Page 46 of Truth & Lies

Her gentle gaze roams over my face. “Is he going to be okay?”

“I don’t know.” My voice cracks and I swallow down hard to try and quell the overwhelming emotions swirling inside of me.He’s gotta be okay.

“How bad is it?”

“He got shot in the chest. They struggled to get him stabilized at the scene and then they shoved him in the back of an ambulance and brought him here. I haven’t been allowed to see him since. Aiden even tried to get an update. All we know is that he had a collapsed lung and they had to rush him into surgery. And as far as we know, he’s still in there.”

“Alyssa, he’s going to be okay.”

“Yeah, Mom,” I reply on autopilot, not believing the words myself. Not yet. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to though. I’m just clinging to the hope that with everything that’s happened between us to get to this point, the universe wouldn’t be so cruel to tear us apart again. Then again, given the shit sandwich I’ve been served lately, I can’t exactly trust anything to go right.

I truly believe there is always an equal action and reaction to everything that happens. I hurt Aiden—a good man, an honest and I had thought a righteous man—when I followed my heart and chose Barrett. My mother—a good woman who’d do anything for anyone—was tricked by a man hell-bent on revenge for something he says my father did more than thirty years ago.

Then there is Barrett. He was doing his job and because he fell in love with me, he’s been shot and is right now fighting for his life somewhere in this hospital. And as long as he is still fighting and is still here, this is where I’m going to be.

* * *

Mom and I sit together in silence. Even after Aiden returns to the waiting room with two bottles of water for us. Except he doesn’t sit down like I expect him to. When I look up, I see the change in his demeanor.

“I just caught up with one of the nurses and they gave me an update.” I sit up straight, giving the man my full focus.

“Please tell me its good news,” I beg and I know it costs him, but Aiden shoots me a reassuring smile.

“It is. He’s out of surgery and has been taken straight to the ICU. They’re not sure when he’ll wake up, but they’re confident he’ll make a full recovery. They said they’ll come and get you as soon as he’s settled in his room.”

My shoulders slump and I collapse against my Mom, tears falling freely now as relief sweeps through me.

“Well then. Now that we’ve hadthatgood news, time to sort this whole situation out once and for all,” Mom announces after I’ve composed myself.

I tilt my head. “What do you mean?”

Mom waggles her phone in front of me. “Time to ring my lawyer and get things rolling.”

“I think that can wait for a few days, Mom. You’ve only just gotten back and I’m not sugarcoating it when I say today has been a shitshow of epic proportions.”

“You think I shouldwait?Oh no. There’snoway I want my name tied to that despicable man for a second longer than I have to, baby girl. That means getting an annulment underway as soon as humanly possible. Hopefully, we can stop everything he might’ve done or had planned to do in its tracks and start erasing this whole mess.” She stands and hoists the strap of her purse over her shoulder.

“Mom, I don’t think—”

“Alyssa, let me do this. I’m going to call Kevin right now and get papers filed by morning. I’ll also call Carrie and HR at Jacobs Publishing and get them started on reinstating everyone Gavin fired.”

“Mom. There’s no rush. I can take care of all of that.”

Mom’s brows narrow. “While you’re looking after your man and helping him recover? I don’t think so, baby girl. I’m more than capable of getting the ball rolling and undoing the mess my soon to beex-husband created. Frankly, it’s theleastI can do.”

“Mrs. Barnes—” Aiden starts to say before by mother interjects.

“It’s Mrs. Jacobs, Detective, or Rosalie. I’m not going to have that man taint my good name for a second longer than I have to.

“About the company, Mom—” But now she’s on a roll and she cuts me off.

“Alyssa. He did not and never would have gotten my permission to touch the company. Jacobs Publishing isours,baby girl. Gavin had no right to do what he did,” she says emphatically and even though I knew the truth all along, it’s still nice to know my instincts were right. “Will you be okay while I go make some calls?”

I lean over and give her a quick hug, smiling at her. I’m happy to see the return of the same strong-willed woman who’d raised me. “Yeah, Mom.”

She says goodbye to Aiden before swanning out of the room like she owns the place and I can’t help but be proud of how well she’s taking all of the revelations about Gavin and what happened today.

A few moments later, a doctor in light blue scrubs walks into the waiting room. “Family of Mark Lucas?”

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