Love's Protector: A Maverick's Shield Novel (34 page)

Amour stepped closer to the doctor. “But it is entirely possible that he will be okay right?”

“It looks as though he will be. Now he may not have full use his left arm anymore because that’s where it seems that the drug has taken the most effect but we won’t know until he’s fully conscious and tries to use it.”

“Is he still asleep?” Jax asked.

“Yes, but he should be waking up soon. The anesthesiologist just left the room.”

“Can I see him?” Amour asked.

“Yes you can.”

Amour decided to let the guys go into the room first. She wanted the most time with him because she wanted give him some of her strength to fight this. She placed the small chair that was in the room beside his bed and sat down next to him. He had tubes running through what seemed like every orifice of his body. He didn’t look good, at all. The only comfort she’d taken from this was the fact that the doctor said he’d most likely be okay.

She touched the side of his face with her finger. “Please get through this Jason.” She ran her fingers through the front of his hair and softly kissed his forehead. “If you can hear me, I need you to fight.” Tears formed in her eyes and slid down her cheeks. “I need you Jason. I know I told you that I didn’t know what we were, that’s not true. I do know what we are. We’re two people that probably shouldn’t be together because we could very well be toxic for each other. But you know, I read somewhere that some people are completely immune to certain toxins and that it doesn’t matter how much of it they receive, they just continue to live their lives as happy as can be. So yes Jason, we
are
two toxic people, but I know in my heart that once we are together as one, our love will be our immunity.”

She laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart. For the first five or ten minutes, it sounded weak and low but then she could hear it suddenly getting stronger. She closed her eyes and let the tears flow down her face and on to Jason’s chest. She didn’t speak, she didn’t move; she just kept her eyes closed and thanked god because at that moment, she knew that Jason would be okay.

* * *

The five of them along with Ace, a handful of family, a few friends and what looked like half of the Los Angeles Police Department stood in remembrance as the pall bearers carried Chandra’s casket at waist level towards the burial plot. The large American flag that covered it seemed to have let off a glow that gleamed in the sunlight and Amour felt as if she
could feel Chandra’s presence at that very moment. Tens of fellow officers, family and friends paid tribute to her as they gave emotional speeches and the preacher recited a few scriptures.

The officers who served in Chandra’s department were then called to salute her. “DEEETAIL…PREEESENT ARMS!” someone yelled at a distance. An honor guard then raised flags in the air and they flapped loudly in the wind. A twenty-one gun salute was then preformed followed her casket being laid by the graveside and Taps being played by bag pipers. “ORDER ARMS!” was yelled by the same man in the distance as before. One of the honor guards then removed the flag from the casket, folded it up and gave it to Chandra’s mother. Tears ran down her face as she took it and held it to her chest.

She looked over at Mack as Amazing Grace began to be played eloquently by the three bag pipers. He seemed to be in his own world and completely oblivious to the one around him. He had no tears but she could see the sadness in his eyes which made tears form in her own eyes.

She felt Jason’s arms wrap around her waist from behind. “Are you okay?”

“I will be. I just feel so bad for him.”

“He’ll get through it. He just needs time.”

Jason was still feeling the effects of the drug that Caroline had given him. He was going to be fine in the long run but for the time being, his left arm was a tad weak which was expected. Jax, Alex and Shyla just stood quietly among them with blank expressions.

After the final song was played, the man in the distance called out, “DEEETAILLL…DISS-MISSED!” Mack placed a single rose on Chandra’s casket and blew her a soft kiss goodbye. And just like that, the funeral was over and Chandra was gone. Even though that may have been the case, because of the all the help and support she had given Amour and Jason, she will never be forgotten.

Three months later…

Jason and Amour sat nervously outside of his mother’s house. She’d decided to host Thanksgiving dinner at her place this year and she wanted everyone including Jax, Mack, Alex and Shyla to join them as well. She’d always considered all of them family so it was only natural that’s she’d want to spend the holiday with them. He looked over at Amour in the passenger seat as she admired the two carat diamond engagement ring Jason had surprised her with by hiding it in a cupcake at the Tropic Coast Restaurant.  He figured it would be the perfect place to propose to her since it’s where they had their first meal alone together. It proved to be just as perfect as he imagined it would be because she burst out in tears and immediate said yes.

