AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Andrew takes his eyes off me and looks at Dr. Pope. “When can I go home?” he asks flatly.
The doctor scoffs at the question. “Mr. Shaw, you have some very serious injuries. You’ll need to stay at least another day or so for tests and observation. You have quite a recovery ahead of you, and you’ll need someone to help you through it.”
“I’ll be there with him. I’ll help him.” I don’t even think about the words before I say them. I don’t need to. I’ll never leave Andrew again. I know what I mean to him now because his letter to me spelled it out. It’s time he knows what he means to me, too.
The smile he gives me melts my heart. “I’ll be in excellent hands, doctor.” He takes my hand he’s held this whole time and gently presses it to his lips.
“I’m sure Mrs. Shaw will do her best, but I don’t think she’s a medical professional,” Dr. Pope replies.
A smile spreads across Andrew’s face. “Mrs. Shaw,” he says, looking at me. I purposely widen my eyes to glare at him, silently telling him to shut the hell up. He looks back at the doctor. “Mrs. Shaw isn’t a medical professional, but Dr. Rivers is.” He points at Nathan. “He’ll assist Mrs. Shaw, should she need any help.” Andrew does his best to hide his chuckle. This grumpy man seems to get a kick out of this.
The door opens, and we look over to see Jack return, a relaxed smile on his face. “Malcom is detained, and the police are subpoenaing surveillance footage. I let them know that Bryant is potentially involved. They’ll keep him away from the surveillance room until the footage is obtained.”
“Thank you, Jack. I knew I could count on you. All of you,” Andrew says, taking a moment to meet each of our eyes.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Andrew
I have to fight back the emotion building up in my throat from looking all around the room. At all the people who are here for me. I think about all the hell they must have been through these past few days now that they know the truth.
It’s suffocating and freeing at the same time. It’s enough to make a grown man want to cry. I look over at the woman who owns my heart, the one who looks like she’s gone to hell and back for me. I love her so much it fucking hurts. All I want to do is hold her in my arms, but I can’t in this damn hospital bed.
The doctor comes back in to announce they’re ready to do the CT scan, and Charlie only tightens her hold on my hand. I look over at her beautiful but bloody face.
“Come here, baby.”
I pull her towards me the best I can in this position. She comes willingly, leaning into my body. I inwardly groan at the pain in my ribs, but it’s a small price to pay to have her near me.
“I don’t want to leave you,” she brokenly whispers. We have so much to talk about, but we must get out of this place to truly do it.
“I’m not going anywhere. Never again. Do you hear me?” I tilt her chin up so she can see my eyes.
“Promise?” She sniffs.
Watching her hold back tears guts me to my core. I put her in this situation. She almost killed my father trying to save me. I vow here and now to make this up to her. To love her with everything I have till my dying breath, and even that will never be enough to make up for what I owe her.
“I promise, baby. I love you.” I say the words that have been burning a hole through my tongue since the moment I woke up and saw her bloody and bruised after wrestling with my father.
She gasps then laughs, throwing her head back as the most angelic sound slips past her lips. When she drops her head back down to look at me, there is nothing but adoration and love shining back at me.
“Only you would choose here and now to finally tell me.”
“I wanted to say it as soon as I woke up and saw you.”
She chuckles again and crinkles form around her eyes. I’ll never tire of the sight of this woman. She owns my heart and soul. She has for a long time. Maybe even all those months ago when she tortured me about her damned meat babies and threatened to destroy me if I messed up Irene and Joe’s wedding.
“I love you,” I say again, just to make sure she heard me the first time.
“I know you do, big man. Now get that head checked to make sure it isn’t any worse than it already was, and I’ll see you on the other side,” she jokes, then winks at me. She kisses me briefly, too briefly, before she’s pulled away by one of the nurses.
“Hey, baby.”
She turns to look back at me, lighter and happier than she was just moments before. “Yeah?”
“I love you.” I’m unable to stop saying it. I want to shout it from the rooftop. I want to run up and down every hall in this hospital shouting that Charlotte Reed owns my broken but beating heart.
The smile that overtakes her face leaves me breathless, but nothing prepares me to hear the next words that pass through her perfectly full lips. “I love you, too, Andrew Shaw.”
