Nikki finally laughed, the lines between her eyebrows smoothing. The glaze vanished from her eyes. She kept his hand.
“Oh, didn’t I tell you? This was all just one big test,” she joked. “Normally people don’t overachieve as much as you do.” She motioned again to his wounds. “Taking two bullets? Oliver only took one, though he’s very excited that now someone else in Orion knows what it’s like to be not only shot but shot specifically in the stomach.”
“Bullet buddies,” Jackson repeated. She nodded. “I should point out that, technically, I took two bullet wounds and a graze. Unless those don’t count.”
“We’ll count them.”
They quieted. Jackson realized that even the silence with Nikki was enjoyable. Still holding her hand, he looked her up and down for the first time since he’d woken up. She was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a blue tee. He could see the angry red mark from the burn of her seat belt peeking out of the top of her shirt. Though the cuts along her scalp from the windshield and then the car crash were gone. The fact that she was standing on both of her feet confirmed whatever she’d been injected with hadn’t had a lasting effect.
“Are you okay?” he asked, knowing the question would lead them away from jokes and right to the heart of what had happened. Nikki seemed to feel the shift, too. She cleared her throat. Yet she never dropped his hand.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she started. “Just some marks and bruises, but they’re healing fine.” Picking up on his unasked question, she used her free hand to touch the spot where Charles had stuck the needle into her skin. There wasn’t a mark anymore.
Jackson wondered how long he’d been in the hospital.
“The drug I was partially injected with was a paralytic, meant to keep me from struggling. Though with less than half of a full dose, all it did was numb the left side of my body before turning to angry pins and needles. It also made me really tired, which the doctor thinks is another reason I passed out for such a long time after the crash. I feel absolutely normal now, though. It was the sprained ankle that was most annoying.” She moved her right leg as if to prove the point. “I can put weight on it now but still have a bit of a limp. It’s not a bullet wound, though.” The whisper of a smile crossed her lips. It didn’t last long, and Jackson asked another question he knew wasn’t the happiest of topics.
“What happened to Andrew?”
Nikki let out a small exhale. “After he shot you, Oliver and Mark were able to get his gun away from him, though it really didn’t matter.” She shifted on her feet. “He lost consciousness because of the hit against the asphalt. The doctor was surprised he was even able to shoot at me at all, but I told them Andrew is a very determined man.”
“Is? Not was?” he asked.
“He’s alive, if that’s what you mean,” she answered. “It’ll be a while before he can leave the hospital, though. He’s got a fractured skull or something of the nature. To be honest, I didn’t really ask. All I know for certain is that he has enough policemen on him that I doubt he’ll be able to use the restroom without bumping shoulders with one.”
She sobered. “They found the two officers from the patrol car that was dispatched near the coffee shop...”
Jackson gritted his teeth in anger. He didn’t need to ask if they were okay. They weren’t.
“They also found that man you’d shot outside Orion. His name is Cam and when I say he rolled over on everything he knew about what Andrew had been up to in the last few years, know that I mean he spilled every little secret Andrew had trying to cut a deal. Since, as he pointed out, he didn’t kill anyone.”
Jackson’s eyebrows rose.
“What about Heather?” he asked, picturing her body crumpled on the asphalt. Nikki shook her head.
“She had to be rushed into surgery, but she’s alive and expected to make a full recovery,” Nikki said. “She’s also expected to fully pay for her part in everything.”
Jackson had warned her that was exactly what would happen. That reminded him of something.
“What happened to Michael?” he asked.
“Apparently he asked for more money and Andrew didn’t want to pay.” She made a disgusted face. “So Andrew killed him in my office.” Nikki’s body sagged. She finally sat down on his bed. Still, she held his hand.
“What about the fire?” he asked, knowing she was already thinking about it.
“Do you want the good news or bad news first?” she asked.
“Dealer’s choice.”
Nikki let out another exhale. It shook a little at the end. “The good news is right after you lost consciousness, Calvin showed up with his backup. He was able to get the fire station five minutes away to respond quickly.” Nikki held up her head a fraction, like she was trying to show she wasn’t about to break despite the news. “The bad news is by the time they did get there and put the fire out, most of the building was unsalvageable or gone.”
Her chin started to shake. Jackson squeezed her hand. The pressure seemed to calm her. She smiled after a moment. “But more good news is we’re all okay. Buildings can be rebuilt, but people... Well, I’ll take a burned office any day as long as it means the people I care about are okay.”
“Amen to that.”
The nurse came in after that and the doctor soon followed. Nikki left his side and dropped his hand. She told him she wanted to let the others know he was up and excused herself. As soon as she was outside the room, the nurse grinned.
“Just so you know, she didn’t leave your side once,” she said. “I should know—I tried to make her go home a few times.”
Jackson responded with only a smile.
* * *
A WEEK LATER, the same nurse told Jackson he was one of the most popular patients she’d ever had. After he’d had his moments alone with Nikki, Calvin had come in with the police chief and gotten his side of the story while Nikki added in the bits that Jackson hadn’t known about, either, including Andrew’s two lackeys who had killed two more unfortunate passersby. They were going away for a long time, and that was at least a silver lining he could get behind.
