“There is no flirting, Maria.” The nurse tells her with a kind smile.
“He's handsome... right?” The nurse – Stella, as her name tag reads – chuckles, but doesn't answer my wife. I'm not claiming to be some gorgeous guy that all women fall to their knees for – even though that's just what women used to do for me in hopes I'd fuck them, but I'm not a bad looking guy either. “Do you know... who I am?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“You know who my... brother is?”
“I do.”
“Don't even... think... about my... husband, or...”
“Maria, that's enough,” I don't want to laugh, but she just threatened this nurse for merely talking to me! That's fucking hilarious in my book. She might be doped up due to the effects of the anesthesia, but I was once told that you speak the truth when waking from anesthetic. Your mouth and brain aren't in sync, so your mouth runs away with you.
In this case, I'm finding out my wife has a very jealous streak in her when it comes to me. That alone makes me feel like the most powerful man on earth.
“I won't have.... anybody trying...” She's getting upset; tears are starting to fall from her eyes. I hate seeing her upset it kills me. “To take you from me... You're mine, Jett.”
I sit down in the chair beside her bed, her hand still in mine. “Look at me, beautiful,” She does. “No one is trying to take me away from you. I love you. You are all I have ever wanted. I am yours, and you are mine.”
“I am yours, and you are mine.” She repeats.
“That's right, baby.” I stroke the tears from her face with the back of my hand. “Everything is okay now, but you need to rest, sweetheart. Close your eyes for me.”
“Don't leave me... alone.”
“Never. I'll be right here when you wake.” She nods and closes her eyes, too heavy to keep them open. I stand, kiss her head and breathe her in.
I almost lost you today, baby. I almost lost the best thing that ever happened to me. There won't be a day that goes by from this point on where I'll let you so much as a mile away from me. There's no way on earth you'll ever be alone, even when you think you are. You might hate me for it, but I'll do whatever I have to do to keep you safe, no matter what it takes. I love you too much to lose you even for a second.
“I apologize for what she said; she's not herself.”
“No need, Mr. Jackson,” The nurse waves me away. “You'd be surprised at some of the things I've heard when people are coming out of this.” She laughs good-naturedly. “I've had death threats before now, so the fact your wife warned me away is nothing. It actually made me laugh. It's sweet how much she loves you. Take care of her.” I intend to.
Once the nurse is out of the room, I sit holding my wife's hand and waiting for the place to fill up, well, for her brothers to come in and ask questions.
I'll answer them.
My wife and child are going to be okay just as long as I take care of them.
I'll always take care of them, and as I lay my hand on Maria's swollen stomach, tenderly in case she's sore in any way, I make a promise to my unborn daughter as her mother sleeps. I promise her that I'll never allow her to suffer in any way. I'll kill anybody who so much as thinks about hurting her.
Yeah, I'm doing the dad thing, but I mean it when I say no boy or man is coming within a mile of my daughter without me kicking his fuckin' ass first.
She's going to hate me by the time she's eighteen. The overprotective thing I'll be doing will drive her crazy, just as it drives every girl crazy when she has a father who won't allow her to grow up.
However, I'll tell you one thing. I. Don't. Give. A. Fuck.
When the day comes that my baby girl falls in love, I will know, and I'll know if he loves her in return. Only then will I take a step back, but the motherfucker better understand that I'll never back off completely. Just as I never will where Maria is concerned.
“I love you, beautiful girl. My Maria.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Maria
When I was a little girl life seemed so easy. I would wake up every morning to my beautiful mother opening my bedroom curtains. She would turn to me with a huge smile on her face, so happy to see me. I would always jump right out of my bed and into her arms. She would hold me so close, stroking my hair and telling me how much she loved me, her tiny fairy girl.
It was only ever her and me most of the time. My father was always too busy to spend much time with us, not that I ever believed he didn't love me. Draven was busy also, but he still came home to kiss me goodnight. No matter what was going on in his life. He never wanted me to miss him too much.
