Second chance

Jalen’s POV

Morning was filled with so much relief and hope, and my hopes were getting high. I had just ended the call with Mason; he had invited me to court for Marian's sitting. Hours later, I arrived at the courtroom that immediately felt suffocating, heavy with the weight of justice finally catching up. I sat rigidly in the gallery, my jaw clenched so tight it ached. Marian stood before the judge, her usual arrogance cracked but not entirely gone. Jude sat a few rows away, our eyes meeting briefly in shared resolve. We had both testified—laying bare every threat, every manipulation, every moment of terror she had inflicted on Fiona. My voice had been steady as I described the fear in Fiona’s eyes during that video call, the gun pressed to her head, the explosion that nearly stole her from me forever.

The judge’s gavel came down like thunder as she called out the order. Ten years in prison for Marian, thanks in part to her father’s lingering influence pulling strings for a lighter sentence she could have rotted in jail like the trash she is. Jordan received a life imprisonment without parole and I couldn’t have been happier. A wave of relief crashed over me, but it was bittersweet. No sentence could erase the scars they both left behind.

As the officers led them away, Marian paused right in front of me. Her eyes locked onto mine, cold and venomous. She leaned in just enough for her whisper to reach me alone.

“This was stupid of me, Jalen. I’m sorry for everything.”

The words sent a chill down my spine, but I held her gaze without flinching. The officers dragged her away before she could say more. I exhaled sharply, the tension in my chest easing slightly. It was done.

Jude and I left the courthouse together in heavy silence. On the way back toward the hospital, we stopped at a quiet coffee shop on the corner. The smell of fresh brew and pastries filled the air. We grabbed two black coffees and settled into a corner booth.

I stirred my drink unnecessarily, gathering my thoughts. “Jude… I need to ask you something straight.” My voice was low but firm. “Do you still have feelings for Fiona?”

He looked down at his cup for a long moment, regret flickering across his face. When he finally met my eyes, his answer came steady.

“I used to. A lot, actually but I messed it all up. Before the first kidnapping… she was everything to me. But after everything that happened, after seeing how she looks at you differently,” He shrugged, a sad but genuine smile touching his lips. “I know her heart belongs to you. My feelings don’t matter anymore. I won’t stand in the way.”

His words hit me with unexpected force. Gratitude swelled in my chest, mixed with a lingering sting of jealousy I couldn’t fully shake. I reached across the table, clasping his shoulder.

“Thank you, man. That means more than you know. " We’re good?”

“We’re good,” he confirmed. “I’ll stay out of your relationship. She deserves happiness, and you make her happy.”

We finished our coffees in lighter conversation, the air between us clearer.

From there, we headed to Mason’s office. He greeted us with a firm handshake and handed over the recovered money and documents in a sealed bag.

“You did good work,” I told him, my voice thick with sincere appreciation.

Mason nodded, his usual stoic expression softening just a fraction. “Just doing my job. Take care of that girl. Looks like you could die if you lose her,” he added and chuckled.

We parted ways, and Jude and I drove the rest of the way to the hospital. My heart raced with anticipation as we stepped into Fiona’s room. The sight of her nearly brought me to my knees. She was sitting up, color returning to her cheeks, laughing softly at something Paris had said. Bandages still covered parts of her arms, but the light in her eyes was back.

Paris smiled at us. “She’s been asking about you two.”

Jude approached first. He pulled Fiona into a gentle hug, careful of her injuries. She hugged him back without hesitation, her arms wrapping around him with quiet strength.

“I forgive you,” she whispered. “We can be friends again.”

Jude’s shoulders relaxed visibly. “Thank you. That’s all I needed to hear.”

Soon after, Paris and Jude said their goodbyes, leaving Fiona and me alone. The door clicked shut, and for a minute, the silence between us was deafening. So many unsaid words.

I crossed the room in two strides and pulled her into my arms for a minute before pulling away. My eyes stayed glued to her lips for a split second until I couldn’t hold back anymore, I leaned in and took her lips into mine in a soft kiss that carried every ounce of fear, relief, love, and longing we had bottled up. Tears slipped down both our faces, mingling as we poured our souls into each other. Her fingers tangled in my shirt, holding me close as if afraid I might vanish. I tasted not only salt on her lips—but our shared pain, and unbreakable bond.

When I finally pulled back, I wiped the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs, my forehead resting against hers. “I’m so sorry, Bunny. I know I’ve said this so many times and still fail but I really am, I should have come to you earlier. I’m sorry for ever letting her get close enough to hurt you. I abandoned you when you needed me most and—”

“Shhhh,” Fiona interrupted me gently, her index finger resting softly on my lips, her voice trembling but full of love. “No. I’m the one who needs to apologize. I asked you to stay away. I pushed you out when all you wanted was to protect me. I was scared, but I was wrong. I love you, Jalen. More than anything.”

Emotions crashed over us like a wave. I leaned in again, about to lurk those lips in when the door swung open. Harry walked in, carrying a bag of clean clothes. Her face flushed bright red as we pulled apart quickly, but not before he caught the tail end of our intimate moment.

Harry cleared his throat, a mix of amusement and awkwardness in his expression. “I’ll… give you two a minute.”

After Fiona changed into fresh clothes and rested for a while, the color in her cheeks growing stronger, Harry approached me. “Jalen, can we step out for a short talk?”

I nodded, kissing Fiona’s forehead softly before following him into the hallway. My heart still raced from the kiss, from the depth of the love I felt for his daughter. Whatever this conversation held, I was ready. Fiona was my future, and I would fight for her this time.

We halted at the long bench in the hallway, it was oddly quiet and echoing as we took a seat. Harry was quiet for a minute before he finally spoke.

“Do you ever consider my feelings, Jalen?" He asked. His words stung.