Page 174 of Love Undiscovered
Chapter 45
Chance
I muster all the strength I can to talk. I have to tell Remi, I can’t wait any longer.
“I’m gonna take a chance here. I get that it might scare you, but it’s got to be said, Remi.” I inhale deeply and let it out slowly, the effort causes me to cough. I don’t want her to run. But if going through Helen abducting and hurting us both has shown me anything, it’s how much I love her. I want her in my life. For the rest of my life. Of that I’m certain. I want to protect her, shelter her, make her laugh, make her coffee. Make her mine.
“I love you, Chance.”
I want to hear it so badly, I’m certain I’ve imagined it. I look at her, her eyes bright and clear. Her expression filled with love. Even though I see it on her face, I want to hear it.
“Say it again.”
“I love you.” She says it with more conviction this time. But even if she didn’t, her eyes shine with it. Plain as day. My beautiful closed-off girl is letting all the emotions shine through.
I use my free hand to cup her cheek. The IV hindering my movement a bit. She nuzzles my palm, her eyes closed. I wait until she opens them again. “I love you. More than anything in this world. You are it for me. I’m so sorry this happened. So sorry about Helen. I swear I will never let anyone hurt you ever again, Remi. I will spend the rest of my life making this up to you.”
“There’s nothing to make up for,” she says. “All I wanted is for you to be okay.”
We lay there for a minute. She shifts on the bed, wincing slightly.
“Did you have someone look at your cuts?” I ask.
She nods, then asks, “What happened out there? Why did she shoot you? Where did she go?”
“She was driving straight into the fire, it was like she didn’t even see it. Or she didn’t care. I tried to get her to stop, to turn around, but she just kept accelerating, trying to get her car up the hill.”
“The top of the hill was where your date was?” Remi asks.
I nod. “She never stopped, Remi. I still don’t know how I managed to get the car door open and that’s when she shot me. I managed to roll out, but she still didn’t stop the car. Helen drove straight into the fire.”
“I’m so sorry, Chance,” Remi says, turning to kiss my chest.
“Oh, beautiful, you have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one who is sorry.”
“I’m fine,” she says. “You, on the other hand, have been shot, your leg is all broken up, and your ex apparently just committed suicide by fire.”
A small part of me wishes we’d been able to get Helen the help she so obviously needed. As much as I hate her for what she did, I know that it wasn’t her doing it. It was her illness and she just needed help. Help that we couldn’t give her. I pull Remi tighter into me, so grateful to have her here.
A light knock on the door, then it opens. “Just wanted to make sure one of you hasn’t killed the other yet,” Kat says.
“Not funny,” Remi says.
“We’ve got a bet going at the station, Bauer. I give you two weeks before she kills you in your sleep. And I’m being generous.”
I smile at Kat, then turn my head to kiss my girl on the forehead.
My girl.
I’m still amazed she’s here.
“Still not funny,” Remi says to Kat. “You haven’t had a chance to go to the station to make a bet. And you aren’t even a real cop. So, shut the fuck up.”
“Someone’s a little touchy,” Kat says.
“He almost died today, Kat,” Remi whispers harshly.
“He’s fine,” Kat says. “Look at him, he’s a fucking tank.”
