Page 170 of Girl Between

“My glasses?” she asked.

George found them and helped her put them on. “Are you sure you don’t wanna just pretend to be sleeping? Shepard’s gonna kick my ass for convincing him to go get some coffee. It’s the first time he’s left your side in days.”

“Days?”

George offered a reassuring smile as he took her hand. “You scared the hell outta us, Gray.”

“What happened? How am I still here?” she whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of her ordeal.

His face softened, a mixture of relief and admiration in his eyes. "Dana, it's a miracle you survived Monroe’s attack. We all thought … well, it didn't look good."

“The other women?” Dana's eyes searched George's for answers.

He sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he gave the good news about the women they’d saved and the developments she’d missed while in the hospital. He tapped a folder he’d set on her bedside table. “When you’re ready, it’s all here, including the DA’s recordings.”

“All I need to know is that Monroe is going to prison.”

“No doubt,” George replied, launching into the details of his arrest including how it’d been Jake who’d fired the shot to take down Monroe.

“He was there?” She knew it. She thought blood loss had made her imagine him, but she should’ve known better. Jake was always there when she needed him.

"Because of you both, we were able to apprehend Monroe and Landry. Landry’s helping law enforcement take down Monroe’s entire operation. We saved eleven of the women Monroe had stashed in the Plaza Tower."

A wave of relief washed over Dana, but it was quickly replaced by dread. "And Amelia?"

George's expression darkened, and he hesitated. "Dana … Amelia didn’t make it. Her renal failure was too advanced."

Tears welled in Dana's eyes as she processed the bittersweet news. "How is that fair?”

“It’s not.” He squeezed her hand. “But you can’t dwell on the losses. Because of you, we saved a lot of lives.”

“At the end, when I thought I was going to die, I felt a light guiding me," she said softly, almost to herself. "I had the same feeling when your mom was performing the potomian ceremony. And again, when she put the protection spell on me at the wedding. Do you think … is her spell what saved me?"

George's eyes softened further as he squeezed Dana’s hand, considering her question. "Dana, I'm not sure what I believe. Whether it was a spell, faith, or just plain luck, I’m just glad you survived. We all are."

As if on cue, the door opened and Lena walked in, followed by Jake. "Look who I found staring down the coffee machine like a zombie," Lena said cheerfully. “Oh my god! Dana! You’re awake.”

The mood shifted, flooding Dana with intensity as she locked eyes with Jake.

Dana's heart raced as she scanned his features, trying to reconcile the intense emotions swirling within her. She wanted to say so many things; to express her gratitude, her relief, and her love, but words seemed inadequate.

Jake felt it too, that inevitable pull. She could tell from the deep breath he took, his gaze holding hers. For the briefest of moments, she watched his attention flick to George. A storm of irrational jealousy flared to life at the sight of Dana’s hand in another man’s.

Ever astute, George quickly released Dana. Standing, he walked to where Lena stood and quietly took her hand. “We’ll leave you to it.”

Once they were alone, Jake rounded the room slowly. He set hiscoffee down on the bedside table and took a seat in the chair next to Dana’s bed, gently taking her hand.

Dana felt her throat tighten with emotion. She squeezed his hand, drawing strength from his presence. Seeing him there, Dana knew that’s where he’d been the whole time she’d been in the hospital. His presence was palpable—a soothing salve for her soul. She’d felt it even when she’d been unconscious. And now that she wasn’t … There was so much she wanted to say to him.

Leaning in, Jake brushed her hair back from her face. For the briefest moment she saw desire flicker across his stormy blue gaze. If he’d wanted to kiss her, he decided against it, taking her hands instead.

“Hey,” he said, his voice like gravel as he held back emotion.

“Hey,” she answered, her own voice still hoarse. A tear slipped down Dana's cheek. The gravity of the moment weighed heavily on her, yet it was also liberating. “You found me.”

It wasn’t a question, but Jake nodded.

“How?” she asked.