Chapter 42 I Love You

Chapter 42 I Love You
James’s P.O.V.

As soon as Selena's parents go home to rest, I rush to her room. I've been dying to talk to her since she regained consciousness. It's been pure torture watching her from afar. Finally, I'll get to talk to her and tell her how much she means to me—that losing her would be like losing a piece of myself, like losing my soul.

As I enter her room, her gaze immediately shifts towards me, as if she too had been waiting for me to come and meet her. I take slow steps toward her, my eyes never leaving her face.

She's awake. She's here. Although she looks so weak and pale, it's a huge relief that she's alive. I can’t believe God heard my prayers and gave her back to me. I've never felt so thankful in my life before.

As I reach her, I lift my hand and caress her hair, our eyes fixed on each other. “Hey…” 

“Hey…” she murmurs back, giving me a faint smile.

God, that smile. It's my strength. It's like a shining star in a dark sky. The smile I thought I would never witness again, when she was lying in my arms, bleeding. Fuck! My soul still trembles, imagining that scenario. It was so dreadful. The fear of almost losing someone special is the worst.

“How are you feeling?” I brush my thumb gently across her cheek. I can’t believe she is really alive and looking at me. It feels like a dream after that horrific incident. 

She responds, “I’m okay now. How are you?”

How am I? 

Even now when I close my eyes, the memories of her lying in a pool of blood in my arms flash through my mind. I've gone through hell today.

I exhale deeply before speaking, “I got so scared when you got shot, Selena. Thank God you’re fine.”

After leaning down, I press my lips against her forehead. I never thought I would ever kiss her like this. Even touching and seeing her feels like nothing less than a blessing to me.

She is alive. God! Thank you so much. 

"I really can’t imagine my life without you, Selena," I continue, cupping her face and leaning in closer. “Seeing you in danger… it made me even more certain of how much you mean to me. And I won’t let you go. Are you listening to me?“ 

She nods slightly in response before uttering, “You know, James, when I took that bullet, I thought it was the end. My entire life flashed before me and in every memory… you were there. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

My eyes widen in disbelief at her sudden confession. I wasn’t expecting this. The woman who had been doing everything in her power to push me away is now confessing that she wants to spend the rest of her life with me. Maybe after facing death, she has realised what’s truly important to her.

“Then let’s do it. Let’s give us a chance, Selena.” 

Her smile fades slightly as she looks at me with fear in her blue eyes. “But how will I face my father when he finds out about us? I just got him back, and I don’t want to lose him again, James.”

I can completely understand her fear. But she doesn’t have to face this alone. We’ll face it together. 

I take her hand in mine and give it a gentle squeeze, glueing my eyes to her face. “We’ll handle it. Together. Trust me, I’m ready to face anything to be with you. I’m ready to face any battle to get you.” 

I softly kiss her knuckles as I confess my feelings to her, “Before meeting you, I never knew my heart was yearning for something… for someone like you. For this love. For a woman, I can spend my entire life with. I love you so fucking much, Selena.”

Our heartbeat accelerates as I lean down and press my forehead against hers, cupping her face between my hands. I can’t believe I finally confessed my feelings to her.

“I love you too, James,” as she confesses, I freeze in my place. 

Did I hear right? 

She hasn't only accepted that she loves me, she's fucking confessed it to my face. Fuck! Have I entered another universe? Or it is a dream? If it's really a dream, I don't want to wake up.

“Please say it again,” I demand it because I want to confirm that I heard right.

“I really love you, James.” She flashes a smile at me, looking at me with genuine emotions in her eyes. “You know I tried so hard to guard my heart, but you… you broke down my walls, little by little, and somehow, you found your way in.”

She sighs, blinking away her tears, and continues, “I thought I would never let myself fall in love. But I couldn’t stop myself. You made me feel worthy. You love me exactly as I am. You made me see my true self. You took care of me like nobody else ever has. I feel so damn lucky to have you.”

She pauses for a moment, and her eyes flicker with guilt as she says, “And that kiss… I kissed that guy in the college just to push you away. But even after that, you still loved me. How?” She asks, staring at me incredulously.

A small laugh escapes me. “You seriously thought I would stop loving you because of that?” I shake my head. “Yeah, I was angry as hell. I won’t lie—I wanted to kill that guy. But I knew, Selena. I knew you did it on purpose. I’ve seen the love in your eyes for me. I knew you had feelings for me too.”

Her eyes well up with tears. “I love you so much, James. Why are you so good to me?”

She tries to lift herself, but she flinches, and a sharp hiss of pain escapes her lips.

What the fuck is she doing? She got shot today. Has she forgotten that? 

“Selena! What are you doing? Are you okay?” I panic, immediately placing my hands on her shoulders to steady her.

She looks up at me, biting her lip. “I want to kiss you.”

What? Today she is giving me shock after shock. 

“You need to rest, Selena. And I’m here to give you whatever you want.” 

“So give me a kiss now.” She demands, smiling adorably, bringing a smile to my face.

This woman drives me crazy no matter what she does. I'm so deeply in love with her. I find everything about her endearing.

All my life, I always wondered how someone could stay with just one woman forever. But after falling for Selena, I finally understand. When you truly love someone, no one else even exists in your world. She is my everything, the only one I want, now and always.

As I move closer to face, her breath becomes heavy. “You’ll get your kiss, but only if you promise me that you’ll never push me away again,” I whisper against her lips, dying to taste them, our eyes filled with intense emotions fixed on each other. 

“I promise. I’ll never push you away again. Just kiss me.”

I don’t need to be told twice. 

I crash my lips against hers and kiss her hungrily, desperately, framing her face with my hands as if she might disappear again. 

Fuck! Her lips are my addiction. Only I know how I’ve survived these past few days without her—without having her in my arms, without kissing her lips. It was pure torture.

“God, Selena…” I pants against her lips. “Your lips… they’re a fucking addiction. You have no idea how much I missed this. Missed you.”

She grips my shirt weakly, pulling me closer. “I was yearning for this too, James…”

I brush my lips against hers again before pulling back slightly, smirking. “And when you’re fully recovered, you’re going to pay for letting someone else kiss you.”

She laughs. “Only you can turn me on like this in a hospital bed.”

I chuckle and peck her lips. “What can I say? I have my talents.” 

“I love this talent.” She winks at me, stealing my heart all over again, and we both let out a laugh.