CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

 

Luca

 

I SIT BESIDE JULES on the hospital bed as we wait for her doctor to come in and give her the okay to go home. Although her head injury, the worst of the damage done to her body, wasn’t serious, he still wanted to keep her overnight, especially considering she was just in a seven-year coma due to a head injury not too long ago.

I tighten my arm around her waist and thank God she’s okay for what has to be the thousandth time since she woke up yesterday. I told her she scared the shit out of me. That has to be the biggest understatement in the history of understatements. I was out of my fucking mind, going ballistic with worry. And when I was at the nurses’ station demanding an update, even knowing it was too early for one, and heard her screaming my name, my fear went through the roof.

It took every bit of the three security guards to hold me back, but I still struggled. I wanted at Jules. I needed to be with her. Her heartrending cries were pure torture. It was only one of the guards threatening to toss my ass from the hospital that shut down my battle to get to her. When her eyes, so lost and filled with agony, met mine across the distance separating us, I fucking collapsed, my strength totally gone. I was taken to the waiting room, where thankfully I only had to wait an hour before the doctor came and told me she was okay. It was still the longest hour of my life. I left my mom and dad in the waiting room and followed the doctor to Jules. She woke up after another torturous hour. Her frantic need to be as close to me as she could get, apparent in the way she practically clawed her way into my lap and almost ripped out her IV, eased some of my worry.

It’s been twenty hours since she told me her belief that Aria could be ours. When Kale dropped off the sonogram, which he took from the crime scene because he knew I would want it, I didn’t let my mind wander to what it could mean. My sole focus was Jules and how she was doing. But when she told me about Aria, it took every bit of strength left in me, and then some, to rein in the rage running through my veins. Theo fucked us over more than we thought. My mind has been consumed with the possibilities since then. And the unanswered questions. So many fucking unanswered questions.

“What happened to Theo?” Jules’s quiet question pulls me from my thoughts.

I almost snarl my answer, but barely manage to keep my tone just on this side of a growl. “His face is fucked-up. Broken and fractured bones.” I feel not one ounce of remorse. “But the doctors say he’ll be fine. He’s going to jail as soon as they release him.”

“Good. It’s where he deserves to be.”

I don’t agree, but I keep my opinion to myself. Had it been up to me, he would have been carried out of his house in a body bag. That’s where he deserves to be. Harsh way to think of my brother? My brother died when he first hurt Jules and tried to take her away.

The door whooshing open and the doctor calling Jules’s name has us both getting up from the bed.

“How’s your head?” Dr. Leverton asks.

“The drums have stopped. Now it’s just slightly annoying soft beats.”

His smile is easy. “That’s to be expected. Give it another day and the headache should be gone. We’ll send you home with a prescription as well. The good news is you got your memory back.”

It is good she got her memory back. It just really fucking sucks what she had to go through to make it there.

The smile straightens from Dr. Leverton’s face as he pulls a folder from his clipboard. “I’ve got your medical records here.”

Jules and I both stiffen. I look at the thick stack of papers in the cream folder and wonder if what’s in there will change our lives. My mouth drains of liquid and my throat turns to sandpaper. I’m both anxious and scared, and I know Jules feels the same way.

She’s already plastered to my side, but I still bring her closer until she’s forced to turn toward me. By the look on the doctor’s face, something tells me we’re both going to need the added support of the other.

“Would you like to sit down?”

His question is directed at Jules, and it reminds me I need to be the strong one here. She’s just gone through a traumatic experience, and I need to buck the fuck up and stop being a pussy. But fuck me, the thought of being a dad, one to a child I’ve known since she was only days old, scares me shitless. It also makes me incredibly fucking happy.

“No,” Jules answers, her voice cracking. “Please, just tell us.”

He nods in understanding, opens the folder, and looks down. “When you were admitted into Silver United Memorial in May of 2010, you were four weeks pregnant. On February 1, 2011 at thirty-eight weeks, you delivered, by C-section, a healthy little girl. She weighed six pounds, seven ounces, and was eighteen and a half inches long.”

