A/N
First of all I wanted to thank DarknessLoveAndLight for the amazing cover that she did for my other book "GraceLess" perviously known as "Careful what you wish for."
Please show some love and support for that story like you are doing for Billionaire's ex wife.
Nikki POV
2 days after the shooting!
I held Jack's hand as after the nurse gave him another another painkiller. He was trying to be brave and not flinch when he moved but I could see beads of sweat forming in his forehead every time he strained himself. I still couldn't believe that he took a bullet for me. While I may had fallen out of love with him years ago now he was taking another spot in my heart. He would be forever a treasured friend on whom I could count. I just hoped that one day we could put everything behind and be great friends again like we were before we fell in love.
"Does it hurt a lot?" I asked him when he tried to get more comfortable. I fluffed his pillow and helped him get in a better position.
"I barely feel anything." His lips curved upwards in a smile but I could read past it.
"You are a fool, I still can't believe you would take a bullet for me. I owe you my life." I said giving his hand a gentle squeeze.
"I would gladly give my life for you Nikki. You should know that by now." He raised his hand and gently stroked my face with his fingertips.
"I don't think I deserve that." I said in a low voice. The moment of the shooting was still fresh in my mind. I was talking with a woman that knew my work when Jack pushed me away and as soon as I fell in the ground I heard the booming noise of the gunshot. For a second everything froze and I had no idea what happened until I saw Jack's unconscious body lying on the floor in the same spot I was a couple of seconds ago. I think I would have nightmares for a long time.
"You deserve that and much more. What you didn't deserve was the way I treated you all those years ago. I am really sorry Nikki. I hope you can forgive me."
"I already did Jack. Now you have to forgive yourself. You were manipulated by a mean woman and while you could have handled the situation differently I don't hate you. Who knows if you hadn't believed her then maybe she would have done other things to separate us. One of them could be murder, she could have killed me. So think like you have saved my life twice." I smiled at him. We were very unfortunate to have had her in our lives. She was like a volcano ready to erupt and destroy everything in its path.
"I think you are right about that. I need to stop thinking about how things could have been and start living and enjoying the things that we have. After all life is short, and I don't want to die regretting not living the present because I was caught up in the past."
"Don't remind me how short and fragile life can be. I am really glad you are now better Jack. If something would have happened to you because you tried to save me my conscience would not leave me alone for a minute."
"Getting shot trying to save your life was the best thing I have ever done in my life. Being a hero makes me really happy and it comes with its perks too."
"Of course, I have seen how the nurses look at you. Like you are the last breed of gentleman walking the face of the earth. Other than that I am sorry to say that I don't see any other perks."
"Who was talking about female admiration?" He said smugly but I could tell that he enjoyed their attention. "I am talking about perks like Percocet. Thanks to you now I know how it feels like to get high using prescription drugs. That was one of the things I can now cross out of my bucket list. Got to say I kind of understand why people like drugs so much." His lips curved upwards again in a teasing smile. Leave it to him to try to make jokes after being shot and loosing a lot of blood.
"Jack!" I raised my voice at him. "You better not become depended on them." Now I was worried that he would start doing drugs after he left the hospital. The thought didn't sit well with me.
"Don't worry that pretty face of yours. I can read you well and no I won't use drugs. I was just kidding. You know that I don't use anything even for simple things like headache and fever. I won't start doing them for fun." He patted my hand and after that I could see his eyelids started to feel heavy and he was falling asleep.
"Get some rest." I said to him kissing his forehead before leaving his room.
I was currently in the hospital cafeteria trying to eat some food after the restless nights that I had spent in the hospital. Jack was out of risk right now and he even woke up after the surgery but right now was sleeping because of the sedatives. I used that time to get out of his room, stretch my limbs and to move away of the chair that had been my companion these nights.
Now that Jack was out of risk I was really worried about Mike. I hadn't seen him since the shooting happened and when I used Jack's phone to call him the phone went straight to voicemail. This behavior wasn't normal for him and I was worried that something might have happened to him. I didn't want to think the worst, if Jennifer had shot him too I would lose my mind. When I tried to ask someone where I could find information about him they only replied polizia which I assumed meant police but I had no idea how to contact them. Finally a nurse that spoke English a little better than everyone else told me that I could call 112 equivalent of 911 to see if they would give me information about Mike. She was young, a stunning redhead with blue eyes that looked like sapphires. I had seen her look at Jack in a different way that the other nurses did and one the few occasions where he was awake I saw interest flicker in his eyes too when the pretty Italian was close by. I smiled hoping that maybe something good could come up from this situation.
After calling the police department I learned that Mike was held in custody at the police station accused of shooting Jack. The notion was ridiculous and I called a taxi soon after and now was on my way to see him.
"Baby are you ok? How are they treating you?" I went close to him and gives him a weird hug and an awkward kiss sine the steel bars separated them.
"They are a bunch of idiots believing everything that Jennifer is telling them. They didn't even ask other people what really was going on." He glared at the cops that were around us and we're just smiling.
