Hadley

“So I’m good to go?” I asked the doctor.

She smiled over the file in her hands. “You are, as soon as you sign these for my two little girls. I’m pretty sure I’ll never see you again after today,” she said, handing me two pieces of hospital stationary. “It’s not every day you meet someone who rose from the dead.”

I signed the papers and handed them back to her. “I’m glad to be back. But what about him?” I asked, nodding over at Blake. He rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath about being fine. I had to laugh at the sight. He looked like Grumpy Cat in a hospital gown.

Dr. Reese chuckled. “We’re just waiting on more of his test results and then he’ll be ready to go. It doesn’t look like anything’s broken.”

“Because there’s not,” he grumbled. “I’m perfectly fine.” They put us in the same room because he refused to let me out of his sight.

“Still, Mr. Evans, we have to make sure you’re okay. You’ll be out of here within the hour.”

“What about my father? Is he awake yet?”

She closed my folder and held it to her chest. “He’s in and out. We’re flushing the drugs out of his system as we speak. They gave him a large dose. He’s lucky to be alive.”

I held back my tears. “Thanks, Dr. Reese. And Nick?”

“Doing surprisingly well. There was a clean exit wound. He’ll be back on the ice before next season. He should be fine to leave tomorrow.”

“Thank goodness,” I replied, sighing with relief. He was probably tired of getting shot because of me.

“We contacted his sister so she should be here soon. She’s your agent, right?”

And she had no clue I was alive. The media hadn’t gotten hold of that story yet. “Yep, and it should be quite interesting when she sees me.”

“I bet,” she laughed, glancing down at her watch. “All right, let me check up on those test results and I’ll be back.”

Once she left, I climbed up on the bed with Blake. “I never thought about how weird it’s going to be to see everyone when we get back. It wouldn’t surprise me if the paparazzi comes up with some stupid story about how I faked my own death to get media attention.”

Blake snorted. “They can fuck themselves. We know the truth and that’s all that matters.” Wrapping his arm around my waist, he pulled me down next to him and held me.

“What am I going to say to my dad? I’m so confused right now.”

He squeezed me. “You have to tell him how you feel. If he wasn’t in a hospital bed right now, I’d have beaten the shit out of him for what he did. However, it’s up to you to forgive him.”

“What if I can’t?” Tears fell down my cheeks onto the pillow. What my father did would forever impact my life. Nothing in the world could take away those scars.

“You will one day. He just needs to know he doesn’t have to protect you anymore. You have me for that.”

“Does that mean you’re going to be my bodyguard?” I quipped.

He pressed his groin into my back. “I’ll do more than protect your body, princess.”

I slapped his arm playfully and shook my head. “What about your undercover work? You won’t be able to do as much.” I turned in his arms and faced him. His fingers grazed along my cheek and then he leaned over and kissed me.

“I don’t care about any of it. I want to be with you and I’ll do that any way I can. I can’t trust anyone else to protect you.”

“It’s because nobody can. You’re the only one I trust with my life. I don’t want anyone else.”

He smirked. “You sure you won’t be embarrassed to be seen with me?”

“Never,” I murmured truthfully.

“Even if I wear Mexican pointy boots on the red carpet?” His lips spread wide and I laughed.

“Who knows, you might start a trend. But then again, it might draw too much attention. I’ll be fighting women off left and right.” We both laughed at the thought.

His face turned serious. “I need you to do me a favor.”

I nodded. “Anything, just name it.”

“Be patient. I don’t know what it’s like to be with someone like you, to be followed around and hounded constantly. And you know my ranch isn’t the fanciest of places, but it’s home for me. It’s just not what you’re used to.”

I placed a finger to his lips. “I don’t need fancy or lavish, Blake. All I want is my dirty ol’ cowboy, some hay for us to roll around in, and a horse to ride off into the sunset. I’ll even clean out the stalls and go hiking every day if you want me to. That’s where I belong . . . with you.”

Pulling my hand away, he covered me with his body and kissed me. “I love you, Hadley. So much it fucking hurts.”

“I know the feeling.”

“Are you ready for this?” I asked.

Blake groaned. “Not really, but it’s now or never. I’ll just cover my ears when she screams.”

“She already is . . . I can hear her all the way from here.” She was probably yelling at Nick because he wouldn’t tell her what happened. I wanted him to wait until Blake and I were in there with him.

Thankfully, all of Blake’s tests came back normal. We had both been discharged from the hospital, but we stayed around so I could keep an eye on my dad and also wait for Felicity. We weren’t going to be able to stay long because the more people who saw me at the hospital, the more rumors were going to start circulating.

“All right, here we go.” When I opened the door, she was still yelling. Nick smiled the entire time and his grin got bigger when he saw us walk in.

“What the hell are you smiling about?” Felicity snapped. “There’s nothing funny about getting shot . . . again.”

“Maybe if he knew what the fuck he was doing, it wouldn’t have happened in the first place,” Blake joked.

I smacked him on the arm and he laughed. Felicity huffed and glanced quickly over her shoulder and then did a double take, mouth gaping wide.

“Surprise,” I announced nervously.

She stared at me in horror and then backed up to the wall with her hand over her heart.

Her body was shaking all over. “How? How is this possible?”

“It’s a long story, and thankfully, Nick and Blake were there to help me.” Nick held out his hand and he pulled me over. “You doing okay?” I asked him.

“Great. Ready to play some hockey.” He rolled his shoulder and winced. “Or maybe I’ll give it a few days.” He laughed.

Felicity sidled over, reaching out her hand until she touched me. Eyes wide, she squeezed my arm. “Is it really you?” Tears streamed down her cheeks. When I nodded, she flung her arms around my neck. “Don’t you ever do this to me again!”

We fell over onto Nick’s bed and I laughed. “Believe me, I don’t plan on it.”

“Wait,” she growled, pulling away from me and glaring at Nick. “Did you know she was alive this whole time?”

His smile faded. “No. Evans and I didn’t find out until we were in Burnsville. Then we had to plan a rescue mission. I’m talking guns, mafia, you name it. They could make a movie out of this shit. Actually, they probably will.”

“Are you serious? Did anyone get killed?”

Nick and I both stared at each other and I knew he felt the same betrayal I did. Blake was the one who answered. “A few people did, including Tristan. He’s the one who was behind everything from the very beginning. He killed Scott and shot Nick, all in hopes of getting Connor put in as her bodyguard. That way he could have access to her.”

“Fucking Tristan? Tristan Doherty? What the fuck? What about that Dane guy?” she asked, focusing on me.

“He was a regular ol’ stalker and ended up being at the right place at the wrong time. He was innocent, except for trespassing on my property. Tristan admitted to being the one who broke in that night though.”