Page 54 of Protecting Jess

Run into Finn.

Kissed and slept with Finn.

Was at a bar and then...pain. Red-hot pain in her shoulder.

I was stabbed. Someone stabbed me.

“Come on, popsicle, wake up.” Warm lips brushed across her forehead.

Even though they felt as if they were stuck together with glue, Jess forced her eyes open, blinking a couple of times before Finn’s handsome features came into focus.

“Finn?” Her lips were dry, so his name came out as a croak.

“Jess, baby! Don’t you scare me like that.” Her dad’s rough voice sounded before his tall figure came into focus behind the man she loved.

“Dad? Wh—” Jess licked her lips in an attempt to get some moisture onto them.

A second later, a cup with a straw was placed against her mouth.

“Here you go, sweetheart.” Her mom’s voice filled her heart and tears formed in her eyes.

There was no hiding what’d happened to her this time. No way could she keep it secret, which meant she’d have to tell them what happened in New York, and she wasn’t ready for that. Was she?

Jess took a couple of sips of the cool water, grimacing at the metallic tap-water taste, but she was so grateful for the moisture, she didn’t care about the taste. She glanced at Finn. “You good?”

He lifted their joined hands and kissed the top of hers. “I am now. You scared me, Jess. I don’t ever want to go through the last few hours again. And I wasn’t the one who had to have surgery.”

Finn’s gaze never left hers. He didn’t look embarrassed that her parents were in the room. Didn’t care that he was basically telling everyone in the room they were a couple.

Jess looked over Finn’s shoulder and found her dad watching them.

He didn’t look angry, just concerned. The fact Finn was holding her hand didn’t seem to bother him at all.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

Her dad’s expression softened, and an answering glisten of tears shone in his gray eyes. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You didn’t ask to be hurt.”

“We should call the doctor,” her mom murmured.

“We will, but I need to see for myself that my baby girl’s okay.”

Finn released his hold on her hand, and she wanted to snatch it back, but he was already moving, making way for her dad to take his place in the chair next to her.

Her mind was still a bit foggy from the anesthesia, but she had a feeling Finn hadn’t mentioned to her parents anything about Bartholomew and what he’d done.

Why hadn’t he?

He’d had the perfect opportunity while she was out of it. Or when he’d called them to tell them she’d been hurt. Yet it looked like Finn had done none of that.

It had to have been hard not to say anything.

“Do you remember what happened to you?” Dad asked as he picked up her hand and held it like Finn had done.

Jess closed her eyes, in part not to have to see her dad’s disappointment when she told him what she’d been through. Also, because she wanted to try to remember everything.

Soft fingers brushed across her forehead. Opening her eyes, she met her mom’s gaze. Love and warmth shone in them.

Finn stood behind them, a silent sentinel, there to jump in and help should Jess need it.

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