Once Calvin and the chief were satisfied, Jackson started to feel tired again. Nikki began to settle into her chair, firm on staying with him.
“You don’t have to stay,” he assured her. Though he couldn’t deny her decision made him happy. Since before his father had made headlines, Jackson hadn’t been on the receiving end of such devotion.
Nikki waved him off, already picking up her book. “It’s my job as your emergency contact to be at your side during times like these,” she said.
That caught Jackson off guard. She turned to his questioning expression and suddenly looked bashful. “The nurse said that you didn’t have an emergency contact, so I got her to put me down as one. I hope that’s okay. I can have her change it.”
Jackson didn’t have to think about that long.
“That’s fine by me,” he said. She looked relieved.
“Good,” she said, already back to her book. “Guess you’re stuck with me now.”
“I guess I am.” Jackson didn’t miss her smile.
In the week that followed, Nikki finally did leave every once in a while. However, Jackson was never alone. Oliver, Mark and Jonathan stopped by and stayed awhile. They thanked him for everything he’d done for Nikki and he, in turn, thanked them for saving the day. Twice.
“Actually, how did you even know where we had crashed?” Jackson asked, realizing he didn’t know how they’d managed to find them outside the construction site.
“You don’t know about Orion’s guardian angel?” Jonathan asked. Mark and Oliver laughed. Jackson raised his eyebrow.
“He’s talking about my wife, Darling,” Oliver explained. “When we landed and got together, we got the call from Calvin that you two had disappe
ared from your apartment. Since your car and Nikki’s were both in the shop, we thought you might have gotten creative to get out of there. An SUV was reported stolen soon after the cops had been dispatched to your place. Darling took a shot and tracked the GPS and bam we got lucky.”
“We would have asked Calvin to do it, but he had his hands full,” Mark mentioned.
“She worked her magic again after we lost you two in the ambulance,” Oliver continued. “Though we had a good idea where you two were heading.”
They each took a moment of silence for everything that had happened. Then they were joking around. Though Jackson didn’t know how much of a joke it was when the three went from laughter to straight, stern faces.
“And, Jackson,” Mark said, voice low. “Nikki is basically like our sister, so understand this threat as a truth. If you ever hurt Nikki, we’ll do much worse than three bullets. You got that?”
Jackson’s eyes widened. He nodded. “Yes, sir.”
All three men loosened.
Mark smiled wide. “Well, then, I guess it’s time to officially welcome you to Orion!”
* * *
NIKKI’S GRIP TIGHTENED around the steering wheel. Her stomach was nothing but nerves.
“It’s going to be okay,” Jackson said from the passenger seat. She looked over at him, needing more. With his arm not up in a sling, he reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezed it and then let go. “Remember, you aren’t alone in this.”
Nikki nodded. The nerves quieted. “Okay, let’s do this.”
Nikki and Jackson got out of the car and walked to the front of Orion.
Like she’d told Jackson, the building was essentially destroyed. The only semblance of an office left was the lobby, and even then the roof was gone. Everything else had burned or crumbled or been waterlogged from the fire hoses. Aside from the structure, everything inside Orion’s building had run the scale from beyond repair to a few miraculously okays. She just thanked her lucky stars that most of Orion’s database was backed up online. At least now they wouldn’t have to do a hard restart.
Though, as Nikki stood looking at the building that sometimes felt more like a home than her apartment, she couldn’t help feeling like that was what it was. Then again, it was the first time she’d seen the damage of Andrew Miller in person. While she was in the hospital with Jackson, Oliver, Mark and Jonathan had gone through with the officials and salvaged everything they could. She hadn’t asked them to and they hadn’t asked for her permission. It had been just as much their home as hers.
“It’s not as bad as I thought it was,” she lied. Jackson stepped around the other side of her and put his arm around her. He laughed.
“Oh, it’s bad,” he said, catching on to her attempt at denial. She gave him a severe look, which only made him laugh again. He retracted his arm and held his hand up in defense. “Hey, I’m just telling it how it is.”
Nikki let out a long exhale. It softened the man.
“But just because it’s bad now doesn’t mean it won’t be even better later,” he said.
Nikki nodded and turned her gaze to the large metal letters that spelled ORION SECURITY GROUP above the front doors. They were the only things untarnished. She realized they gave her hope.
Jackson helped Nikki inside and together they went through the rubble of what used to be. For some reason seeing everything gone gave her closure in a way. Like being able to say bye to an old friend. It was sad but something she found was easier to do with Jackson at her side.
The sound of car doors shutting echoed through what was left as they finished up. Not one or two but so many she lost count. Nikki looked at Jackson with an eyebrow raised. He was smiling.
