I didn’t feel any stress from the trauma. It was a chaotic event, but I conquered it and moved past it. I wasn’t afraid of being gunned down again. When the gun was pointed in my face, I didn’t flinch. I didn’t give in either. I fought until the very end—and I won. “It wasn’t painful. My body must have been in such a state of shock that I couldn’t even feel it. When I lost my blood, I didn’t feel that either. My pulse pounded in my ears, and I didn’t even have time to think. I just knew I had to survive and I was going to do anything to make that happen. So I did what I had to do…and I don’t feel bad about it.”
“You shouldn’t. He deserved it.”
“I don’t have any nightmares about it. Firing that gun gave me closure. Now I know my biggest enemy is gone, and I sleep well.”
“I’m glad that’s how you feel. And thank you for answering my question.”
“Sure.”
“I wish I could kill the guy who killed my wife…but he’s rotting in jail for the rest of his life. I suppose that’s good enough.”
There was no amount of retribution that would ever console him for his loss, but it was better than nothing. “I’m glad you got justice.”
“Yeah…”
A knock sounded on the door, and Thorn walked inside. He was in a new suit, and his hair was styled after a shower. He looked a lot better than the last time I saw him, when he was sleep-deprived and dirty. “Can I come in?”
“You can always come in,” I answered.
He came to my bedside and rested his hand on my arm. “How are you feeling? You’re looking good.”
“Thanks. I definitely feel better.”
“Color is coming back to your cheeks. You’re smiling. You look like the old you.”
“Thanks.”
He turned to Vincent. “Hey, how are you?”
“Good,” Vincent answered. “Just spending some time with Tatum.”
Thorn glanced at the bathroom door, which was open, and then turned back to me. “Where’s Diesel?”
“He went home,” I said. “He needed to get some sleep and take a shower.”
“Wow,” Thorn said. “I’m surprised he left.”
“Tatum had to make him,” Vincent said. “And I offered to watch her.”
“Oh…makes sense.” Thorn smiled at me. “I figured he wouldn’t leave your side unless he was forced to.”
“He’s a bit dramatic sometimes,” I said with a chuckle.
“He is dramatic,” Thorn said in agreement. “But he’s also a good guy—the best.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Thorn.”
He pulled his hand away. “Can I bring you anything from the outside world?”
“An Old Fashioned,” I answered.
He shook his head. “Nice try.”
“Then I don’t need anything,” I said. “I have everything I need.”
“How much longer are you going to be in here?” He placed both of his hands in the pockets of his suit.
“At least five more days…unfortunately.” I couldn’t wait to go home. At least I could get some work done while I was in bed.
“My parents want to stop by tomorrow. Is that okay?”
“Of course it is. I would love to see them.”
“They’ve been pretty worried about you,” Thorn said. “When I told them you were going to be alright, my mom cried for ten minutes.”
“Aww…she’s so sweet.”
“My dad is relieved too. You’re like a daughter to them.”
They’d always made me feel that way. “I know…”
He pulled a deck of cards out of his pocket. “You wanna play a round of poker?”
He and I used to play whenever we tried to kill time on the plane. “Thorn, I know you’re busy. Just stopping by and saying hello is more than enough.”
He pulled up a chair and situated the table in between us. “Just because we aren’t getting married doesn’t mean we aren’t family. So there’s no place in the world I’d rather be than here with you.”
5
Thorn
I knew Titan well enough to understand how important work was to her.
She gave workaholic a whole new definition.
It wasn’t about money. It was about respect and power. She needed to keep her status as the richest woman in the world because of the prestige it provided her. It changed the landscape of female empowerment, and she took it upon herself to be that champion.
I understood all of her businesses because I’d watched them grow from the ground up. So I was the best one to manage them in her absence. I didn’t tell her what I was doing before I did it. Knowing her, she would tell me not to worry about it because I had my own businesses to handle.
So I would just do it anyway.
I went to her main office, which was just a few blocks from her penthouse. I checked in with Jessica at the front and told her I would be running the company in Titan’s absence. She didn’t bother checking with Titan because she knew I had the authority to do it.
It would make more sense for Diesel to be handling this since he was marrying her. But I knew he didn’t care about work right now.
Titan was the only thing he cared about.
I sat in her elegant office, a new vase of flowers on the corner of the desk even though she wasn’t there. The white wood of her desk was smooth to the touch, and her white Mac sat exactly where she’d left it. The gray couches on the white rug complemented the matching walls on either side. Her office looked more like a living room in a Pottery Barn catalog.
She had great taste.
I answered her emails, looked through the reports that came across her desk, rearranged her schedule, and handled her meetings.
Jessica knocked before she walked inside. “Titan has a meeting with Ms. Alexander in thirty minutes.”
I looked away from the screen and gave her my attention. Jessica was a young redhead, someone Titan described as amateur but full of potential. From the strong way she carried herself and her eloquence, she’d obviously grown a lot working under a