"Do you have a lawyer? I can hire one for you. I will move heaven and earth so that I can get you out of here." I said holding his hands. He was tracing patterns with his thumb and I just wanted to hug him and get him out of here.
"I spoke with Miles. He has a plan to get me out of here. Also the chief here is trying to see what the star struck buffoons did wrong. He ordered for the test for residues of gun powder to be done. I did that early this morning so I am hoping the results will be here soon."
"That is wonderful news honey. You will be a free man again and she will pay for what she did." I did a happy dance forgetting where I was until I heard the wolf whistles for the other guys that were in the same cell as Mike. He returned to them and said something in Italian that I didn't understand but the other guys stopped whistling and instead turned their back on us giving is some privacy.
"Okay, hat was weird. What did you say to them? It didn't seems like you asked them politely to stop doing that." I asked him intrigued. He smirked and me and gave me a wink. The sight turned me into a puddle of pleasure and I wanted to melt in his arms. I held on closer to him inhaling his scent. I loved the way he smelled.
"Let's say that Miles persistence to curse in different languages actually paid of." He kissed the top of my head.
"Let's hope you don't talk like this in front of Alex or your patients." I smiled at him but he froze when I mentioned his patients.
"Is something wrong?"
"When I spoke with Miles yesterday he told me that apparently Jennifer had called the office where I work and told them that I was accused of murder. I am quite famous on the news in America as the pediatric doctor that shot his girlfriend's ex. After this I don't think many people will want me as their child's doctor." I could feel the hurt in his voice. Being a doctor was a part of him and without it Ephesians wouldn't be the same Mike.
"Don't worry. When the truth comes out they will see that you are innocent and instead saved his life be preventing him to bleed to death before the ambulance came. I can give press conferences to clear your name. I think Jack can do the same thing."
"How is he by the way?" Mike stroked my face, a gesture similar to what Jack did a couple of hours ago
"He is doing better. Finally he is out of risk and he seemed like he regretted the mess that he created. He asked forgiveness."
"How do you feel towards him?" He asked in a low voice lowering his head and not meaning my eyes. He seemed scared of my answer. Stupid boy.
"I love him." He raised his head very quickly and his eyes bore holes in mine.
"Oh." Escaped from his lips
"Like a girl would love his best friend." I smiled at him and his gaze softened.
"Someone else has stolen my heart." I winked at him.
"And pray tell who has stolen your heart my lady?" He smiled teasingly
"Alex of course." I smiled and I saw that his smile faltered a little
"It's you dummy. I love you Michael Grayson. Don't you ever doubt that." I raised myself on my toes and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. He grabbed my face with his hands trying to get closer but the bars were in the way.
"And here I came all the states thinking that you needed saving. I think jail is doing you good" We heard a chuckle and released each other from each other seeing Miles in all his glory smiling at us.
I took to steps to go and meet him when I saw that Jennifer was in his arm. She looked thinner but still he same Jennifer. When she saw me she smiled and came to meet me.
I slapped her. Hard.
She held her face with her manicured hand not saying anything.
"Why did you do that?" Miles came to hold me preventing me from slapping her again.
"What kind of question is that?" I glared at him not believing that he was taking her side. "She destroyed my life and the life everyone else and you are protecting her." I squirmed trying to get away from his steel arms.
"She is innocent. She has been locked up in a basement for the last 5 years by her crazy sister."
"Don't tell me you are believing her lies now Miles. I thought you were smarter than that."
"You hurt me. The idiot laughed. I wanted to slap him now. She is the real Jennifer. The one that has caused all these problems was Isabel, her twin sister." He dropped the bomb
"Are you sure? I asked Miles who released me after I stopped fighting.
"Do you doubt me?" He smirked. I shook my head. I couldn't believe what he said. I still had doubts that everything was just another ploy of Jennifer. The woman had more aces under her sleeve than a whole deck of cards.
I took a look at Jennifer and indeed she looked different. She was thinner, a little bit shy and I could say she even looked fragile. Her eyes weren't glaring at me like they usually did and she wasn't looking at me like she wanted to kill me.
I turned my head to see Miles smirking. "Do you believe me now?" He asked smugly
I nodded and turned my head only to see Jennifer glaring at me like she wanted to kill me. Wasn't she a second ago looking at me like she cared and wearing a green blouse and pants instead of a sultry red dress. My eyes moved a little to the right and I saw that she was still there.
Realization hit me like a speeding train. Isabel and Jennifer were both at the police station and Isabel looked pale like she was going to faint.
She probably realized that her game was over. Her face as the reality hit her was priceless so I took my phone and took a picture.
Check mate bi*ch!
A/N
Wow this was a long chapter. 1000 words more than the usual ones that I write. My hands are hurting from the typing.
Let me know if you liked it.
The book is almost over. I can't believe it that I made it this far. Truth be told I wouldn't have completed the book without all your comments that let me know that you like the book and asking for updates. Thank you from the bottom of my heart :)
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