“Oh, God,” Jules whispers, her legs giving out. I catch her before she hits the floor, but my legs are too weak to hold us up. I manage to ease us both down with her ass in my lap. She’s sobbing, clinging to my shoulders, her head buried in my neck.

I told myself I would be strong no matter what, but that’s out the fucking window with the doctor’s words. I’m a fucking dad. The date the doc just gave us is Aria’s birthday.

Fuck me.

I’m a dad. My niece is actually my baby.

Tears pool in my eyes and trickle down my cheeks, landing in Jules’s hair. So many emotions run through me, one after the other, but there’re two that stand out the most; pure and unadulterated hatred for my brother and absolute love for… my daughter. I’ve always felt a strong bond with Aria, always held an unsurmountable amount of love for her, but that love has multiplied a thousand times over. It’s infinite, has no beginning or no end, and is without reservation.

“It has to be her,” Jules cries in my shoulder. She lifts her head and gazes at me with red eyes. “It has to be her, right?”

My heart squeezes in my chest, because she’s right, I have no doubt in my mind, Aria is the missing baby we created together.

“I’ve placed a copy of the birth certificate in the folder I put together for you,” the doctor speaks quietly. “Both yours and Theodore Hendrix name is on the certificate. Your records do show you were sexually assaulted when you were admitted. Why the police were never notified, I do not know. However, if what you told me is true and Mr. Hendrix was the one to assault you, there’s no way he could be the father, as you were already pregnant.”

She hiccoughs on a sob. “How could he do that to us?” she cries.

“I don’t know, baby.” I kiss her forehead and push her face back into my neck.

I plan to pay Theo a little visit in jail to get some answers. I just hope there will be glass between us, because if he’s made accessible to me, there’s nothing that will hold me back from exacting retribution.

“Is it possible to perform a DNA test to know for sure if Luca is Aria’s father?” Jules asks the doctor.

“Unfortunately, since they’re twins their DNA would match, so the test would be inconclusive.”

Jules nods and burrows deeper against me.

“I’m leaving her records on the bed. A nurse will be in in a few minutes with her release papers. I know this must be hard on you both, so take as much time as you need.”

With a look of sympathy toward Jules’s bent head, he leaves us alone. I don’t know how long we stay on the floor, but it’s a while before I get us both to our feet. I cradle her against me and sit on the bed. I have no idea what to do except sit there and hold her, my own mind racing with thoughts.

“I want her to be ours so much,” Jules says, then lifts her head to peek up at me. “I know it’s going to hurt her, but God, Luca, I want her to belong to us.”

“So do I.”

“You do?” she asks, a look of surprise on her face.

“Yes. I’ve always loved Aria like she was my daughter anyway, so if she is, it’ll make me very fucking happy.”

For the first time today, Jules smiles. It’s a smile I’ll hold as one of my favorites for the rest of my life.

 

 

MY PARENTS ARE WAITING for us at home when we pull into the driveway. I wanted to wait to tell them the news about Aria until we’ve had time to process it more, but Jules wanted to tell them as soon as possible. She needs rest, not more stress, but she was adamant. We’re also going to tell them about Theo’s deception. I was in no frame of mind to explain to them in the waiting room yesterday what happened. All they know is he attacked her again, and I beat the shit out of him. This is going to fucking kill them, especially Mom.

I didn’t expect to see Ella and Vicki when we walk through the door. Not that I planned to keep it from them, I just assumed Ella would be at the shop and she’d be coming by or calling later.

“Jazz is watching over the shop,” she explains when I look at her with questioning eyes.

Truth be told, I wouldn’t have blamed her if she had closed down Ink Me for the day. She knows something big went down between Jules, Theo, and me and would want to know the news.

Mom comes rushing around the corner of the kitchen then screeches to a halt, her hands flying to her mouth and tears springing to her eyes when she sees Jules’s face. A soft sob escapes her mouth, the sound muffled by her trembling hands. Dad walks out behind Mom, his hands going to her shoulders. His face takes on a savage look when he takes in Jules’s appearance.

