Page 40 of Unbroken Promises

Jesus. Jay was fucking shot, and it’s all my fault. My swallow is silent against the thundering heartbeat pounding in my chest and ringing in my ears. If I’m not careful, I really will have a panic attack, and then the nurses will be strapping me into one of these god-forsaken beds.Get a fucking grip, Danica!

A faint stirring and soft sigh alert me to Jay as he finally cracks his eyes open, and I pry my frozen feet off the floor, and force my body to move closer to the bed.

“Hey, Jay.” Careful not to bump into his injured side, I reach out and gingerly grab his hand.

My breath hitches as I am greeted by a goofy, doped-up grin and lazy eyes as they wander over my body. “Heyyy, there’s my girl.” Oh geeze, he is high as a fucking kite.

Reluctantly, a small smile pulls at the corner of my mouth. “I’m right here.”

“Missed you.” He sighs, eyes closing. For a moment, I wonder if he fell back asleep, he is so still and silent, nothing but the soft sounds of his breathing as I watch the slow rise and fall of his chest.

Flashes of another day, another hospital room, fill my mind and I feel the stinging prick of tears that fight their way free as they trail a reserved path down my cheeks.

“Heyyyy pretty girl. Shhhhh.” Jay startles me out of my thoughts as he reaches out, placing a finger against my lips. “Don’t cry for me. Shhhh. S’kay. I’m . . . good.” His words keep trailing off as he fights to focus his gaze. “C’mere.” He grabs at my hand that had taken his, pulling me down so that I almost stumble onto him.

“Jay, no. That’s not a good idea. I- I don’t want to hurt you. You’re injured!”

“S’kay baby girl. I’m good. Trust me. . . Just . . . need . . . you.” He tugs a little harder, though that is not saying much; his movements are weak and half-hearted, though whether it is due to the drugs in his system or the injury itself, I’m not sure. “Please?”

“Jay-” My breath hitches as he gives another underwhelming tug, pain lining the corners of his eyes, despite the medication that he must be on to take the edge off. Still, I hesitate. Yes, I don’t want to injure him, but also. . . just the thought of being back in a hospital bed, I don’t. I can’t. I -. Sighing softly, I use our interconnected hands to gently lift his arms and gingerly sit on the edge of the bed. Apparently, this isn’t good enough however, as he starts tugging on the back of my shirt, encouraging me to lie down.

Sucking in a breath as he groans in obvious discomfort, my body tenses with the effort to make sure my movements are slow and deliberate as I turn to my side, curling into Jay as I lay next to him. Letting go of my hand, I feel the soft movement as he also shifts, adjusting to make more room for me on the narrow bed before draping his arm over my shoulder and hugging me to his side.

“Mmm. That’s better.” A small, contented sigh escapes and I look up at his face to see his eyes close once more. A deep, slow breath releases as he relaxes into me, his hold barely there. After several beats, I realize this time that he actually has fallen asleep.

Gently, I drape my arm across his middle, snuggling into his side and breathe him in. The hospital gown is unbuttoned on his left side and draped at an angle, showing his exposed bandage just above his heart. God, if that bullet had been just a little lower. . . if he had moved the wrong way. . . I shudder, thinking about how easily I could have lost him. This person who has been my teacher, my support, my friend, and I feel his squeeze of reassurance as the tears begin to fall in earnest. Even in his sleep, he is always there for me, watching over me and reassuring me. I turn my face into his chest, rubbing away the tears that refuse to stop, and lay still as I breathe himin.

Chapter Forty-Two

Theo

What the fuck is she doing in there? I glance impatiently at the door acting as a barrier once more, my concentration torn between focusing on what Finn has to say about the incidents from last night and what could possibly be happening behind that closed door. Get a fucking grip, asshole! The dude was shot and is lying in a hospital bed. It’s not like he could be making fucking moves on her. He just got out of surgery for Christ’s sake!

“Dude, are you even listening? Pay attention!”

“Sorry. What were you saying?” Forcing myself to focus, I tear my gaze reluctantly away from the door separating me from my girl.

Finn sighs, beginning to tap one hand against his thigh, an obvious sign of agitation. “I wassayingthat we have a problem. Clearly, there is a mole. There is no other way to explain it. Every action leading up to this point, every note, every ‘gift’ and now the break-ins? Whoever it is clearly knows what they are doing, but even the best in the business screw up eventually. And this person has been harassing her for years, leaving no evidence behind.”

With jerky movements, he switches from tapping his thigh to running a hand through his hair, pulling tightly on the ends. “It’s just not possible. Not with my system and the protocol we have in place. Not unless they have help. There is just no way. Someone would have to know our surveillance schedule, which we rotate at random intervals. They also have to have an intricate knowledge of the software designed by my company.

“While improbable, if they had the right money, I suppose they could gain access to purchase the system and then break it down, trying to piece together how it works. But we have so many firewalls and traps in place that even the best hackers would likely run into one of the many systems in place designed to alert me specifically. I just don’t see how it is possible.”

My eyes narrow, considering his words, my attention finally focused exclusively on the man before me rather than the one lying in a hospital bed behind the door to my left. “So, you’re telling me that someone from your own fucking security firm is either directly behind the stalking, and now the attack, or they are working with the individual that is.” Voice low, tone icy as I stare hard at one of my oldest friends.

To his credit, Finn’s expression is just as hard as I’m sure my own must look right now. Thoughts whirl through my mind, each outcome worse than the last, at the implication of what having a mole in his security firm could mean for the safety and well-being of my girl. Without another word, I turn on my heel, the urge to have her safe in my sight suddenly overwhelming, stealing the breath from my lungs.

Not bothering to knock, I burst through the door into the hospital room, uncaring of what they might be saying for such a lengthy amount of time, or however private it might be, that it had to be done behind closed doors. And I am drawn up short at the sight before me. Danica, nestled infucking Jonathan’sarms as she lies next to him on his hospital bed.

Popping her head up at my abrupt entry, her eyes throw daggers in my direction as she motions with her finger at her lips for me to be quiet in the universal “Shh” gesture.

“What are you doing?” My whisper is a barely contained yell as I throw daggers of my own in their direction.

“He was hurting and he wanted me close. Not that it’s any of your business!” Her words are a hiss as she responds to my outburst.

“Not any of my- not my-” My mouth must surely be gaping at the ridiculous statement she just threw back at me.Not my fucking business. Is she for real right now?I will show her just how much it’s my fucking business once she finds out that lover-boy here was potentially shot by one of his own fucking men.

“Would you two shut-it?” A groan breaks through our heated whispers and draws both of our attention back to the injured man lying in a hospital bed. “You honestly sound like squabbling children. God damn! Can’t you let a guy who justgot shot rest in peace for a few minutes?” With great effort, Jonathan shifts, and I watch on as Danica quickly sits up, turning to Jonathan and helping to readjust the settings on his bed so he can be more elevated in an upright position as he scolds us both like the children we are.

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