Chapter 34 Josie #2
“Get her off the cold pavement, Montague.”
Someone helped lift her up, settled her in the back seat.
“Thanks Erik” Ares said, sliding in next to her.
“Nick and Quinn are going to stay here. Josie how many men are inside?” Logan asked.
“Carter and Jared, I don't know why Carter stopped chasing me. I kneed him. I think Jared is alive but he’s lying down in the garage.”
“My brave girl. My strong girl. You escaped,” Ares held her in his arms. Her head rested on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry I ran out.”
“Don’t worry about that now. We’re going to get you looked after. Logan!”
“I’m going. Told Nick to call our friends on the force. We’re going now.”
Josie sucked in a shuddering breath.
Ares tightened his arms around her, she couldn’t stop shivering. “Shh. it’s okay Josie. I got you.”
The tears fell down her cheek, she couldn’t believe what happened, that she let this happen to her, that she didn’t fight back, earlier.
“It's not your fault, Josie. I got you. You are safe with me.”
“I know,” she said before she couldn't talk anymore because she sobbed her heart out.
“I got you; I got you,” Ares said over and over.
She closed her eyes, breathed in his familiar scent of musk and leather and tried to believe her nightmare was over.
“Almost there Josie, hold on,” Logan said.
Ares tightened his grip on her. “You’re safe.”
“I know.”
She was safe because she was with him. He held her against him, Josie gazed at his face, seeing the sheen of unshed tears.
Not only was she safe, but she was loved. She never wanted to be apart from him again.
At the hospital, Ares refused to let her walk and scooped her up in his arms.
“I can walk.”
“I know baby, but I need you in there fast.”
He rushed through the doors, past the waiting room to the admission desk. “My wife was kidnapped and I think she’s dehydrated and she needs to see a doctor now.”
Through her haziness she heard “wife” but she must be delusional.
“If you’d kindly take a seat in triage, sir.”
“I will not kindly take a seat! I’ve donated $30 million dollars to this hospital in the last five years and you will see my wife, now!”
Wife.
He said it again.
A bunch of people in scrubs came around, to look at her. Someone shouted orders and next thing she knew, she was on a gurney, being taken to a room.
It all happened so fast, she was poked and prodded. A policeman showed up at the door. Ares talked to them, they left.
The beehive of doctors and nurses around her, with drawn out faces scared her.
She couldn’t breathe. Then an oxygen mask was over her face and she could and that was better.
She slept.
When she woke up Ares was holding her hand.
“Hey.”
“Hi.” She could talk a lot better. Her head was sore but not fuzzy. Her heart wasn’t racing.
Monitors beeped to the wires that were hooked up all over her.
“You are severely dehydrated due to the drugs they gave you. Apparently, you had enough in you to take down a racehorse.”
“I’m not a racehorse. I don't like running.”
Ares gave her a small smile. “Never leave my sight again.”
“That’s going to be awfully inconvenient.”
Ares gave her a cup of water. She remembered Carter giving her water and winced. “No, no water.”
“Here, an ice cube,” Ares pressed an ice cube to her lips.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. It was silly to cry over water. But she was warm and safe.
“Ares...” she needed to ask him but didn’t want to hurt him.
“What is it? What do you need?” He brushed a stray piece of hair off her forehead.
“That woman...a woman talked to me when I woke up Christmas morning, when I was in your kitchen. What’s happened to her?”
He took her hand in his, gently rubbing a small circle between the webbing of her hand. “Remember how I told you I wouldn’t be able to always share the details of my work?” He sounded like he was going to cry.
“Yeah.” Her stomach roiled.
"I can’t tell you who that woman is or why she was our guest.”
Josie tried to take a breath, but it hurt, so it came out like a gargled cry.
“But I will share with you that she isn’t a problem.
She won’t cause you any harm and no, she's not hurt.” The set of his jaw made her think there was an unspoken not yet but Josie could leave it.
She told Ares she could handle his obligations and by not asking him about it again, she was keeping her word.
She closed her eyes again, not able to stay awake one second longer.
“Hey baby.”
Josie tried to sit up in the bed. The room was darker.
“Hi.”
“Your mom and Carlos are here. I made them take a break.”
“Has anyone made you take a break?”
“I don’t need to,” Ares rubbed his face. “I’m not leaving your side.” His tone was steel, gave her a shiver up her back.
“Okay.” She could talk a little easier. “What happened to Carter and Jared?”
“Both those pieces of scum are in custody. They will never hurt you again.” Ares squeezed her hand so tight, she cried out.
“Sorry. I am sorry I didn’t keep you safe.”
“You couldn’t have anticipated Carter being a psycho.” The look he gave her said that he felt otherwise.
There was one more thing she wanted to clarify. She tried to smile, coughed. Ares took a cup of ice, fished out an ice cube and pressed it against her lip. The concern in his eyes made her feel very cherished. She crunched the ice then sat up straighter.
“When you brought me here…?”
“Yes? I had to, Josie. You looked so ashen I knew they’d done something to you with how you were slurring your words.”
“I know. Here is the best place for me, it’s not that,” she tried to swallow.
“What is it?” His tone was so concerned, he leaned forward as if he was ready to slay the next dragon for her.
“You said, ‘wife.’”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Why did you say that?” She stared at his handsome face, hoping for…. she didn’t know but her pulse leaped in anticipation.
“Because I’m yours, Josie. Maybe I wasted my big acts on Christmas Eve—”
“It was a great Christmas Eve,” she squeezed his hand.
“I could buy you anything you want but that doesn’t prove that I love you or that I’m yours. As soon as you are out of this hospital, I'm putting a ring on your finger and we’re getting married because I’m yours and you are mine.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.
She couldn’t breathe, she laughed, tears falling down her face.
“Ares…. I love you.”
“I love you, Josie. I need you like I need my next breath. I love you. I will do anything to make you happy.” His tears shed, and she reached as far as the wires would let her and wiped them off her face.
“I can’t wait to get out of here.”
“I want you home. I didn’t protect you but I will from now on.”
“You didn’t have a choice, Ares. I'm so sorry. It's not your fault what happened.”
“It’s not yours, either,” he squeezed her hand.
“I love you, Ares.” She couldn’t stop saying it. She didn’t want to stop saying it.
He leaned over the hospital bed rail and kissed her.
Kissed her with all the possession and passion and love he felt, it wound its way right through her nerve endings to her heart. He kissed her until she grew dizzy and her insides melted.
He was her lover and hers for keeps, and she’d never leave him again. She couldn't wait to start a new life with Ares Montague.
“I love you, baby. So much.”
“I love you. Can you do one thing for me?”
“Anything.”
“Move your finger off my IV line.”
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
“I forgive you. I always will.”
He kissed her forehead, her cheek, holding her hand in his.
“I will always love you, Josie. No matter what.”
Her throat had a lump in it, she couldn't speak but she knew it was true. The love now spoken, flowed between them and she couldn’t wait to get out of here and start her life with him.
“Aren’t you glad I said yes to that dance?”
Ares threw his head back and laugh. “Aren’t you glad I didn’t take no for an answer?”
“Yes, that was the best thing to ever happen to me.”
“You’re the very best thing to ever happen to me and I'm never going to let you forget it. I love you.”
His lips met hers again, softer this time, a gentle kiss filled with promise of what was to come.