“I figured you could use a pick-me-up right about now,” was all he said. Nikki didn’t know what he meant but knew she’d love whatever it was. So she took his hand in hers and they made their way back through the same path he had used to carry her to safety, one of the many times he’d saved her life. She didn’t know how she’d repay him, but she hoped to spend the rest of her life trying to find a way.
Nikki braced herself as they walked through the front doors back to the parking lot, hesitant of the unknown, though no longer afraid. Which was good; there was no need to fear what she saw.
Standing in front of their various cars were none other than some of the people she loved most. Her Orion family and their families. Or, if she really just thought about it, she could claim them all as family, Orion or not.
Oliver stood hand in hand with Darling while their son hung on her hip. Next to them was pregnant Kelli and her daughter, Grace, who held Mark’s hand while smiling wide enough to show some of her missing teeth. Jonathan rounded out the group, holding his fiancée, Kate, who smiled just as big as the rest of them.
“Wow, she’s speechless,” Mark said.
“I didn’t even know she could be speechless,” Jonathan added.
“I don’t know if we should be speechless, too?” Oliver said. He put his hand over his mouth and made a face of mock surprise. It made the other two men laugh. Their respective partners chimed in with stern looks that dissolved into laughter. Nikki joined in before turning to Jackson. Overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude and love, Nikki asked the only question that came to mind.
“Why?”
Jackson grinned ear to ear.
“Loyalty,” he said, simply. “Welcome to Orion, Miss Waters.”
Epilogue
“This doesn’t seem reasonable,” Nikki said, voice even. “I mean, honestly, I feel like this could get me into trouble.”
Her clients weren’t backing down. Each giving her an even look that let her know it was only a matter of time before she completely caved. Nikki sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
“Fine,” she conceded. “But you know the drill, right?” They both nodded, suddenly much more animated. Still, she wanted to make sure. Because, if she remembered correctly, they both had not followed her simple instruction. “Don’t show the younger kids until after Christmas, okay?”
Grace Tranton and Kenneth Quinn smiled those adorable yet completely dangerous seven-and six-year-old grins, respectively, as Nikki opened up her bottom desk drawer and pulled out two reindeer-wrapped presents. She passed them over with another sigh. Ever since the two had become aware of the fact that they were the oldest kids of the group, they’d started insisting they get their presents first. While everyone else stood strong, Nikki kept caving every year. It had, in a way, become their tradition.
A knock sounded on the door no sooner than she’d handed the kids their presents. It was almost comical how they tried to hide the boxes before the door opened.
“We’re not doing anything!” Kenneth yelled out.
Kelli Tranton looked between the three of them.
“Well, that’s not suspicious at all,” she finally said.
“Mom, we’re having a meeting and you need to leave,” Grace said diplomatically. Kelli put her hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow.
“But Kenneth just said you aren’t doing anything,” she pointed out. Grace opened her mouth and closed it. Then looked at Nikki. She in turn cleared her throat.
“Oh, yes, our meeting,” she jumped in. “We were discussing how we thought the party was going to be awesome tonight... And how pretty you are?”
Grace and Kenneth nodded profusely, repeating the compliment. Kelli looked between them, and their poorly hidden gifts behind their backs, and rolled her eyes.
“Well, how can I be mad about that?” she asked. “But now maybe you two should leave Aunt Nikki alone so she can finish work and enjoy the party when it starts?”
The kids looked uncertain. They shared a look with each other, no doubt worried about their presents. Kelli picked up on that fear. “And if you two have anything behind
your backs, just know that no one is in the kitchen right now, so if you need to open anything you should probably do it in there.”
Grace and Kenneth smiled and shot out of the office in a collective flash, presents in hand. Kelli fixed Nikki with a questioning stare. Nikki lifted her hands in defense.
“Hey, they’re my toughest clients by far,” she defended.
Kelli laughed.
“They are pretty tough to say no to,” she conceded. “Grace and Liza have Mark perpetually wrapped around their little fingers and I certainly can’t talk. We may or may not have had Christmas-tree-shaped cookies for breakfast today.”
Nikki shrugged. “I see nothing wrong with that.”
Kelli turned from cheerful to stern within a second. She kept her hands on her hips.
“Now, it’s time for you to finish up here and come out so we can try to take a picture before the party starts,” she said. “You know how long it takes for us to get everyone rounded up.”
Nikki let out a bite of laughter. She did know how difficult it was to get them all still long enough to take a picture. Which was why they did it before the annual Christmas Eve party and not during. “Okay, I’ll be out there in a minute.”
Kelli nodded and left, shutting the door.
Nikki turned to her computer and the contract she’d been reading before Grace and Kenneth had come in. However, she realized she didn’t care to keep working anymore. Turning her chair, Nikki looked out through the half-wall window into the lounge.
It was hard to believe that it had been five years since the fire destroyed everything. Now, completely restored to its former glory, Orion looked like it had since the first day she walked in. For the umpteenth time, she wondered if they should try to expand using the empty lot next door, because even though she loved the office just as it was, she couldn’t deny that the place felt smaller. Or, she realized, maybe it seemed that way because their numbers inside kept growing.
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