My mother and I would eat breakfast before she'd send me off to brush my teeth and wash my face. Once I dressed in whatever she'd set out of me, we'd spend hours together doing all sorts of things, baking, drawing, singing, and dancing. I never questioned much back then as to why she hardly took me out of the house. However, I came to realize as I got a little older, my father forbade my mother from doing much of anything, and that included leaving the house. I understand now that was in case she snuck off to meet with her sister.
How cruel it was that she couldn't spend time with her twin, even more, brutal when he forced Hillary to marry him after my mother left him. She left him and took my brother because she couldn't stand to be with him and endure his abuse any longer.
What's even worse is how he told my mother that he'd set her sister free if she came back to him. I can't imagine how frightened she was. However, I do know how much she loved her sister and wanted to save her from the hell she found herself in. My mother wanted Hillary to be free to be with the man she loved.
So she agreed to his terms and lived the remainder of her life under his rule. Being beaten and abused whenever he saw fit. I couldn't see it back then; I was just a little girl, the little girl my mother was forced to have by a man who wanted another son. Even though that happened to her, she loved me, and she protected me.
I am so proud of my mother. Everything she ever did was to see me smile. She hid her sadness from me, made me believe we had a happy home. It should make me angry that she kept the truth from me, but now that I'm pregnant, and if I were in her situation, I know I'd do the same thing.
I have such fond memories of our time together. Like on the days we were allowed out. Even though we had two men following us to make sure my mother was where she said she would be, she would take me to the park, and we'd have a picnic, or we'd shop and eat lunch at the diner across town, the one that made huge burgers with the works. I'd never been able to eat it all, but she'd let me have it anyway.
Those were some of the best days of my life. I miss those days more than I could ever say. Days I will never be able to get back. Days I hoped I would be able to recreate with my little girl.
Days I wasn't sure I'd get to experience.
I don't remember
what happened after I passed out in that room where Joseph held me captive. I do remember my brother and husband stepping into the room. Even though I was terrified by what Joseph had done and would further do to me, I somehow felt relief, a strange sense of safety. I somehow knew they'd get me out of there. Alive or dead, they would.
The trouble was, I began to bleed harder. I could feel it slipping down the inside of my leg. I could hardly hold myself up, and my head was so fuzzy I couldn't see straight. Joseph held me tightly against him, the only way I was still on my feet. I couldn't hear much of anything, and I was losing the fight with consciousness.
I do remember a loud bang, but I had no idea where it came from, one minute I was struggling against Joseph, the next I was waking up in the hospital.
That was two weeks ago.
I've been home on bedrest ever since. Jett won't allow me to do anything at all. It's a little annoying, but I haven't once complained. My husband wants to take care of me, and I'm not about to stop him. After the scare I had with Jessica, I'm taking no chances.
I'd be a liar if I said I stay in bed all the time. I just can't it's not in my nature to be lazy like that. I'm not going to lie; I haven't done much of anything on Jett's orders. Cleaning, cooking and such has been left to my wonderful mother-in-law, Lynette. She's been a massive help to us these past few weeks, and I love her so much for it. She's also been helping me out of bed and onto the sofa, or to the bathroom. Not that I need help showering or anything, but she does help me dress.
Jett hasn't been able to be home much this past week. He's been busy with club business, which means I have no clue what he's been doing. Something illegal, no doubt. I should care, but I don't. As long as it doesn't involve hurting children or people who don't deserve it, I have no interest, just as I don't with my brother.
Maybe it's wrong to be so ignorant, but I grew up this way, in the world of crime and pain. It's true what they say; ignorance is bliss.
I have a good life with Jett, a perfect life, apart from the little blip with Joseph, I have nothing to worry about. I have good friends and family, a baby on the way, and Jett is even supportive of my wanting to go back to work. Well, eventually. I want to spend the first six months of Jessica's life just being her mother.