Fever (Breathless #2)(127)

“I do,” he said quietly. “And I’m sorry it took me so long to give you that. I’ll never hold that back from you again.”

He turned so he could press a kiss to her forehead and he left his lips there, warm and sweet against her skin. She closed her eyes and savored the rightness of being in his arms. She was alive. He was here. She couldn’t ask for anything more.

“Can you forgive me?” he asked again.

“Oh, Jace, I already forgave you. The morning you left for work. I know that trust takes time. We’re so new. We fell into each other so hard and fast and things were so intense. And trust takes time to build. We’ve only known each other such a short time and we’re still learning one another.”

“You’re so sweet and forgiving,” he said in an aching voice. “I don’t deserve you but I want you more than I want to breathe. And I’m never letting you go, baby.”

“Don’t, then,” she whispered into his neck. “Don’t let me go, Jace. I’m lost without you.”

“You’ll never be lost, baby. Never again. I’ll always find you. No matter where you go, I’ll always be there to bring you home.”

“I’m hungry,” she murmured. “Will they let me eat anything yet? When will I be able to go home? Is there anything . . . wrong . . . with me? Will I be okay from this?”

She couldn’t keep the anxiety from creeping into her voice.

“Not sure when you’ll be able to go home. The doctor said you’ll make a full recovery. They’ll be running tests to make sure there isn’t any liver damage but he didn’t expect there’d be any permanent ramifications. As for food, I’ll go check with the nurse right now. If they say you can eat, I’ll order in the most fantastic meal ever. No hospital food for you.”

She smiled, relief swelling in her chest.

“I need to let the others know you’re awake and okay,” he said. “Mia, Gabe and Ash have camped out in the waiting room the entire time you’ve been here. They’ve been worried sick about you.”

“Jace?”

He sat up, picking up on the worry in her voice. He glanced down at her, concern burning brightly in his eyes.

“What is it, baby?”

“What’s going to happen to Jack?”

Jace’s expression went grim. “That I’m not sure of. This had to be reported to the police. At first it was reported as a suicide attempt.”

She blanched at that, mortified that anyone would think she’d done this to herself. Embarrassment crowded in, heavy and suffocating. She’d moved beyond her past. And now she was right back where she’d come from.

“Don’t look like that, baby,” Jace said in a gentle voice. “I spoke to the officer who investigated. He knows about Jack and his involvement. He also knows it wasn’t intentional. Not sure what this will mean for him, but it’s serious. He’ll have to face the consequences of what he did.”

Sadness crept into her heart, squeezing until it was a painful ache.

“I’ll see what can be done, baby. Let me worry about Jack, okay? All I want you to do is focus on feeling better so you can come home with me. Do you trust me to take care of this?”

She slowly nodded. She knew it was beyond her reach now. She could no longer protect Jack. He’d gone too far this time and she was powerless to protect him from the consequences. But it still saddened her that he’d opted to end his life rather than embrace the things that Jace had done for him. Life was sweet. Even when it was bad, there was always the hope of better. The future. And Jack could have made a better future for himself. That was his choice and Bethany couldn’t make that choice for him.

She couldn’t live her life for Jack. She had her own life to lead. With Jace. She wanted a better future.

It was time to let Jack make his own way.

“I know this hurts you, baby,” Jace said in a soft voice. “And I’m sorry. I’ll do my best for Jack, but you have to know I’m pissed as hell at him. He could have killed you. He could have taken you from me. He almost did.”

“I know,” she said quietly.

He leaned down to kiss her and then moved back from the bed. “Will you be okay for a few minutes while I go tell the others you’re awake and see about getting you some food?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

He walked to the door and then stopped and looked back at her a long moment as if memorizing her every feature. His eyes glowed warm with love and relief. So much love that she couldn’t possibly mistake it for anything else.

She smiled, infusing as much love as she could into her own gaze. He got it. Recognized it. Then he smiled back before turning and walking out the door.

Chapter forty-two

Jace stepped into the waiting room in time to see a police officer cuff Jack’s hands behind his back. He walked over, forgetting for the time being that he was there to inform Mia, Gabe and Ash that Bethany was awake.

“Can I have just a moment?” Jace asked the police officer.

The officer hesitated and then said, “Two minutes. I have to take him in.”

Jace nodded and the officer took one step back but remained close as he eyed Jack.

“Wanted you to know Bethany is awake and she’s doing well,” Jace said in a low voice. “She also knows what happened and how.”