Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 46500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
His lips twitched in amusement, but he grabbed my arm and led me over to the surgeon. “This is his girlfriend, Jessie Dirks. What do you know about Blythe Reynolds?” Alejandro asked.
“He’s out of surgery and is expected to make a full recovery,” the surgeon told us.
My knees hit the floor, unable to carry my weight anymore. I clutched at my chest, my other hand planted flat on the cold tile beneath me.
He was going to be okay.
“Jessie?” Joey asked, squatting next to me. “Hey, sis, look at me,” he soothed as he grabbed my face in his hands.
“He’s going to be okay.” I sobbed, my chest physically aching. He was going to be okay.
Joey tugged me into his arms, holding me in a way I hadn’t let him do in years. I didn’t know how he had gotten to the hospital so fast, nor did I ask. I was just glad to have my brother because right then, I felt like I was drowning.
I slowly walked into Ink’s hospital room. Alejandro had paid for him to be placed on a private floor with his own nurses and doctors, which I was thankful for. If someone had tried to kill him, then I knew there was a threat lingering, hence why my brother had most likely made the trip down here so quickly.
Ink hadn’t been allowed any visitors until he was awake and the doctor could speak to him, so I had paced the waiting room for hours on end, only a steaming cup of coffee keeping me grounded.
“Jessie?” Ink rasped.
A fresh wave of tears poured down my cheeks as I quickly walked to his bedside. He was unusually pale, and I could see the exhaustion still weighing him down.
With a grunt of pain, he reached up and grabbed my face in his hands, pulling my face down to his so he could kiss me. His lips worked hard with mine, coaxing a moan from the back of my throat.
“You okay?” he quietly asked me once he parted our lips, brushing his thumbs over my cheeks.
I sniffled and nodded. “I am now,” I told him, my voice cracking. My lips trembled. “I was so scared I was losing you, Ink.”
He flashed me a sweet smile. I sobbed at the sight of it. For so long, I’d been terrified I’d never see that fucking smile again. “You’re not losing me that easily, my girl.”
I sank into a chair beside his bed, his hand clasped in mine. I wrapped my other hand around our joined ones and leaned my forehead on them, crying so hard I could barely drag a breath into my lungs. I was so relieved to see him awake and coherent.
“Jessie, baby, I’m okay,” Ink soothed. “I can’t stand seeing you cry, my girl.”
“I’m sorry,” I blubbered. “This has been the worst few hours of my life.”
I slowly raised my head to look up at him. He was frowning, his eyes running over my face. He released my hand from his and slid over on his bed with a grunt, his face twisting with pain. I quickly jumped up, about to ask him what in the hell he was doing when he patted the spot next to him. “Lay down.”
“But Ink—”
“Woman, if you don’t get your fine ass on this bed beside me so I can fucking hold you, when I’m able to move around better, I’ll bend you over my knees and spank your juicy ass red, you hear me? Get on the bed.”
I laughed, though it sounded broken. Not wanting to stress him out, I obediently followed his order and slowly laid down on the bed beside him. He pulled the blanket over us, his arm wrapping around my shoulders when I slowly placed my head on his chest.
He relaxed beneath me, as if my touch was some kind of medication. “I missed you, my girl.”
“How?” I asked him. “You were unconscious.”
He swallowed thickly. “I made Alejandro call you before he did anything,” he confessed. I leaned up a little, shooting him a disapproving look. “I was almost positive I was fucking dying there.” More tears burned in my eyes. “I wanted you to know I loved you in case I did.” He drew in a small breath. “But the pain of knowing my time with you was going to get cut short hurt more than the fucking bullet itself.” He brushed his lips to my hair. “So, yeah, my girl, I fucking missed you.”
I sniffled, trying not to cry again. “I missed you, too,” I croaked. “Please don’t ever do some shit like this again.” He quietly laughed, groaning at the same time. “I was so fucking scared I was losing you forever.”
He tightened his arm around my shoulders. “Forever, baby. We’re always forever,” he said softly. “We haven’t come this fucking far for nothing.” He brushed his hand down my arm. “Now, get some rest.”