His Broken Submissive : Mercy

73 Home Sweet Home

Jonathan

I wake with a start to the steady beeping of monitors. Before I can even see straight, I search for her, sighing the moment I set eyes on my angel.

"Relax, old man," Anne chides from the other side of the bed. Amusement dances in her eyes, but the dark circles paint a different picture.

I blink, trying to shake this fog I'm under. The more my senses come back, the more reality comes crashing down. Scratching my scruffy beard, I find new tender spots and fresh stitches.

"I had them give ya the works while you were under." She passes me a glass of water, careful not to nudge Izzy, who sleeps soundly on the edge of my bed.

I take a sip, cooling my parched throat and pass it back. My attention drifts back to Izzy and my chest tightens, thinking about how close I came to losing her. "How is she?"

Anne purses her lips and shifts her gaze to Izzy. "Miraculously, just a few scrapes and bruises." She lays a hand on mine and squeezes. "You got to her in time."

A weight lifts from me hearing that they didn't violate her. She's already been through so much, I can't imagine her having to come back from that, too.

"And Becca?" I feel guilty for not asking sooner, but Izzy is all I can think about.

Anne's face falls and she sighs. "Physically? Not too bad, just a sprained ankle and plenty of cuts and bruises."

"But mentally," I finish, knowing that's the challenge.

"She's been through a lot... but through it all, she kept a clear head. Thank God for that. According to Igor, if she didn't act when she did, this would have been a far different talk."

Her warning makes my heart grow heavy once more. I feel like I have whiplash, going from an ultimate high, celebrating our engagement, to my worst nightmare come true.

"Hey, enough of that. I said it could have been worse, so thank your lucky stars."

I gently brush the hair away from Izzy's face, smiling as she nuzzles my palm in her sleep. Anne's right, this was the best outcome I could have hoped for.

"I really owe Viktor big for this." I shudder to think what would have happened without his help.

"He is the best in his field." Anne pins me in place with a hard look. "I'll deny it if you tell him, of course."

"Naturally." I chuckle.

She relaxes in her chair and furrows her brows. "So, how did he find her so fast?"

My fingertips brush Izzy's knuckles as I straighten up her ring.

"You didn't... You did!" Anne gasps, looking closer at the ring.

"Worth every penny, just for the peace of mind. We'd have found them sooner, but all that old steel in the shipping yard scattered the signal." I frown, remembering my frustration when we couldn't pinpoint her exact location. Fortunately, Viktor's security had more leeway than the local police. They deployed immediately while the police waited on warrants.

As if on cue, Izzy's sapphire eyes flutter open and find mine. She smiles so brightly at me that it makes my chest tighten.

"Angel." I caress her cheek, cupping it as she leans in. Her smile falters and her eyes start to water once more. "Aww, come here."

I take her hand and gingerly pull her up to me. With feline grace, she slips in beside me, and for the first time in what feels like an eternity, everything feels right.

"Careful Izzy, the old man's got to take it easy for a bit," Anne warns, struggling to suppress a grin.

"I'm fine."

Anne arches a brow. "Fine? Jonathan, you're just a mere mortal like myself, just, um... tenderized."

"Is it bad?" Izzy asks, her eyes full of concern.

"Not at all, angel."

Anne scoffs. "Izzy, he's going to need a lot of help for a while."

I glare at her, silently willing her to shut up. The last thing I want is for Izzy to blame herself for this.

"The good news is the shot missed everything important. They just had to clean it and stitch it. But they don't want him using that arm for a bit. Along with a couple of cracked ribs and a mild concussion." Anne smirks, unfazed by my death look. "Fortunately, that hard head of yours is good for something."

By now, Izzy's eyes are impossibly wide as she stares at me like I'm on death's door.

"Jezus, Anne!" I growl, turning back to Izzy. "Honestly, I'm okay."

"That's cause we've got you on the good shit." The nurse laughs as she takes us in. "Mr. Fletcher, I was here to discharge you. Do not make me second guess myself."

"No ma'am! I'm ready when you are." The faster I get out of here, the better.

"Easy there, Casanova. Discharge is a process, one that the doctor has a final say on. The next day or two will feel the worst." She flips through my chart and clicks her tongue. "Rest, Mr. Fletcher, and I'm not talking about sitting at a desk for hours-"

"You have my word," I say, raising my hand to pledge. "If I've learned anything through this all, it's to slow down and savor the small things."

I may be speaking to the nurse, but my gaze is locked on Izzy. She picks it up and smiles to herself as her cheeks flush crimson.

The nurse turns to Izzy and arches a brow. "You keep him on the straight and narrow... make sure he eats properly, meat and veggies, not that garbage men like."

Izzy giggles and nods. "I promise."

-----

Walking into our house after everything that has happened brings coming home to a new level. Right now, all I want to do is curl up and forget that the rest of the world exists.

"I see the fridge is fully stocked," Anne calls from the kitchen, while Izzy helps me take a seat on the couch. She walks in and smirks at me. "Looks like you're all set, too."

"Thanks Anne, for everything." The sincerity in my voice fails to capture just how much it means to have her in my life. From the minute things went south, she was my rock, taking care of the police and everything else so I could focus on finding Izzy with Viktor.

"Through thick or thin, I'll always be there for you guys." She lingers at the entrance for a moment and smiles. "Looks like you're in capable hands, so I'm gonna head out."

I wave, but barely hear the door close as my attention once again shifts back to Izzy. A sappy grin slips on my lips, watching her flit around the living room, straightening things to her liking as if nothing happened.

Her resilience in the face of all she's been through gives me pause. For a soul like hers that is so soft and loving to have been through so much and still be her... she deserves every happiness in life, and I fully intend to give it to her.

As if my thoughts could summon her, she joins me on the couch and carefully tucks in beside me. "What are you thinking about so hard?" She murmurs.

I smile down at her, feeling like the luckiest man in the world.

"You. Us... Our happily ever after."

Her sapphire eyes light up and sparkle with unshed tears. "I like the sound of that."