” Jeffrey said. “You had a bullet lodged in your leg, and your body was going into septic shock. The doctors were able to remove the bullet, and the fact you’re awake tells me you’re over the worse. Beyond that, I don’t know.”

“Does my mom know I’m here?”

“She does. Hillary is currently on her way to pick her up. They should both be here soon.”

I allowed myself a small smile knowing I’d soon see my mom. But before she arrived, I needed to speak to the doctor. “Can you call the doctor for me, please?” I asked Jeffrey.

“Of course,” Jeffrey said, rising from his chair and then crossing the room.

I was soon greeted by Doctor Khan, who had performed my surgery. He informed me that the removal of the bullet had gone well, and thankfully it hadn’t damaged any major arteries. They’d been able to get the infection under control, and I was receiving antibiotics intravenously. The numbness in my legs was due to the morphine pumping through my body, dulling any pain from the surgery. But Doctor Khan fully expected me to regain feeling once the medication wore off.

It wasn’t long after Doctor Khan had left that my mom arrived with Hillary. Jeffrey and Hillary stepped out of the room to give me and my mom a moment alone.

She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a bone-crushing embrace and sobbed into my shoulder.

“Oh God, David. I was so worried. I thought I’d never see you again,” she said, as she settled into the seat Jeffrey had vacated. Though her hand never left mine on the bed.

I let out a weak laugh. “Don’t worry, you won’t get rid of methateasily. Especially not now that I have something else to live for.”

Mom smiled up at me. “I take that to mean things with you and Alyssa are going well?”

I couldn’t stop the grin that spread across my face as I replied, “Yes,verywell. In fact, I have some news. Alyssa and I are having a baby.”

My mom burst into tears, but they were happy tears, and she was grinning as broadly as I was, as she stood up from her seat and wrapped her arms around me again.

“I’m going to be a grandma?” she sobbed, overcome with emotion.

“You are.” I was crying now too. “I’m going to be a dad.”

My mother beamed at me. “You’re going to be an amazing father, David.”

“I certainly intend to doeverythingwithin my power to be.”

“Where is Alyssa? Are she and the baby well? How have her parents reacted to the news she’s pregnant?” Mom asked, as she settled into her seat once more.

“From what Jeffrey was able to tell me, Alyssa and the baby are both safe and well. Her parents have taken her home. I don’t think Charles Blythe is pleased with the news that his daughter and I are having a baby together.”

“Oh David, please be careful. That man is very rich and powerful. If he doesn’t want you involved in Alyssa and the baby’s lives, he could make thingsverydifficult for you.”

“Mom, with all respect, I don’t care even if Charles Blythe was the president of the country.Nothingwill stop me being with Alyssa and raising our child together.”

Mom squeezed my hand and smiled at me. “I knew I’d raised you to do the right thing. You have my full love and support.”

28

ALYSSA

Ishould have been overjoyed. I was home, safe and well. My baby was healthy and growing as it should be. The leader of the Bloodline was dead, and any surviving members were in police custody.

Everything should have been perfect.

But there was one thing stopping me getting the ‘happily ever after’ I so desperately craved.

My father hadforbiddenme from ever seeing David again. I couldn’t believe it. I was twenty-five years old. I’dfoughtfor my life and freedom, and yet, here I was, a prisoner in my own home.

---