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I could only nod and watch with curious eyes as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. With several taps on the screen, he handed it to me. My hand moved of its own accord, taking it from him.

Defeat slammed into me. Jacob had loaded Jenson’s Facebook page, showing picture after picture of Jenson, all of which had been posted in the last few weeks. My gaze focused on the picture posted less than twenty-four hours ago: a photo of Jenson with a group of friends outside a bar, laughing at the camera and wearing a Princeton University T-shirt; the university he’d had his heart set on going to.

The phone dropped from my hand. “I don’t understand.”

Jacob took my hand again, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You hit your head hard when you were running away from Wallace. The doctor said there was a chance you wouldn’t remember-”

“But I shot you!” I cried, tears streaming like a waterfall. “I pulled the trigger! I. Shot. You.”

“Angel. You didn’t shoot me.”

I brushed my tears away. “Then what happened?”

His eyes darted between mine as if he was debating whether to tell me. Or he was buying himself time to lie. “I was on my way for a business meeting when I realized halfway to the main island that I’d forgotten my phone. When I got back, I heard you screaming. I was so fucking scared; I ran upstairs, and Wallace…” He trailed off, disgust curling his lip. “He had you pinned down and was trying to rip your clothes off. He had a gun in his hand. Fuck—” he abruptly stood and started pacing. “—I don’t even know where he got the gun from.”

I blinked several times, trying to make sense of what he was telling me, the images still playing in my head not lining up with his version of events. He stopped pacing, turning to face me. “I pulled Wallace off you, but as he turned, he shot me. You managed to run from your studio, but Wallace chased you.” His eyes lowered to where his arm rested in the sling. “I was bleeding, but thankfully, he’d only shot me in the shoulder. I ran after him, and we started fighting at the top of the stairs. I…I didn’t know you’d fallen down the stairs at that point; all I could think about was making sure Wallace didn’t get to you.”

For several beats, we stared at each other, neither of us speaking. Bewilderment dominated me; I didn’t know what the truth was. My memories were too clear to not be real, yet I couldn’t ignore the pictures on Jenson’s Facebook profile, or that Edward was dead. Surely Jacob couldn’t lie about that?

“I shot you,” I repeated, more to myself, staring at my lap.

Jacob crossed to the bed, sitting by my side instead of taking the seat. His hand rested on top of mine, and tingles spread through my fingers and up my arm.

“Angel. Look at me.” He reached out and tipped my chin up when I didn’t move. “You’re the most caring and considerate person I’ve ever known. Do you really believe you’re capable of shooting me?”

I blinked several times, the tingling in my arm now spreading to my stomach where butterflies had taken flight. The longer I stared at Jacob, the bigger my heart swelled. I didn’t know what the truth was, but there was one thing I was certain of. I loved Jacob.

Could I really shoot the man I needed more than my next breath?

No.

“I don’t understand,” I whispered, powerful emotions breaking my voice. “I’m…I’m sorry.

Jacob leaned forward, pressing his lips to my forehead. “You have nothing to apologize for. You can’t help it if you are confused, angel. When you were first brought into the hospital, the doctors weren’t sure you would even wake up, so I’ll take you being awake with some crazy accusations over you never regaining consciousness.” He chuckled, his lips curling into a shy smile as he added, “If anything, it should be me apologizing to you. I thought you were safe with Wallace.”

“What happened to him?”

Jacob pulled back, cupping my cheek and giving me an affectionate smile. “When I got the gun from him, I thought he was about to carry on fighting me, but he took off after you.” He sucked in a breath. “I was terrified he was going to hurt you, so I…I shot him.”

As soon as the last word left his mouth, I had a vague recollection of landing at the bottom of the stairs and a second gunshot sounding. “Is he dead?”

Jacob bobbed his head. “The police have been at the house for the last two days. They want to speak to you, but I’ve told them they’re not coming near you until the doctor has given you the all clear.”

For the first time in what seemed like a lifetime, the tension drained from my body. The police were involved; if they were investigating what had happened, they would be able to confirm Jacob’s account.

I closed my eyes; Jacob’s words settling in my head, and pushing away some of the memories I thought were real, replaced by new images that were just as vivid. Wallace prowling toward me, a devious grin on his face and a wicked glint in his eyes. Jacob appearing in the doorway, rushing toward me to pull Wallace away, and yelling at me to get help. A gunshot fired from a gun I wasn’t holding.

Eventually, sleep claimed me once more, and I allowed myself to fall into the peaceful darkness, knowing that I was safe as long as Jacob was around.

Chapter 38

The next day passed in a haze of distorted images and questions from both Jacob and the detective who was investigating the incident. He wouldn’t allow Jacob in my room while he interviewed me, asking me to give my version of events.

I answered honestly; I didn’t know. My head was in complete disarray, switching between images of me shooting Jacob and Wallace shooting Jacob. Realizing he wouldn’t get much from me, Detective Moore left, explaining that he would be in touch with an update.

Jacob was patient with me. Without me needing to ask, he produced Edward’s death certificate, which not only showed he had died of a heart attack, but confirmed that he had passed away in the early hours of the morning after our wedding party.

Dr. Emery conducted regular check-ups, making sure that I hadn’t sustained long-term damage to my brain. Each time he visited, guilt burrowed deeper inside me that I had accused him of lying on behalf of Jacob, resulting in me sobbing an apology to him.