Stolen Beauty (Jackson Family 1)

“April fifth,” I told him, also rattling off the year after a moment. “I’m twenty-one. I’ll be twenty-two on James’s birthday.”

“Very good. You seem to be functioning normally.” He drew in a deep breath. “Now, do you remember how you ended up here?”

I flinched. “Yes,” I quietly answered. I swallowed thickly. “And if you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about it.”

Dr. Williams nodded in understanding, sadness for me ringing in his eyes. “Very well, then.” He looked at James. “I’m going to go ahead and let her go, but I want to see her tomorrow for a follow-up – just to make sure that there aren’t any setbacks in her recovery.”

“I’ll bring her by,” James told him. He walked over to me and helped me sit up. The room spun a little bit, and I released a quiet moan, squeezing my eyes shut as I reached up to hold my head. “Easy, little one,” James soothed. “Take your time. Do you think you can walk?”

“Yeah – I just need a moment,” I told him.

He patiently waited, letting me take my time. Once my head stopped hurting as badly from the movement, I slowly opened my eyes. “Okay.” I drew in a deep breath. “Help me stand.”

James helped ease me to the edge of the bed, and then, he wrapped an arm around my waist and placed his other hand on my hip, helping me stand up. Once I was steady on my feet, I took a step forward. James wrapped an arm around my waist, and at my pace, we walked out of the room, occasionally stopping as pain shot through the back of my head.

“I want a bath,” I told him. I looked at the stairs in front of us and whined. “Why do we have to stay on the upper floor?”

James laughed softly before he leaned down and scooped me up into his arms, carrying me up the stairs. “So that I can do this,” he lightly teased. I blushed. He brushed his lips to my burning cheek. “You’re so fucking adorable.” James pushed open the door to our room. “I’m going to set you on the bed and start you a bath. Do you need me to stay with you?” He shook his head as he set me on the bed. “Never mind. I’m staying.”

“James, if you have work to do—" I started, but he shook his head, stopping me from continuing my sentence.

“I do, but it can wait until you’ve had your bath, and I can take you to my office. I thought I could handle leaving you alone, but the thought alone makes me want to throw the fuck up,” he admitted. My eyes widened in shock. “So, I’ll take a bath with you, let you rest, and then once you’re finished, I’ll take you to my office with me so I can keep an eye on you and take care of you.”

My heart swelled in my chest. He really could be so perfect sometimes.

“James,” I called. He turned to look at me once he was finished turning the water on. “You know I’ll be okay, right?”

James shook his head. “Alfonso might be taken care of, but none of my men can find my father.” I frowned, not liking the idea of him murdering one of his parents. “I’m not taking any chances that he’s ordered another hit on you. So, no, right now, you won’t be alright.” He strode over to me. “That means until this shit is taken care of, I’m not leaving your side. You’ll come wherever I go.”

He brushed his lips with mine before he gripped the hem of the comfortable dress I was wearing and lifted it over my head. I frowned down at the dress, suddenly remembering that I’d only been wearing a t-shirt and panties when Alfonso had come into the room.

“I changed you once Dr. Williams stabilized you,” James explained. “You were covered with his blood, little one.”

I swallowed thickly, staring down at my hands. Suddenly, it was almost as if I could see the red blood staining my hand where I had stabbed him. Tears spilled over onto my cheeks. “I killed a man,” I whimpered. My skull pounded as the sight of his blood pouring over my hand flashed through my head.

James quickly sat on the bed and drew me onto his lap. “You survived, little one. I don’t classify killing someone and fucking surviving as the same thing. If you hadn’t done what you did, he would have raped and killed you. You’re a fucking survivor.”

“I need a bath,” I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut. “James, please, I just—"

“I know.” He brushed his cheek against mine, soothing the tormented part of me. “Come on.”

He lifted me up and carried me to the bathroom. After setting me on the counter and pulling my panties off of me, he carried me to the tub. Once I was settled in the water, James stripped out of his own clothes and shoes and slid into the tub behind me, drawing me between his legs. He then grabbed my hand in his and rubbed his hands over mine. “I’m sorry you became one of us, little one,” James apologized. “I’m so fucking sorry. But you didn’t do it in cold blood, Emmaline. You did it to live – to survive. Always keep that in mind.”

I stayed silent, but I leaned back further against him, shutting my eyes. James wound his arm around me, his other hand still holding the one that I had used to stab Alfonso.

“You’re still my sweet, innocent Emmaline,” James said softly. “I’ll never look at you any different,” he swore.