Page 83 of Our Blood, Our Pain

“Calm down. The doctor told you to be careful.”

“I know what he fucking said.”

A large hand crushes my throat as my body screams.

“Just because you’re in the hospital, doesn’t mean that attitude will fly, sweetheart,” he says, and fuck, does the threatening tone do shit to me.

“What did you do, Jules?” I ask as he removes his meaty hand.

“You really wanna know?”

I look into those icy blues, and I can see the darkness, the crazy depths of vengeance that he took pleasure in. I thought it would anger me, disgust me. But…why am I eager to know? Eager to know how far he’d go for me?

“Every detail,” I whisper, and Jules moves closer to my mouth.

“You’ve been spending too much time with Aaron,” he says before kissing me. A kiss full of ownership and love. I want him so much.

“What the hell are you doing?” a loud female shrill screams. Fuck. It’s Mom. Jules pulls away and shocks the hell out of me by smiling at me.

“Time for the truth to come out, because I ain’t hiding or leaving you.”

Fuck. Well, if that didn’t make my heart somersault then I don’t know what would.

45

JULES

“Get your hands off him, Jules,” Jenny shouts at me as she runs over, like she is protecting Kai from a madman.

“No,” I say as I stand up from the bed next to Kai and hold his hand in mine.

Jenny goes to smack me in the face when I catch her hand mid-air.

“I’d be very careful of who you raise your hand to,” I say. This is a non-negotiable situation. She can be upset, hurt even. But that’s her shit to sort through, Kai is my only priority.

“Take your hands off me,” she snarls. I push her hand away and she stumbles back slightly. She looks down at Kai, who is very quiet, and moves to the other side of the bed to take him in her arms.

“Mom, careful. It hurts,” he says, pulling away from her and clutching at his stomach.

“Sorry, honey. I’m just so happy to see you awake and talking. How’s the pain?”

“I’m managing.”

“Jules, I want you to leave,” Jenny says.

“No. I’m not going anywhere,” I say, standing tall and crossing my arms across my chest.

“He’s my son!”

“You’re being hysterical. He’s an adult.”

“You can’t touch him. It’s sick. Kai, did he force you?”

“What? No! Mom, I don’t want him to leave. But there are things we want to explain,” he says as his head falls back into the pillow. His eyes are droopy, exhaustion taking over.

“I don’t want to hear any of it. I want him gone, Kai. Or I’ll make security get rid of him.”

“No you won’t. I’m an adult patient and I get to say who stays. I want him here, Mom.”

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