Ignite My Passion (The Vegas Men 3)

I think I might be able to hear voices. There is something muffled going on in my ears. I just can’t work out what any of the sounds are. They’re comforting though, that much is for sure. I like the sounds, they don’t scare me like Jeremy always has done.

I try again, I pry my eyes apart, but they snap close again. I don’t give up. I keep blinking and blinking, water streaming down my cheeks until eventually, I can keep them open for a couple of seconds.

“Nova… are you awake?”

It sounds like Zane, possibly. I just hope it isn’t the Zane that I’ve been dreaming about. Much as he’s wonderful, I’ve been in my mind for far too long, I’m ready for reality.

“Nugh,” I gurgle back, unable to get any more words out. “Urgh.”

My throat hurts, it aches with a deep dryness that I can’t dampen. There isn’t enough saliva in my mouth. Thankfully, whoever I’m with seems to sense that and some water is dripped between my lips, bringing all of me back to life.

“Oh, Nova, thank goodness you’re okay.” It is Zane. I can see him now. He looks even more beautiful than he did in my mind. “You have no idea how worried me and Clara have been.”

“Clara?” He doesn’t even know Clara, I never got a chance to introduce them, so I don’t understand how he’s with her now. Unless she ended up in the hospital as well.

“She’s okay. She’s gone to call her husband because he’s finished his night shift now and she doesn’t want him to worry where she is.”

“All night?”

“Yeah, you’ve been here all night. But the doctor said you got lucky. I guess whoever took the shot at you wasn’t that good because they didn’t end up doing much damage at all. I thought that Jeremy had hired the best of the best but since we’re still alive…” His words trail off and he sighs. “Sorry, I’m babbling, I know I am. I’m just so excited to speak to you again.”

I wish I could speak more to him but I’m still half in shock, half too hoarse. I can only speak a little bit and I guess I want to know what’s going on. “What’s happened?”

“Well, you were shot, I guess you know that.” I nod, remembering that much. “And he came for me too, but he didn’t get me. Clara came and told me you were here, so we came to find you.” I can sense him skating over a few details, but right now I’m only about to process the basics. “The police have been here. We’ve done our statements. I guess they will want one from you too. From what I can work out, some people have been arrested but I don’t know if any of them is Jeremy. You don’t need to worry though, we have protection on the door.”

“Protection?”

“Police officers with guns. So, there’s no chance of anyone getting to you.”

“Will he be arrested?”

“Jeremy?” Zane nods and smiles. “As soon as they find him, he will be. That will make everything so much easier. He won’t be able to come after you anymore and the divorce will be ridiculously easy to put through. You will be able to get what you want from it.”

I still don’t want anything, even after all of this. I just want the marriage to be done and to be free from Jeremy. I honestly just want my life back. I don’t even feel like I’m ‘owed’ anything, it isn’t like that for me. I want to survive on my own, even if it’s really hard.

“And you can start your life fresh, whatever you want to do, you can achieve anything.”

My mind wanders off for a moment, I wonder what I will do with myself. The next thing I want to do will be a career, not just a job. I’m not quite sure what that will be but I’m really looking forward to discovering more about myself in the process.

“Oh, Nova, you have no idea how happy it makes me see you awake. I honestly thought that I’d lost you.”

He kisses on the top of my forehead, ever so gently, then slides his lips down my cheek. Just before he reaches my mouth I whisper something so quietly to him, it’s a miracle he actuall

y hears it. After everything that’s happened, life is too short for me not to say my feelings. Even if it’s too soon, even if I shouldn’t because I might scare him away, even if I risk not hearing it back… I just want him to know because it feels like the right thing to do.

“I love you.”

His eyes open wide, I almost see panic there, but then it’s quickly replaced with joy. I think I just shocked him. His hand cups my cheek and he looks deeply into my eyes. Staring at me with such happiness I melt into a puddle between his fingertips.

“I love you too, Nova, so, so much.”

Then his lips are on mine and we’re kissing, and it’s the best sensation in the whole damn world. Knowing that neither of us should be here, that we have been in so much danger, makes this so much more wonderful. The kiss is soft, romantic, yet passionate too. His desperation bursts through and I’m sure that mine does too.

I wish I wasn’t in a hospital bed, so I could just make him my own already.

“I could just kiss you all day long,” he groans happily at me. “But I think we’re setting your heart monitor alight.”

We burst into laughter, listening to the rapid bleeping of the machine. He really is driving me wild. Just like always. At this moment, it doesn’t even matter if everything is messed up, we’re sneaking a moment of sheer joy in all of it. It shouldn’t be ours, but it is.