Page 109 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 2
"Not anytime soon." The nurse grabbed the glass from his hand. "Not if you don't get your rest."
"I'm fine, really." He grimaced again as he readjusted himself on the bed.
"On a scale of one to ten, how is the pain?"
James shrugged. "Ten as the worst?"
"Mhm."
"Maybe a three then."
She looked at him like she didn't believe him at all. "Go back to sleep, hon. Maybe you'll start making sense once you get some proper rest. The doctor will come in shortly, she's just finishing up a surgery."
James nodded. It looked like he was already about to fall back to sleep.
"And you stay off his bed, missy," she said to me before she left the room.
"Really, how much does it hurt?" I asked and slipped my hand back into his.
"It's not so bad." He yawned and grimaced again.
"James."
"It hurts like hell."
I pressed my lips together. "Go back to sleep, James," I said and kissed his cheek.
"Come back up. I want to hold you."
I wanted to follow the nurses instructions, so I sat back down in my seat. I wanted him to get better. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here when you wake up."
"Promise you'll stay?" he asked as his eyelids grew heavy.
"Of course." I squeezed his hand.
"I love you, Penny." It was almost a mumble.
"I love you." I watched him slowly fall asleep. For the first time in a long time, I realized how tired I was too. I laid my head down next to his hand. I felt at peace. I felt safe. I felt whole again.
***
Something buzzing woke me up. When I realized it was my phone, I quickly grabbed it and slid my finger across the screen so that it wouldn't wake James. But it wasn't a phone call, it was just a text. I clicked on the message that Rob had just sent.
"Penny, I've got it. You have to come see this."
I looked down at James. He had asked me to stay. But settling this mess would give him such a sense of peace. I didn't want him to have to worry about anything while he was recovering.
Another text came through. "It's enough to put her away for a long time even if they can't link anything else to her. It's over."
I let a breath escape that I hadn't realized I had been holding.It's over.I leaned down and kissed James' forehead. "I'll be right back," I whispered.
He moaned in his sleep.
No one would ever hurt him again. Ever. I left the room as quietly as possible.
"How is he doing?" Porter asked once I was in the hall.
"Good. He's sleeping. I'm going to run by our apartment real quick. I'll be back in half an hour."
