Dear Ex Wife, Please take me back novel Chapter 188

ALEX

Pain is the first thing I register. It's not the numbing kind. The brutal kind. The kind that cuts through your nerves and reminds you you're still alive when you shouldn't be.

I thought I was going to die. I was ready to die, but shockingly, my girl saved me.

Fuck, I owe her every breath. I didn't want her exposed but the deed has been done, I'll just have to fix those posing as a threat.

I can feel the stitches in my chest like they’re mocking me with every breath. My body’s weak, my limbs are fucking heavy.

But something inside me is burning. Something deeper than pain.

Rage.

Because she’s not here.

Because I heard them. The anesthesia must have weared off because I heard Dad talking to mum about how Athena has been called again and he's making some calls.

My vision is red.

I rip the IV from my arm and ignore the scream of the machines. The nurse tries to rush to my side.

I grab her wrist midair.

“Don’t. Touch. Me.”

Her eyes widen as she stumbles back.

“I need a wheelchair!” she shouts.

“No,” I growl. “Bring me Luca.”

“Mr. King.”

“Bring me Luca. Now!”

She flinches and then rushes out.

I'm in pain right now, telling me I need to lie down isn't what I need right now.

Luca appears minutes later, storming in with Mum behind him.

“Alex,” she starts gently, “you need to lie down. You’re barely-”

“Where is she?”

“Who?” She asks innocently.

“Mum, where is she?”

She swallows.

“She’s… being questioned. But your father is-”

“I'll pick her myself!” I turn to leave when she tugs on my hospital shirt.

“Baby, you just woke up and had a delicate surgery. Trust your father to handle this, he's not going to let anything happen to her.”

Over my dead fucking body! I'm not spending another second without seeing her. Hell, her face should have been the first I saw when I woke up.

“My father is not her husband,” I snap, “He’s yours. Call him back.”

The room goes deathly still.

“Alex,” Luca steps forward, “you just had open-heart surgery. You’re not going anywhere.”

I shift, ignoring the way the pain shoots down my side. “Try stopping me.”

Luca looks ready to argue, but I cut him off.

“I would be resting had you protected her. It's a good thing I'm not dead, it seems only I can keep her safe.”

No one answers.

That’s all I need to hear.

I drag myself up and rip off the oxygen line.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Luca growls.

I grab a coat someone left nearby and throw it over my hospital gown. “To bring back what’s mine.”

“You can barely walk-”

“Then crawl behind me.”

My head spins, but I grit through it. My body may be broken, but my resolve isn’t.

I’ll tear apart the entire goddamn justice system if I have to. No one touches her again. No one questions her without going through me.

I don't know how I drove but I wanted to rip apart this son of a bitch for trying to touch my girl. He should thank the lucky stars I'm in so much pain.

“You really shouldn't have come here. Uncle Eli was handling it.” Her sweet voice which I missed so much scolds me as she drives me back to the hospital.

“He touched you. I will come back for him and everything tied to his name.” I grit through my teeth ignoring what she said because all my mind keeps replaying is that scene.

I'm going to kill Luca and Ryan for failing to protect her.

Her hands are on the wheel, but all I can focus on is the way they’re trembling.

She’s quiet now.

That silence that means she’s angry but doesn’t know how to show it.

“Stop trying to be strong all the time,” I say.

“What do you want me to do, Alex? Break down in front of everyone? Cry like a kid?”

“Not everyone, just me.” I say without hesitation. “Because I want the fucking truth. I want to see what this world is doing to you and burn it the fuck down.”

She swallows hard and bites her lip to hide a tremble.

Fuck.

These lips, I want to grab them between my teeth and nibble on them.

But as much as I want to, that's going to have to wait because my vision is fucking dancing and I'm seeing dots.

Shit!

We pull into the hospital lot. She parks but neither of us moves.

I turn to her while resting my head against the headrest.

“You should’ve been the first person I saw when I woke up,” I say quietly. “Instead, I woke up to the sound of people debating if you broke a law.”

Her eyes drop.

I lean closer, every breath a punishment against my ribs, but I don't care. My hand reaches for her neck gently, tracing the skin the detective dared to touch.

I'll kill him.

She finally turns toward me, meeting my eyes.

“Alex.. my God you're sweating! I need to call for help!” Her voice panics and my lips stretch into a smile.

“I love it when you worry about me.”

She glares at me with her beautiful eyes. I can look at her all day long.

“This isn't funny! You shouldn't have left the hospital in the first place!” She lifts my chest and her touch is so warm.

My eyes begin to slowly shut,

“If you're not the first thing I see when I wake up, I'll take back my word and kill that motherfucker.”

Then everything goes black.