Page 15 of Rescued By the Guard

“Captain Mitchell has been making it very clear you have a place to stay and will have everything you need.”

Surprised, I form an o with my mouth. There’s nothing further to say and the detectives leave the room after wishing me a speedy recovery. The nurse fiddles with a few things, liketaking my temperature and asking if I need anything and I tell her no.

“Very well. I’ll get Captain Mitchell for you and the doctor should be in with you shortly.”

Nodding, I rest my head against the pillow. I’m exhausted, and it’s been a hell of a decade, but I can’t help the butterflies and the excitement of knowing Dale’s going to be with me soon. Even though nerves eat away at me a little wondering if everybody has it wrong and he’s only feeling an obligation and once he sees I’m all right, he’s going to wipe his hands of me.

I bite on my lips as I fiddle with my fingers. I don’t know what to expect.

The door flies open and Dale barges into the room and makes his way over to my side. “Bella, are you okay? Damn, I’ve been going out of my mind, but nobody would let me see you.” He cups one hand on my cheek while the other grips my hand, and he strokes his thumb back and forth.

I burst into tears and Dale’s face drops as he hugs me awkwardly with the bed rails and all the wires linked up to me and the machines, but it’s still the best hug I’ve ever received.

“Shhhh, baby. It’s going to be okay. We’ll get through this.” He rests his head on top of mine while I suffer my second breakdown in front of him.

I can’t fight off the embarrassment and wish I can make myself stop all the blubbering but the more I try to quit it the worse it becomes so I succumb once more.

“That’s it. Let it all out. Cry as much as you need to. I’ve got you.”

I cry harder. This is exactly what I didn’t know I needed all these years. Somebody to just hold me and let me cry.

The door opens, and a doctor stands in the doorway and his eyes widen at the scene before him. “I’ll come back later.”

Neither Dale nor I say anything as the doctor turns around and the door closes behind him.

I scooch over as much as possible.

“What are you doing, Bella?”

“Lay with me.”

“Of course.” Dale lowers the side rail and moves the cords around before gently getting onto the bed with me. It’s a tight fit, but as I wrap my body around his and he strokes my back and tucks me tight to his side, I breathe for the first time in ages. This has become my safe place, and I want to embrace it as much as I can.

“Sleep, Bella, I won’t be going anywhere. I’ll be here, so you rest.”

I snuggle in closer to him and inhale deep the pine and natural musk that is Dale and I’m home. Something I haven’t had since Nana passed, more specifically since my parents passed.

“My full name is Amelia Grace Brown, but I like being called Bella,” I mumble into his chest. And I really do. It’s like a sweet pet name, something I’ve never had before, and I want to hold on to it for as long as I can.

“You’ll always be my Bella.”

With his breathing and the slow rise and fall of his chest, I allow slumber to take over and let darkness descend.

9

DALE

Bella sleepsagainst my chest and the nurses have come in a few times to check in and since I already woke her up frequently for the first twenty-four hours, we’re able to give her longer spans of time to rest. Something she desperately needs.

They even realize it’s best for me to hold her because when I tried to move, Bella became restless. The nurse kindly turns a blind eye whenever she comes in. She even offered me a blanket, but I haven’t been able to fall asleep.

The anger coursing through my body right now makes it so I can’t. If I had heard more of Bella’s story when I had that asshole alone, I don’t think I’d be holding Bella right now. I’d be locked up, and he’d be on a slab. The temptation to go after him is still raw, but I can’t leave her side. Never.

She may not think so, but I think she’s the strongest person I’ve ever met. To endure everything she did and remain the sweet and innocent person she is flabbergasts me.

The idea of not being by her side to protect her from anything else in this world is unthinkable. There’s no more agonizing over my decision of whether I’ll retire. It’s a done deal from the moment I ran to Bella. I just didn’t know it at the time.

Bella squirms and moves in tighter to my chest where she inhales deep, and a small smile upturns the corners of her mouth, and she sighs as she settles again.

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