“Oh, God,” Mom whispers with a cracked voice. She slowly makes her way over to us and grabs one of Jules’s hands. “You poor baby.”

“I’m okay,” Jules says, emotion distorting her voice.

“And thank God for that.” Mom takes a step forward. “I want to hug you, but I don’t want to hurt you.”

I can feel rather than see Jules smile as she tells Mom, “I just have a little headache, but I could certainly use a hug.”

It’s a lie. I know she’s hurting more than she’s letting on, but she’s trying to be strong. She doesn’t need to be. I’ll be the strong one for both of us.

Mom’s eyes find mine over Jules’s shoulder once she has her wrapped in her arms. Deep sadness makes the green shine brighter than normal. I’ve always hated when Mom is sad. This particular pain is worse, because it involves her children.

My eyes stray from Mom’s and meet Dad’s. The tic in his jaw that always says he’s upset or angry about something is going a mile a minute.

“How you doing?” he asks in his deep baritone.

A grunt is all the answer I give. Physically, I’m fine, but my emotions are a fucking mess. Dad gives me an understanding look. He knows, even if he doesn’t have the full story yet.

Mom steps back, wiping the tears from her eyes, and steps to the side. Dad comes forward and kisses Jules’s cheek that’s not sporting a bruise. Her eyes close briefly before she opens them when he steps back. He stays close and keeps his voice low.

“You okay?”

She nods. “Yeah.”

“Good.”

Ella practically shoves Dad out of the way to get to Jules. She’s just as angry as Dad, I can see it deep in her eyes, but she manages to hide it.

“That bastard,” she whispers before gently pulling Jules into her arms.

I fucking love these people. Jules came to them as a stranger. She was thrust upon the family as a new member and they’ve taken her in without reservation. With Mom and Dad, that came as no surprise, it’s just the type of people they are. But in a way, it’s still surprising, because of the way we’ve had to stay cautious due to the area we live in. Ella though, she’s more reserved; however, she took Jules under her wing immediately.

I watch Vicki standing off to the side. I can even see emotions swirling in her eyes. Anger and sympathy.

“Where’s Aria?” Jules asks once Ella releases her.

“School,” Mom answers. “We thought it would be best if she weren’t here.”

“That’s good.” I point to the living room with my chin. “We’ve got shit we need to tell you all.”

I feel Jules’s eyes on me, and I look down. She’s biting her lip nervously, so I grab her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. I know this is going to be hard on her. Hell, it’s fucking brutal on me too.

“Would anyone like something to eat first? Maybe a sandwich or soup?” Mom, the ever-present host even though this isn’t her house, tries to take care of everyone.

We all decline and make our way to the living room. Dad makes a pit stop at the fridge and grabs several beers and bottles of water. I hand a water to Jules, who smiles at me gratefully. I pop the top off a beer and take several heavy swallows.

“Tell us what happened,” Ella demands.

When I feel Jules tremble beside me, I pick her up and set her on my lap, making sure she can see everyone, then grab the blanket off the back of the couch and place it over her lap. The tremors aren’t from being cold, but I’m hoping the added warmth coupled with my closeness will help ease her nerves.

Once she’s comfortable, I turn to the others. It takes a solid forty minutes to tell them what happened. I start from the very beginning when Jules and I met, everything that led up to her coma, Theo’s sick role in our lives, him attacking her at his house yesterday, and ending with Jules and me both remembering our past.

Jules inserts the parts of Theo attacking her seven years ago and then what she found in the box yesterday, along with that attack. I brace to hear the details again. She told me in the hospital, but it’s still hard to hear. Dad and Ella stop us periodically to ask questions.

By the time I’m done, Jules is practically bouncing on my lap because her shakes are so bad, and my arm is wet from the tears that’ve fallen from her eyes. If I never see another tear fall from her in my life, it’ll still be too much.

Mom’s silently crying too as Dad holds her. Ella looks livid, but even her eyes are glassy with tears. Vicki has her arm around her shoulders, offering comfort.

