Page 70 of Four-ever Single

“Please, baby. Come sit with me. Let me hold you and feel that you’re okay.”

She sniffled and grabbed a tissue before gently climbing into bed beside me. I made sure not to touch her arm while she watched out for any tubes or wires attached to me.

“What happened to your arm?” I asked again, more gently this time.

“Long story short, I left my iPad at your place, so I ran back to get it but forgot my phone at Lia’s. When I got to your house, Todd was already inside. Apparently, he had been asking about me around town and told people he was my cousin, so they told him where you lived. He pulled a gun on me and then Nate showed up and startled us. When Todd turned around, I jumped on his back to try to get the gun out of his hand and got thrown to the ground. I’m fine, I just landed on it wrong. The police showed up a few seconds later and arrested him.”

“Shit. That’s—” I stopped, unable to figure out the right words.

“Insane?” she offered, looking up at me.

“To say the least. I’m so sorry you’re hurt.”

“No, Jones. I’m the one who’s sorry. Because of me, you rushed into a burning building and almost died.”

“It’s kinda my job, you know,” I teased, tugging her closer to me.

“Not like that, it’s not. If it wasn’t me you thought was inside, you would have stopped and followed command. But you didn’t. You rushed in to save me, and while I love you for that, I hate that I almost cost you your life.”

“Nothing can keep me from you, Bella. You are my life. Without you, there’s no reason for me to live.”

“And I can’t live without you,” she cried, tucking her head against my chest as the tears fell down her cheeks.

Forty-Eight

Bella

Three Weeks Later

“Have you gotten any new emails?” Kensy asked as we tried to talk over the loud crowd at Tipsy Taquito.

“At least five a week,” I said with a frustrated sigh. “Which rules out Todd being the one to send them since he’s been in jail this entire time. And every time I block them, a new one pops up. I don’t know if it’s the same person and they’re just obsessed, or if I’ve somehow managed to attract hundreds of creepy people at once.”

“Have you noticed anyone around town looking at you weirdly?” Lia questioned, enjoying her one free girls’ night out, even though it technically wasn’t a girl’s night with Jones and Capshaw hanging out at a table across the room. But we’d been through enough already, so I didn’t mind the extra security. Time with Lia was still hard to come by, even though she was still technically living with me and Jones until she could find something. Between the fire destroying the duplex and her long hours at work, she had more stress on her plate than anyone should have to handle.

“Umm, everyone?” I joked. “After the news spread about my cousin coming to town to kill me, no one has looked at me the same. If it’s not my dirty pictures getting their attention, it’s my family drama.”

“I’m sorry,” Kensy said, smiling softly. “I have some good news to cheer you up though.”

“I would love some good news,” I replied, setting my fork down to give her my full attention.

“Are you pregnant?!” Lia asked excitedly.

“Umm. No.” Kensy shook her head and then looked across the room, smiling at Capshaw before telling us. “We’ve set a date for the wedding!”

“You have? That’s awesome! When is it?”

“Next June. But the best part?”

I leaned forward, sitting on pins and needles as I waited. But before Kensy could speak, a woman I didn’t know very well approached our table, face red as she slammed a phone down.

“Are you Bella Sanchez?” she demanded, locking eyes with me.

I pulled back, caught completely off guard by her.

“Yes,” I said slowly, shaking my head when I noticed the guys getting up. I didn’t need them coming over, guns blazing, until I knew who she was and what she wanted. “Do I know you?”

“No. But apparently, my son has quite the obsession with you.”

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