“I sure hope she likes me,” Amour said.

“She will honey. You’ve already talked to her multiple times on the phone.”

“I know, but you know it’s different when you meet someone in person. She’s your mom; I just want to make a good impression. I
am
going be her daughter soon.”

Jason cupped the side of her face and leaned in to kiss her lips. “Stop worrying okay. Besides, I’m the one that needs to be worried.”

“Why?”

“Because I have to meet Ted.”

She kissed Jason back. “My father is going to love you, especially since he’ll finally have the son he always wanted.”

Amour had called her father shortly after Chandra’s funeral and had a long talk with him about everything that had happened. He came clean about knowing about Carly’s affair with Pierce and also about knowing that Pierce was her biological father. It took some time but she’d finally made amends with Ted. She couldn’t bring herself to be mad at him for long because she understood why he’d kept it all from her for all these years. He wanted her to live a normal and happy life and not be wrapped up in all that craziness of the Harrington’s. She was forever grateful for his decision to do so because she couldn’t have asked for a better father than Ted.

Pierce ended up getting the reputation he tried so hard to avoid even in death. It was a shame, because he actually was a noble politician but unfortunately he will forever be remembered for his latest scandal and not for all the good he did in his work. Beatrice however, was cleared of all charges after Marcus and Armando confirmed that it was in fact Angela’s voice on the phone and not hers.

After being released from jail, continued to play the poor little housewife role and had managed to cash in on her husband and daughter’s deaths by writing a tell-all book and convincing the entire state of California to donate millions of dollars to various charities she’d started. After pulling some strings, she’d convinced the judge to go easy on Westfield and Riley in exchange for their testimonies on her behalf and their willingness to confess to their part in what happened. Because of that, they each only received five years probation. That had pissed Amour off royally but eventually she let it go because she just glad for all of it to finally be over with. 

Jason looked up at her and smiled. “Hey you think we should have Christmas at our house?”

The house that Carly lived in still belonged to Pierce at the time of his death. After doing some digging, Amour found out that only one family had lived there since her mother and it had been empty for that last ten years. Jason suggested that she try to purchase it and after some hesitation on her part, she’d agreed. Upon Pierce’s death, his entire estate including her mother’s house went to Beatrice but she wanted no parts of it and had given Amour no problems taking off her hands. After spending several thousand dollars renovated it, she finally was able to call it home. It took a while, but she was also finally able to convince her father to move back to Los Angeles and transfer to Pleasanton’s sister clinic for his care. She knew that he really didn’t want to and the only reason he’d agreed is because he was happy that she’d finally found someone to love. She wasn’t at all bothered by his reasoning for moving back, she was just glad he did. Everything was finally looking up for her and she never felt more alive than she did at that moment.

“Speaking of fathers,” Jason said quietly. “I’m going to need all the strength I have to face him you know that Amour.” His mother had arranged for him and his father to talk over the phone once he was inside. He wasn’t comfortable with it yet but with his mother’s convincing, he knew it was something that had to be done if he wanted to get passed his anger towards him. Amour was proud of him for going through with it and glad that he’d finally let go of his anger.

“You need to do this Jason,” she said while stroking her finger across his stubble.

“I know.” He chuckled. “My mom better be damn glad I love her or I wouldn’t be.”

“She
is
one lucky woman.” She ran her fingers through the back of his hair and smiled. “Thank you for loving
me
as well, Jason Kincaid.”

He raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed the ring on her finger. “Thank
you for teaching my how, Amour Graciette…”

* * * * *

Thanks for reading Love’s Protector. I hope you enjoyed it and thanks for your support!
Please be on the lookout for my next Maverick’s Shield novel, “Unpolished Jewel” coming soon!

-Charisma Chloe

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