Page 69 of Guarded from Corruption

She leans back to look at me, the same love in her eyes. “I love you, Niall. I think I always have.”

“Move in with me.” It just comes out.

“What?”

“I don’t want you to leave. After… I want you here. Living with me.”

“Niall.” Jade stares at me. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. More than anything.” My words come out in a rush. “I already talked to the team and they’re happy about it. If you agree to move here, I mean. And we can redecorate the apartment however you want. Put in a library. Get a bigger TV for your movies. Anything.”

Her chin wobbles, and I’m certain she’s about to say no.

“Yes.” A soft kiss to my cheek. “Yes, Niall. I’d love to move in with you.”

Yes.

Joy sweeps through me, and I pepper Jade’s face with kisses. “Thank you, hun. You’ll be happy here. I promise.”

“I know.” She gazes at me with a tender expression. “As long as I’m with you, I’ll be happy.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

JADE

It’s kind of surreal being back here.

The last time I was at work, my life was radically different.

I still naively believed terrible things like human trafficking couldn’t happen to me.

And I thought I was happy.

Was I?

I liked my job. I liked meeting with patients I’d built relationships with and helping them. I liked the little minutia of the workday—talking with the other nurses and PAs, meticulously going through my files at the end of each shift, and contributing money for whoever’s birthday it was that week.

Outside of work, I kept myself busy. There was always something to do—a barre class, reading a new book, renting the newest movie and texting Shea about it, errands, cleaning my apartment—and I thought that was enough.

What I’ve only realized recently is my life was kind of empty. And all the times Shea would encourage me to get out and meet someone, I already had. We just hadn’t come back together yet.

Though I’ve been through some terrible things since the last time I was here, I’m so much happier now.

I’m in love, and it makes everything better. Brighter. The things that give me anxiety are easier to deal with. And I’m so hopeful.

As I walk back into Regan Family Practice for the first time since I was abducted, my job isn’t the most important thing to me anymore. Niall is.

But that doesn’t mean I’m about to quit my job. It still matters to me, which is why I’m here. Now that my case is nearly wrapped up, it’s time to make plans for getting back to regular life again. Which means working and earning money so I can pay Niall back—he insists he doesn’t want me to, but I’m doing it anyway—and not hiding out at Blade and Arrow anymore.

Not that I don’t like being at B and A. I love Niall’s apartment, which I guess is our apartment now, and I love the barn and the common area where I invariably find one of his teammates hanging out, and the beautiful property I haven’t come close to exploring all of yet.

I’m actually wishing I was back there right now, though I won’t admit it to Niall. As we drove here, he told me, “It’s okay if you aren’t ready to go back to work yet. You can take as long as you need.”

I insisted I was fine, even though leaving the safety of Blade and Arrow makes my chest feel all tight and fluttery. But I know the longer I wait, the harder it’ll be to go back.

Niall’s hand is solid and comforting around mine, and as I get ready to head into the back area of the office, I have a fleeting thought of asking him to come with me. Which would be ridiculous and completely unprofessional; I’m here to convince Dr. Regan I’m ready to come back to work, and I’m not going to accomplish that by dragging my boyfriend into the meeting.

“Are you okay, hun?” Niall rubs his thumb across the top of my hand. His eyes darken with concern as he gazes down at me.

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