Page 102 of Fighting Fate

Rory was right. When it comes to it, it’s the things you don’t do that you regret more than things you do. I should’ve gone back to Taylor and learnt what I needed to protect myself. Maybe If I had done that, everything would’ve been different. All those times I complained about the security following me around…

“You’re where you need to be.” His hand carefully strokes over my shoulder as I breathe out a long yawn.

“Doing exactly what you need to and what we all want you to do. Rest, Willow,” Abby whispers, brushing my hair from my face while she continues holding my hand. “It’ll be all right.”

Taking a deep breath, I allow myself to trust her. It’s all got to be all right. Rory and I are only getting started. As much as I fought my feelings, he is the only man I’ve ever truly loved and who has ever loved me too. We have every night to share a bed and every morning to wake up together. We have arguments we still need to have and make up after…and stupid jokes to share that no one else understands. And we have this baby. Our little boy that gets excited at the sound of his daddy’s voice…

It all has to be all right. It will all be fine.

It will. It will. It will…

The exhaustion is quickly falling heavy on me like a dark cloud I can’t shake. I’m weaving in and out of light and dark for I don’t know how long. The sleepy fog rises and falls, and the sound of the monitors slowly creeps up again until all I can hear is a steady heartbeat. Fast, but steady and strong. All I can do is relish the sound.

“You’re back…” Jake lets out a deep breath.

I’m trying to reply through my scratchy throat when the bed dips beside me and the scent of Dorian’s perfume filters through the dried blood clogging my nose. My head instantly lolls onto her shoulder as she laces our hands together.

“Be careful,” Jake tells her. “Her stats are finally stable, and the baby seems to be doing okay. So…let’s not rock the boat now.”

“There’s a change of clothes in your office, and I brought your car since you’re the one with the privileges here.” There’s a pause before she murmurs, “I need to talk to her about what’s happening. Rory’s lawyer is pushing for bail, but the more he pushes instead of working with the police, the more they’re pushing back.”

I need to get out of this fog so I can talk to her. Get all the details I can and be of some actual help instead of just lying here listening. Squeezing her hand as hard as I can, I adjust myself so that she knows I’m awake. Or as awake as I can be right now.

“Chooch?”

“Dor…” Jake groans. “She needs to stay calm.”

“I know, Jake, but I have a way of getting Rory out before his lawyer fucks it all up.”

The instant her words break through the fog, my heart stutters with one long gong that feels like a shock to the system before it starts pounding away.

“Then do it,” he urges her, and I’m trying to nod, but my head is too heavy. I need her to do whatever it takes to help him. “This isn’t helping her right now. If she starts getting distressed, we’re putting the baby at risk.”

“My hands are tied until I talk to her. It has to go through her own appointed solicitor.” Dorian squeezes my hand, pressing a kiss to my head. “If you trust me, we can make it all okay.”

“Can’t you act on her behalf? I know this isn’t your area of expertise, but you have a plan…”

“It’s underhanded, and…there would be a conflict of interest,” she murmurs.

“Dor…” The concern in his voice says it all.

All the hope that was burning through me seconds ago dims. It doesn’t matter what I would give to protect Rory right now, I can’t let Dorian risk her career too.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she growls, lightly squeezing my hand back. “That bastard is sitting in a hospital bed with a couple broken ribs, a botched nose, and a few stitches…maybe a black eye to go with it. No charges against him…nothing. He’s fucking jammy.”

“I get that, Dorian, but—”

“I’m not doing anything you wouldn’t do for Eleanor.” A beat of silence follows her acerbic remark before she says, “Look at her, Jake. This is my sister, and she’s hurt. She can’t even talk to me…and Rory is sitting in a police cell with a charge of grievous bodily harm looming over him. It’ll end his career, Jake! It’ll end his career, and he could end up in prison for years.”

No!

“No,” I sputter hoarsely. “No!”

I don’t care how or what we do, that’s not happening. I am not allowing it to happen. No matter what it takes.

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