“According to him, she asked him to come and see you and get you away from Jax. When you agreed to come to the coffee shop, I guess she was going to ambush you there, or so that’s what Zack says. Instead, you stormed out and got taken. I’m guessing that was her real plan all along.”
“I see.” Leaning back against the bed, I take in all of this new information. It was unsettling, concerning, and frankly, a little horrifying. But I could still be grateful. I was alive, after all. “Well, hopefully they find her soon.”
“I’ve been in touch with your lawyers as well. They’ve already filed the termination of her and are looking for someone else for you.”
“Maybe I don’t need a manager.” I think it would take a lot to get someone I could trust at this point. I don’t want anyone near me for a while.
“Well, Jeanette’s a cog in the machine. You have a lot of people on your team that can help get everything ready for the tour still.”
I shake my head, going to lift my left arm to brush my hair out of my face, and wince. “Yeah, I think I might need to worry about my health first.”
“You’re damn right,” Jax interjects, standing and coming back to my side. He still looks tortured, but I’m glad he hasn’t tried to do something stupid, like leave.
“Well, that’s what I know right now. I’m gonna go make some calls. You staying?” he asks Jax, who nods his head. “Cool. I’ll be here. Just call if you need me.”
He says this to Jax before squeezing my hand and leaving the room. It falls quiet as I stare at my very handsome boyfriend. “Jax.”
Finally, he turns his gaze on me, a mixture of pain and anger clearly on his face. “Yeah? You need anything?”
“I need you to stop torturing yourself, Jax.” I reach out for his hand, and he grasps it tightly. “I love you.” My voice is quiet and hoarsely breaks at the words. “I need you to be here with me, to focus on what this means for us, for Lawson.”
He nods, blinking and rubbing a hand over his face. “Of course. Yeah. Of course.”
His words agree with me, but I can tell he’s not forgiving himself just yet. We will get there.
Before I can say any more, a doctor enters. We go over everything, about how lucky I am, but that the surgery that was done to sew up my side was tricky, and I would need to be careful. Somehow, by some miracle, I wasn’t hit anywhere vital.
I have to sit and think about that for a while, wondering how I could have been so lucky, but I don’t discredit that. I just take it with grace and gratefulness.
By the time the doctors have come and gone, the police show up and take my statement. I try pumping again for the first time in two days, and a nurse brings around two trays of dinner for Jax and me. I feel ready to crash again.
Hopefully, when I wake, I will be able to get back home again.
46
felicity
Coming home feltlike I was breathing my first breath of fresh air in months. I didn’t realize how suffocating the hospital had felt until I’m sitting in my own space, breathing deeply, my son sleeping down the hallway, Jax in the shower—after I swore I would be okay—and a cup of coffee on my table in front of me.
Getting out of the hospital took some time since the doctors wanted to make sure I was okay and not going to get an infection from the surgeries I had to endure, but I pushed and pushed until they finally let me escape.
Someone lightly knocks on my front door, and I stand slowly, making my way to the front. Checking the peephole, I sigh in relief at the sight of Didi Cash standing there.
I smile as I open the door and welcome her in. Her hands are full with a casserole dish. “Hi, Didi. I didn’t know you were swinging by.”
I follow her into the kitchen and watch her confidently put the dish in the fridge. She must have been the one to clean up my space while I was out. She seems to know where everythingis. Instead of this bothering me, I find my heart squeezing with affection.
Everyone pitched in while I was out, taking turns helping Jax with Lawson while I couldn’t do more than hold and nurse him. Though, I was more than a little thankful that I was able to do even that.
“I just thought I’d pop in,” Didi says, and looks around the space, almost like she’s nervous to make eye contact with me.
“Well, how about a cup of coffee?” I ask, already reaching for a mug, which she takes gently from my hand. “Jax is in the shower, and Law is down for his nap.”
“Good. I actually came to speak to you.” She pours her cup of coffee and follows me to the table, asking if I need more before settling down.
I wince slightly as I settle, feeling that same pull my stitches give me every time I get up or down. “Well, that’s nice. Everything okay?”
Didi sighs and shakes her head. “Honestly, I have been waiting to talk to you without an audience.”
