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"I'm fine," I insisted, even though my body ached from the scuffle with Mandy. "I need to be with him."
Reluctantly, they allowed me to stay, and I watched as they carefully examined Jake's wound. The bullet had grazed his side, leaving a raw, angry mark. The doctor, a middle-aged man with kind eyes, worked with steady hands as he cleaned the wound.
"You're lucky," he told Jake. "A few inches to the left, and we'd be having a different conversation."
Jake grimaced, but his eyes never left mine. "Yeah, lucky," he echoed, squeezing my hand.
As the doctor stitched him up, Jake and I talked softly. We spoke about how close we had come to losing everything and how we couldn't believe we hadn't pieced together Mandy's involvement sooner.
"I love you," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I'm so glad you're safe."
"I love you too," Jake replied, his voice steady despite the pain. "Nothing's going to change that. Not Mandy, not anything."
After the doctor finished giving Jake instructions for care and a prescription for pain relief, we left the hospital. The night was cool and quiet.
We drove back to Jake's house in silence, each lost in our thoughts. The knowledge that Mandy wouldn't be there waiting, that this nightmare was finally over, was a relief I couldn't quite process yet.
Once inside, we headed straight to the bedroom, both physically and emotionally exhausted. We lay down together, holding each other close. I could feel Jake's heartbeat against my chest, a reassuring rhythm in the darkness.
As I drifted off to sleep, wrapped in Jake's arms, I realized that despite everything, we had each other. And that was all that mattered.
Chapter Forty-Four
JAKE
Sitting across from chief Dawson, Kayla and I exchanged a nervous glance before I started to speak. The moment was heavy; we were about to confess something that could change our careers.
"chief," I began, my voice steady, "there's something we need to tell you."
The chief leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "I'm listening."
I took a deep breath. "Kayla and I... we've rekindled our relationship from high school during this case. It wasn't planned. It just happened."
Kayla chimed in, her voice firm yet tinged with apprehension. "We didn't let it affect our work, chief. We kept it professional."
The chief raised an eyebrow. "You're telling me you two are an item now? After all these years?"
"Yes, sir," I replied. "We realized we still have feelings for each other. It's serious."
He steepled his fingers, considering our words. "And what about the force? You two are partners. How do you plan to handle that?"
"We've talked about it," Kayla said. "We're willing to do whatever it takes to make this work, even if one of us has to transfer out."
The chief sighed, rubbing his temples. "You two know the rules about fraternization. It's not just about you; it's about the team, the department."
"We understand, chief," I said. "But we also believe we can still be effective as partners. We've proven that we can work together under extreme circumstances."
He looked at us for a long, silent moment. "You're damn good cops, both of you. This case... it was a mess from the start, but you handled it. Together."
"We appreciate that, sir," Kayla replied, her voice soft.
The chief leaned forward, his gaze fixed on us. "I'm willing to make an exception under one condition. You keep it professional. At work, you're deputies, not a couple. Don't make me regret this decision."
We both nodded eagerly. "Absolutely, chief. You won't regret it," I assured him.
"And if I hear even a whisper of this affecting your work..." he warned.
"You won't," I interjected quickly. "We'll be nothing but professional."
