“You read it in a book.”Gemma rolls her eyes.“I wasn’t going to let him kill you.”
“Kill him?!”her father rages.“Were they armed?”
Gemma and I glance at one another, and I watch her face crumping as the memories race back.
“Let’s not go over the details.We’re both okay, and the two assailants have been apprehended.”
“Mommy,” Zoe cries and tries to curl herself up in a ball.Gemma flinches.
That’s it.
She’s in pain, and I’m not standing here ignoring it.I reach out and take her daughter, who snuggles into my chest.
Gemma glances at her mom.“Please take her home and put her to bed.I’ll be released in a little while and pick her up in the morning.”
“Okay, darling.”
Graham and Natalie take Zoe and gather their things.
“I’ll take you home, Gemmy,” Belinda offers.
No fucking way.
I need answers, and I’m not leaving her while she’s in pain—and I don’t just mean physically.She’s so upset with me that she took off running.We need to talk about this.
I...am not losing her.
“I’ll take you home.I’ll wait until you’re released and get whatever medication you need.”I drop the ice pack on the bed, giving Gemma a pointed look to let her know I’m serious.
I’m not going anywhere.
“You should go,” Gemma says softly, regardless, and something inside me roars.
Like a lion ready to go to battle for the woman I...who I...
Fuck.
Not giving a flying fuck about who hears me or what they think, I say, “Let me take you home.Please.”
Gemma glances at her father and out the corner of my eye I see the man nod.
I don’t know why.
I am not sure if he seems to sense this need in me, or if he liked what I said earlier, but Gemma looks back at me, and I wait.
I wait for what feels like a thousand hours.
“Okay.”
My chest lifts as I draw in a deep breath.
Her parents say their goodbyes, and I kiss Zoe on the forehead and shake Graham’s hand.Belinda hugs me despite only just meeting and then finally it’s just the two of us.
I walk closer to the bed, right beside Gemma and rest my thigh against it.
“Gem—”
“This is over.Us.This.It’s over.I only let you stay so I could say that in person and not have to think about this another day.”