“I can’t believe he would do such a thing,” Mom cries softly. “What in the hell has my boy become?”

My jaw clenches. There are so many names I could call him, but I refuse to in front of Mom. This is hard enough on her as it is. I can’t imagine losing a son because he’s become a psychotic bastard. I’m glad I didn’t tell her everything in the waiting room. I know she and Dad visited him in the hospital, and with her not knowing the extent of his crimes, it gave her a chance to see him without all that extra weight mixed in.

I hate to do it, but everyone needs to know. “He’s going to jail after he leaves the hospital and charges are being brought against him.”

Mom nods, but the pain is clear on her face. She understands, but is understandably still upset.

“Of course,” Dad says darkly, his eyes flickering to Jules in understanding.

I pull Jules closer to me.

“Fuckin’ hell,” Dad mutters. “He duped us all.”

“He was always good with computer shit,” Mom says tearfully. “Even as a kid. We’d hoped he’d do something with it, but we never thought he’d do something like this.”

“There’s more,” I tell the group and wait for everyone to look my way. “Jules was pregnant with my baby when she fell into a coma. She had planned to tell me the day Theo attacked her, but obviously never got the chance.” I pause for a moment, and the room turns eerily quiet, shock marring everyone’s features. “She delivered a baby by C-section. The baby was born February 1, 2011.”

“Wait! What?” Ella says loudly, straightening away from Vicki. “That’s Aria’s birthday,” she continues slowly. “Are you saying….”

“Yes,” I answer before she can finish. “Aria’s birth certificate shows Jules as the mother. There’s no way to know for sure, but it seems I’m her father since she was already pregnant by the time Theo raped her.

“Holy fuck,” Vicki mutters.

“We’re waiting a few days to tell her,” Jules adds carefully. “We thought about waiting even longer, but we’re hoping with Theo more than likely going to prison, it might help her with knowing she still has parents. I know it’s going to hurt her, but we’re hoping to ease some of the pain.”

Mom and Dad have been quiet, so I glance at them. Mom’s eyes are dry, and I’m shocked to see the blatant anger flaring in her green gaze. I’ve never seen that look in her eyes before. Dad doesn’t look much better.

I close my eyes and think back to all the dreams I’ve had over the years. The silhouette that I couldn’t quite make out, except for her amber eyes. Her voice calling my name, imploring me to save her. They started about a year after Jules went into a coma and drove me bat shit crazy. I wouldn’t have admitted it at the time, but thinking back to when they abruptly stopped, a small part of me missed them. When they started back again six months ago, she was more vivid. I could actually make out her face. I still had no idea who she was, but the haunted look in her eyes called to me. I know now it was because my heart and subconscious knew her, even if I didn’t remember.

I think about the dream in the field. Jules smiling so brightly when Theo walked up. But it wasn’t him, it was me. And that wasn’t just a dream, that scene actually happened. It was the day I asked Jules to marry me. I believed my brother’s story so much that I inserted myself on the outside edges of the dream and put Theo in my place. That’s why I became enraged when I saw them together, because that wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

Another one comes to mind. The one of her pleading with me to not hurt her. Except that wasn’t the case. It was her begging Theo not to hurt her and for me to save her. In my mind, it was my actions that put her in a coma, it was me that hurt her all those years ago, so again, I put myself in Theo’s shoes and he in mine. It fucking burns my insides that I so easily allowed him to fool us. I never questioned him. Not fucking once. I feel like an incompetent fool.

I had always assumed Jules’s dream silhouette was me. She said it was sinister, evil. What happened to her was definitely sinister and evil. In my dreams, she was my silhouette. Always sad and hurt. I realize now she was trying to warn me of the evil surrounding her. Begging me to protect her. To remember her.

Jules moves on my lap, and I realize my grip on her waist has tightened. I loosen my fingers and mutter, “Sorry, baby.”

Mom stands from the couch, and I watch as she visibly pulls herself together. “We’re going to leave and let you both rest.” She grabs Dad’s hand when he takes to his feet beside her. “I brought some food over so neither of you have to worry about cooking. It’s in the fridge.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Always, honey. We’ll pick up Aria from school and keep her for a few of days.”

