Wild Afflictions

Chapter 13: A lot on my mind

Ian POV:

The last time I'd been in the hospital to see Zoey had been the day Naomi tried to kill her.

That had been a horrendous and frightening time. I thought I had lost Zoey back then, her having been unconscious for quite some time, and after the doctor's had given us the news of the miscarriage, my heart had broken even more.

My heart thumped in my ears as I ran down the hall to where I was told I could find my fiancee. Much to my relief, when I saw her through the window of the room, she wasn't the one in the hospital bed.

I walked through the threshold of the door and immediately made my way over to her, pulling her into an embrace.

I relished in the warmth of her body and the smell of her sweet scent as I held her in my arms.

"Gosh, I'm so relieved you're not hurt, baby. . ." I rested my chin on top of her head and rubbed her back.

"I'm relieved as well. . ." She let out a little sigh, nuzzling into my chest. "If it weren't for Arthur, I would've been the one hurt."

I looked over to the hospital bed where my fiancee's bodyguard lay, shirtless, and the left of his chest bandaged.

"So what happened, Zo?" I asked with concern in my voice.

"Somebody was following me after I dropped Yani off. Arthur was behind me before, like always, but got cut off or something. The car was chasing me all over when I called Arthur, and he told me which street he was on. I turned down it like he told me, and he was able to cut the car off, following behind my car, but the other one was not giving up and followed us. It felt like forever as the chase went on, but finally, I made it home, Arthur pulling in behind me. . ." She trembled as she recalled what happened, gripping my shirt as she spoke. "The black car came screeching into the driveway. . . The driver jumped out of the car, dressed in all black and wearing a ski mask. I couldn't tell if they were male or female. . . They aimed a gun and shot at me. Arthur jumped in front of me just in time, taking the bullet for me. After that, the driver got back in their car and sped off. . ."

"I am so sorry I wasn't there when it happened, baby. . ." I felt useless in that moment, not having been around once again when Zoey's life was in danger. "I should have been around. . ."

"Ian, love. . . It could have happened at any time. Even with you there. . ." She looked up at me through those luscious lashes of hers. "This person is unpredictable. . ."

"And that is why, from now on, you will have a bodyguard with you at all times." The stern voice of Zoey's father had us both turning to see him, and her mother walk into the room. "This person is getting too close to harm you, Zoey. . . And we still don't fully know their intentions behind all of this. . ."

"I understand, Dad. . . I wish we knew who this person was and why they're doing it. . . I mean from the letters, I know it's because of being with Ian, but the only person I know of that would send letters like this is Naomi and she's. . ." My fiancée trailed off, her eyes holding an expression I couldn't quite place. "She's locked in the psych ward. . . So, I have no idea who this person could be. . ."

"Zoey!!!! My lord, are you okay?" Carlie, Zoey's friend from the dance school, ran into the room, nearly pushing me away and examining her before letting out a sigh of relief. "Not a scratch on you. See! I told Bri you would be alright. She worried for nothing!"

"Actually, my blonde-haired friend, if I recall, you were the one rushing me out the door and into the car, even after I told you Zoey already texted me and let me know she was okay." My sister's familiar voice filled the room as she and her husband, Tommy, walked into the room as well.