Chapter 85

Jackson came to, vividly conscious of the feminine hands that held unto him softly but firmly. His eyes fluttered open slowly, his eyes adjusting to the white lights above him, his eyes blinking and his nose itching at the distinct smell isopropyl. Suddenly he could feel the sharp pain shooting up his leg and when he looked down, he saw that his knee had been bandaged and he could hear the gunshot again – loud and clear like it was happening all over again – he closed his eyes, fighting within himself to push it all behind him.

“It’s over now” he repeated it a thousand times in his head, but even at that it was hard to believe it.

He felt Emily stir beside him in her sleep and he didn’t want to wake her. He watched her sleeping face, the peacefulness calming the storm that was already brewing within him. Her fair skin – smooth and so beautiful and when he looked at her wrist, she was wearing the red crimson bracelet. He ran his hands over them – his mind going over the time it first d