Jim lay down and faced her. “This is a very long and pretty messed up story.”
She nodded and waited for him to continue.
With a sigh and several deep breaths, Jim began to explain the events of the night of Tasha’s crash. “You left me after accepting that call from Mickie. She was telling me all about her worries and concerns for her health and all I could think about was you and told her we’d had a fight. She suggested letting you go for a while and concentrate on what I really needed and what you needed. She was empathetic and questioned whether we may have rushed into this whole thing, but when she quoted that wholeif you love someone set them free and if they come back then they're really yoursit threw me. She talked about how young you were and how she’d figured that you’d endured a difficult childhood. She suggested I was asking for too much too soon and that rushing you into marriage was wrong for you, that you needed to come to terms with everything.”
Tasha nodded, understanding everything Jim was saying and even getting Mickie’s perspective, not that she really believed the other woman had ever cared or considered what was or wasn’t best for her.
Jim continued, “Her words made sense on some level. I couldn't believe that Mickie of all people wouldn't take the opportunity to take advantage and gain some ground, so maybe she was right.” Jim exhaled, a long, loud sigh. He kissed Tasha gently on the forehead. “Anyway, I still wanted us to talk because Mickie was right about us needing to concentrate on what we needed and what I needed, still need, is you. Even with Mickie’s words fresh in my mind I refused to accept that you didn’t need or want me like I did you.”
“You’re the one thing I have needed and wanted from the second I met you,” Tasha told Jim with a small smile curling her lips.
Instinctively, Jim’s lips lowered to hers, a succession of tiny kisses littered from one corner of her mouth to the other.
A big smile broke across Jim’s face. “Even in hospital you distract me, baby. But back to that night, I knew at that second that it was you and me, for both of us and so I selfishly decided that we could work things out, just us. That's when I text you and was hugely relieved that you said you were coming home, but you didn't get there. Juan came to say a car that looked a lot like yours had crashed and rolled part way down a hill after flipping over the barrier. He was in a bit of a state and I knew he knew it was you. By the time I got there you were sick and they were preparing to cut you out of the wreckage.” He nervously pushed a hand through his hair, a sad expression taking over his face as if reliving that moment. “I have to tell you, honey, I was scared shitless. I thought I'd lost you forever.” There was a distinct wobble to his voice now.
Tasha felt guilty for having put him through it, although it appeared that the accident wasn’t her fault so she shouldn’t feel guilty as such, but still thought he was keeping vital information from her still.
Jim began to explain the physical trauma she’d been through and the treatments and procedures she’d endured before addressing the cause of her crash. “The police hung around on and off for a while until Stan told them that you were going nowhere and would be in no fit state to answer questions for some time. The accident wasn't actually an accident as it turns out; someone cut your brakes, baby. It seems you were followed and may have been forced you off the road—the police stopped him a few days later and he sang like the proverbial canary. He told the police he’d been paid to stop you and me from marrying,to get rid of youfrom my life. He was paid handsomely and named his puppet master too.”
“James, I don't understand who would want to hurt me to stop us getting married, except for…but, I don't understand.” Tasha hadn’t realised she was crying until Jim attempted to wipe the tears from her face. Maybe it was the drugs she was on or the shock of everything that had happened to her. In reality she knew there was more to it than that. She was confused and scared at the idea that somewhere in the world there were people cutting deals and exchanging cash to stop her marrying Jim, to kill her.
Jim pulled her towards him more firmly and held her tight, allowing her to absorb the details of what he’d already said and once she was a little calmer he continued with the really messed up part of the story. “Mickie. Mickie paid someone to do it and he was happy to take her money and this is where it becomes really unpleasant. You remember she hired the P.I. who met with your parents and they wouldn't be drawn on details for fear of legal action?”
Jim continued as soon as Tasha nodded her head in confirmation.
“Well, that was crap because they did indeed take money, but not for information.” Jim thought he was explaining clearly, but looking down at the confused expression on Tasha’s face he realised he wasn't. “There is no easy way of saying this, honey, so I will just say it. Mickie paid your dad to come over here on false papers to stop you marrying me,using any means necessaryand he did. He is in police custody, but they’re still looking for Mickie. Your mom has sold several stories in the U.K. She’s claiming that it must all be a mistake, but no mistake, baby.” He held her and rocked her gently as she began to sob, pained, heart wrenching sobs.
“I can't believe anybody would want me dead. Am I that dreadful a person, a daughter? Maybe they've done you a favour by saving you from me,” Tasha said, still sobbing and reeling from the information Jim had just shared, grateful that his grip remained, his arms around her tightening.
“You stop that,” said Jim firmly. “Nobody has done me any favours where you're concerned. I love you and we are going to get married and you are not dreadful, but Mickie is a complete lunatic and your dad is an animal. I spoke to Mickie when your dad had been arrested, before her involvement was known and she was weird, she made me suspicious. She said things that seemed off like,I will always be here to support youandwould you like me to take you home, to take care of youand then a couple of hours later, after I had told her to leave us alone, the police turned up and questioned me about her and your dad. That’s when they told me what they knew, but Mickie had disappeared by then. Your dad received a call from her on the night of your crash, after you and I fought. She told him he’d run out of time and to take you out. Oh, Katy Myers got in touch and told me about your meeting, but after a little research on her part she discovered that Mickie didn't have cancer and that was all part of the plan; get rid of you, support me through it, recover from the non-existent cancer and we could—”
“Live happily ever after,” finished Tasha.
“Exactly,” replied Jim to a terrified looking Tasha.
“Hence the security,” she said in a whisper.
“Yes, baby.” For Jim there was no more to say. He hated that she was scared and the fear in her eyes was unmistakable. He hated more the fact that people he had exposed her to were the cause of that fear. Every time she was hurt or at risk of hurt from her family or her past he always assured her that he wouldn’t let them close enough to harm her and yet here they were; her in a hospital bed, while Mickie, his friend was God knows were and her father, who had once more hurt her, was sitting in a prison cell.
“Will you stay with me tonight?” Tasha sounded as scared as she looked.
Jim hated hearing that, the confirmation of her fright. More than anyone he had ever met she deserved to always feel safe and he was going to do everything and anything in his power to give her that. “Baby, I keep telling you, I’m going nowhere and neither are security until Mickie is found. Now go to sleep,” he ordered, making her smile.
“I've missed Mr Control Freak.” She reached up to stroke his face.
“I'll have Mike bring your uniform in.” He grinned rakishly but it was the wiggling of his eyebrows that made her laugh then grimace as she held her ribs carefully.
“I can see why you and Gramps are at loggerheads, but neither of you are at fault,” she said sincerely. “If I was cut out of my car I am guessing it's a write off.”
“A total wreck, honey.”
“Shame.” She smiled sadly.
“After all the fuss you made when I bought it, you now consider it's passing as ashame.” He shook his head and arched a slightly disbelieving brow. “Although, I can get you the Spyder now.” His grin was reinstated but was smug now.
Tasha smiled, stifling a yawn as she reached up to deliver a single kiss to his cheek before she rolled over and pressed her back against his front where his grip tightened on her, holding her safe. Jim cradled her, desperate for her to sleep soundly and maybe even dream the sweetest of dreams. Tasha closed her eyes, allowed a few tears to fall and even with her inability to process all she'd been told, she somehow managed to drift off to a sleep.
Chapter 4
