Page 102 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 2
"But..." he let his voice trail off.
"What?"
"I'm wondering why he reminded me. I'm wondering if he knew something was going to happen."
I shook my head. "I mean, he was worried about what Isabella might do. But he didn't know. If he knew, he wouldn't have let us get married. He wouldn't have put himself in danger."
"Penny, the night before your wedding, he also told me that he'd die for you."
"That's a figure of speech."
"But what if it wasn't? What if he just wanted to marry you? As the last thing he could do? As the last choice he could make?"
I shook my head.No.
"What if he was getting notes too? What if she had threatened him? What if he knew?"
"He would have told me. Especially after I told him." But would he have? He was always trying to protect me. He was always keeping me in the dark.Oh my God.I thought about the words James whispered against my lips on our wedding night.I'll love you until the day I die.Did he know it would be soon? Had he known all along?
"But what if he didn't? What if there's evidence somewhere else? Somewhere in your house? Or in his office?"
"What does it matter? That won't save him."
"But it'll get him justice. We have to get her put away. She can't get away with this. If he dies..."
I tried to swallow back my tears.
"Think, Penny. Is there anything else that he said to you? Did it seem like he was holding something back?"
No. It felt like he had given me every piece of him. And then I remembered. "She did send him pictures. Like she sent me. Compromising photos. He made it seem like she gave them to him in person. But maybe she sent other things like she did with me. Which means maybe she threatened him too."
"Okay. You go talk to the cops. I'm going to go to your apartment and search for the pictures and anything else that might help. Call me if you get an update on James."
"Wait." I grabbed his arm. "Can you stay for a second? I'm having trouble catching my breath."
"I'll go get the doctor."
"No." I closed my eyes and leaned my back against the wall. "Just tell me something good. Tell me something that will calm me down."
"You're having a baby."
Possibly without a father.I opened my eyes. "Something else. Tell me about you and Daphne. Distract me."
He smiled. "What do you want to know?"
"How serious are you guys? Do you really like her?"
"I more than like her. She gets me in a way that no one ever has before. She laughs at my jokes. She...grounds me. I feel more centered ever since I met her. And more useful, more needed, like I finally have a purpose in life. Making her smile makes me happier than I've ever been. And I get this weird feeling in my chest when we're apart. I haven't even told her this yet, but I know that I love her. Penny, I'm going to marry that girl. Shit, why are you crying?"
"I don't know." I tried to wipe away my tears. "I'm just really happy for you."
He laughed and pulled me in for a hug. "James is going to be okay, you know. We're going to be going on double dates in no time."
"Yeah." But my heart wasn't in my words. James was in surgery. And if he didn't make it, I wasn't going to make it either.
"I have to go, Penny."
"Can't it wait? He needs you here. I need you here."
