Trusting Jack (River-Cove Series: Book 2 )

Chapter 1// Grace

Walking through the door or my apartment, locking the door behind me and double checking the locks, I do this every time, I need to know that the devil can't get in, no matter how hard he tries, which is stupid because I know where the devil is and I know that he can't hurt me anymore, but my fear doesn't.

Shaking those thoughts away and placed my keys on the table and headed to the fridge, I need a glass of wine, a bath and then sleep.

It's been a crazy eighteen-hour shift at the hospital, when I became a doctor, I was torn on what my speciality was going to be, babies are cute, but I knew straight away that was not my filed, paediatrics either.

But there was something about Emergency that called to me, I loved working in the ER, and it just felt like my calling, and that's where I ended up.

An ER doctor and love it, wouldn't changed it. Even though it's challenging and stressful, it's where I belong.

Over the years I've spent my time bouncing from one hospital to another, it was safer that way, but when I got job here in Los Angeles it felt different, like maybe this would be the place that I stayed longer for and at first, I didn't know why, because I kept myself to myself, I don't let anyone in.

But then one day I met Tori Winters and she was a fish-out of the water new nurse working in my department. And I don't know what made me become friends with her, I think maybe I saw a little something of myself if her, that dime-light, that hollow look and I don't know it's weird because I've never had friends or a best friend, but Tori and I we became fast friends and eventually like family, something that was foreign to me because I never had a family.

I think what solid my friendship with her was that I saw what type of person she was, carling, loving, selfless and just bubbly, her light balanced my darkness. But I saw that slowly fade away and I saw how her then boyfriend...treated her, it wasn't like Xander, but he did control Tori on an emotional level and knocked her down at times, instead of building her up.

It wasn't until she caught him in bed with Lady Voldemort... AKA Mia...AKA her freaking cousin. That she saw what an asshole he really was, and she kicked his ass to the curb and believe me it was best decision of her life.

Because if it wasn't for his betrayal, she wouldn't have fled to River-Cove and okay bad things happen there to her, but none of that mattered to her because she met the love of her life there, she found her daughter there, even though Daisy isn't hers by blood, she is Tori's in everywhere other way.

And four months ago, she married the love her of life, Derek is the best thing that happened for her and I'm glad, she deserves it so much.

Do I miss my best friend HELL YES but she's in River-Cove where she belongs.

Tori has been begging me to come and visit since the wedding and as much as I want to jump at the chance to go and see her, see Daisy too I just can't.

River-Cove is a special place I've saw that first-hand and the times I've been there it's grown on me; I'll admit that I kind of love the little town.

But I sort of have unfinished business there, business that I have no means to ever face, it's not fair on some who lives there for me to just keeping showing up whenever I feel like it, because I know that it hurts him, I know that because it hurts me too.

That person is Jack Hayes...a man who is kind, loving, strong, patience and who for some reason cares for me.

I was never meant to fall for Jack, he was never meant to break through my walls but somehow he did and at first it started as harmless flirting, which turned into updates about Tori and little conversations over the phone.

And then in one moment it all changed in a blink of an eye. It was a moment that I let my walls down and I let every bit of emotion I ever felt to just rip out from me, and he held me as I cried.

In that moment I gave Jack every part of me, heart, body and soul but that's all it was one moment, one night that I was his and he was mine.

But it couldn't last and I knew that, I knew deep down that know matter how much I want what Derek and Tori have, I'll never have that especially with Jack.

Because my gut is screaming at me that my past isn't over with, that a storm is coming and I can't escape it, I just know it, I can feel it deep inside of me.

And when that happens Jack can't be anywhere near me, he can't be caught in the crossfire.

So, it doesn't matter if he hates me now, it doesn't matter if I hurt him.

At least if he hates me, he won't get hurt when the devil comes knocking and believe me...he will.