Page 61 of Fury

“But surely your word might make them think it over, see things they might not have.”

“Are you worried he’s here to take your man back home?”

I scoff. “No. Fury wouldn’t leave without me anyway,” I say with false confidence. The truth is, not being able to see him has left me feeling a little lost. Without his reassurance, I don’t know how he feels. We were only just starting out again and then this happened. “I really want to see him,” I add. “I was thinking maybe I could go in my uniform. No one’s going to be looking at a nurse.”

She arches a brow. “Only your crazy ex who knows you work there, and he’s the reason you’re in hiding.”

“We don’t even know where he is,” I exclaim. “The guys are busy. They wouldn’t even know if we leave.”

“I will have Fletch watch you all night if I have to,” she warns. “Axel will tell you when the time is right.”

I go upstairs in a huff. It’s almost impossible to get out of here because there is always someone on the gate lately. And even when there isn’t, there are brothers hanging around, and they all know I can’t leave.

Fury

I hearAxel from outside the room berating the nurse for not calling him to tell her things had changed since he’d left.When he finally bursts in, I manage a smile, and relief floods his face. The nurse is hot on his heels, still trying to explain that she told my next of kin.

“I’m his fucking next of kin,” he barks.

“The lady who was here earlier, she said she was his wife.”

Axel’s eyes narrow and he looks at me. Before I can attempt to talk, the nurse jumps in. “He’s not managed to find his speech. These things take time.”

“Jo,” I manage to whisper.

“Jo?” he asks, and I nod. “What the hell was she doing here?” And then something passes over his face, but he doesn’t bother to explain. Instead, he turns to the nurse. “She isn’t his wife. They aren’t together. Don’t let her in here again.”

“Actually, it’s not up to you,” the nurse says, turning to look at me. “It’s up to you who visits. Can she come in here?” I nod, and she smiles smugly before leaving.

Axel glares at me. “What the fuck is going on, Fury?”

“I-I don’t . . .” I take a breath. “Memory.” I know the sentence is wrong, but the words won’t come, so Axel sits beside me in the chair.

“You can’t remember?” he asks, and I nod. “But you remember Jo isn’t yours, right? She chose him in the end.” When he sees my confusion, he sighs. “You left Nottingham to come here because everything came out, Fury. Ripper found out about the two of you.”

I close my eyes and think back to Jo and the promise she made me.“I’ll tell him, and we can be together. A family of three.”I was shocked when the pregnancy test came back positive, but I was ready to step up and own up. I hadn’t meant to start fucking around with my former president’s wife, but she was unhappy. Ripper didn’t want to have kids, and Jo found it hard. She wanted her own little family. We connected unintentionally—I was around when she needed to talk, and things progressed. I certainly didn’t mean to get her pregnant, but she was over the moon. How could I tell her it wasn’t what I wanted?

I picture Ripper leaning in close to my ear.“She got rid of it.”My frown deepens. I don’t know if that’s a real memory or a dream.

I didn’t ask Jo about the baby, but it’s only just come back to me, and I feel that tightening in my chest again. The machine beside me bleeps, and Axel rolls his eyes before turning the sound off. “Relax. It’s gonna be a lot to process, but we don’t need little miss nurse bitch turning up to kick me out.”

The door opens, and Axel groans when a nurse enters. She’s wearing a face covering. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he snaps, and she removes the face mask.

“I had to see him,” she hisses. And then her eyes fall to me and she smiles wide, rushing over and throwing her arms around me. “I’ve been so worried about you,” she cries.

I glance at Axel, who looks pissed. “How the hell did you even get out of the clubhouse?”

Clubhouse? She’s from the club? The nurse pulls back and runs a hand down my cheek before kissing me gently on the lips. I frown. I mean, she’s hot, don’t get me wrong, but Jo would slam her to the ground for touching what’s hers. “I love you,” she whispers, her eyes teary.

I glance back to Axel again, my eyes wide with confusion. Axel sighs, rubbing a hand over his forehead. “Xanthe, he doesn’t remember.”

Xanthe.This is Xanthe?Shit, she’s grown. Of course, she is, it’s been years. I smile a little, but she looks horrified. “Xanthe,” I manage to say.

“Yes, it’s me,” she says, smiling again. “See, he does remember,” she shoots to Axel.

“Do you?” Axel demands.

“Xanthe,” I say again. “First . . . love.”

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