I nod, knowing it’s for the best. “We’ll come by and we can all tell her together about Theo.”

“I think that’s a good idea. She’s going to need all of us.”

We follow them, Ella, and Vicki to the door. After more tears are shed, they all say goodbye, and I close the door behind them. My arms immediately engulf Jules, and I pull her to my chest, where she snuggles against me. It feels so damn good to have her there. I’ve held her multiple times since she came to stay with me, each time more perfect than the last, but it’s different now. There’s nothing holding back our feelings. No shame, no remorse, no guilt, no doubt, and no uncertainty. It’s pure and real and precious and there’s not a damn thing wrong with it. I’ve loved this woman for years. We may have forgotten for a while, but even before we got our memories back, I felt it, and I know she did too. Because of that, it’s stronger than it ever was before.

“Tired?” I ask, gazing down into a pair of eyes that captured me from the first moment I saw them and countless times while I slept.

She releases a sigh, and I have my answer before she speaks. “Exhausted.”

“Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”

I bend and scoop her up into my arms. I’m in heaven when she throws her arm around my shoulders and nestles close. She yawns and then kisses my neck.

I take us to the bedroom and gently place her on the bed. We both need showers, but that’ll have to come later. Jules’s body needs rest at the moment more than it needs to be clean.

I help her out of her clothes then she helps me out of mine. I snag something out of my pocket before my pants hit the floor. It’s not in the cards right now, but I want nothing more than to make love to Jules… my wife. Fuck, I love the sound of that.

As soon as my body is settled against the sheets and before I get the chance to reach for her, Jules is on me. We lie facing each other, arms wrapped around the other, chests smashed together, and legs tangled. You couldn’t fit a piece of paper between us. Just the way I like it.

“My wife,” I whisper, and watch Jules close her eyes. When she opens them next, happiness shines in the beautiful orbs.

“My husband,” she whispers just as softly. Those two words center me. They give my life meaning. We never got the chance to live as husband and wife before we were cruelly ripped apart. Now though, we have all the time in the world, and I plan to cherish every single second of it.

“There was something else Kale found on Theo’s bedroom floor and gave to me.”

Her brows lift. “Isn’t it illegal to take stuff from a crime scene?”

“It is, but I’m sure there’s enough evidence against Theo that they won’t need this or the sonogram.”

There’s no fucking way I’m handing them over anyway. There’s no telling if I would get them back, and I’m not taking that chance.

“What is it?”

I pull my arm from behind her back and lean back just enough to fit my hand between us. I open my palm. When she sees what’s resting there, she gasps and tears spring to her eyes. They jump to mine with hope.

“Is that…?”

I nod and smile. “Your wedding ring.” The same one that was in the bag at the hospital in the nightstand. Theo must have found it after the first time I saw it and put it in his box of fucked-up lies.

“Oh my God,” she breathes.

Without prompting, her hand appears, and I slip the simple woven diamond ring on her finger. It’s inexpensive, she certainly deserves more, but it’s what I gave her when we married, and it has the word ‘infinite’ inscribed on the inside. From the loving look in her eyes as she gazes down at it, I know the value is meaningless to her. It’s what it represents.

“I don’t know what happened to mine.” The thought saddens me.

Some of her happiness dims, so I kiss her sweetly, wanting that euphoria back.

“We’ll get another one for me. I want to marry you again. This time we’ll have the family there.”

She smiles, and once again my world is perfect.

“You saved me. You saved us.”

“Always. No matter what.”

“I love you.”

Her words are music to my ears and my heart bursts with happiness.

“I love you, Jules.”

It’s been way too fucking long since we’ve said those words to each other, and I promise myself I’ll say them at least a hundred times every day until I draw in my last breath.

I don’t know if it was God that made me have those dreams to keep Jules alive in my head or if it was just my mind not willing to let her go, but I thank whatever it was. She may have been gone from my life for seven years, but she was never truly away. She was always with me, just as she always will be.