Chapter 22

Paige watched Juliet, holding her hand and her breath as she came around and opened her eyes. Paige had been waiting for this moment for what felt like an eternity, and honestly, she hadn't known what to expect when the day did arrive. The day when she would look into Juliet's eyes again. The day when Paige could breathe a slight sigh of relief, then prepare for the recovery. All she knew in this moment was that the tension she'd felt recently was beginning to wear off. Not a lot, but enough for her to feel calm in this environment. She had hated seeing Juliet surrounded by machines helping to heal her. She had hated leaving this room only to arrive home to an empty apartment. Nothing felt the same anymore, but one day…it would. It had to.

She smiled as Juliet licked her lips. Today, they could begin the road to recovery.

"Paige." Juliet swallowed repeatedly. "Am I really alive?"

Paige wanted to cry against Juliet's skin, but she wouldn't. She had to be strong for the time being. "You're really alive, babe. You've looked better." Paige cocked her head. "But you're one hundred percent here, alive , in front of me."

Juliet closed her eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks. "H-how long have I been out of it for?"

"Five days." Paige lifted Juliet's hand and brought it to her cheek. She held it there, her own eyes closing, the realisation of everything sinking in fully. "But they did that to help you heal."

"I thought I'd never see you again," Juliet spoke so quietly that Paige had to shift her seat closer to the bed. "I don't know how I'm alive."

"I got to the bar about fifteen minutes after you texted me. You were alone and on the floor." Paige didn't want to bombard Juliet with information from that afternoon, so she would say as little as possible. Juliet would have to go over it all again with the police anyway. "But you're strong, and that's why you're alive. Because you don't give up."

Juliet regarded Paige with a weak smile. "I almost gave up."

Paige squeezed her hand. "But you didn't."

"Only because of you." Juliet turned her head to Paige, showing her those devastatingly beautiful eyes. "She told me that she had been waiting until I was at my happiest. That she would take me away from you because of a case I worked in the past."

"You're talking about Cara, right?" Paige knew she was responsible, but she had wanted to hear Juliet confirm it herself. It hadn't been possible to view the CCTV. Not because the police had taken it—Henry had made a backup copy—but because Paige couldn't bring herself to watch the moment Juliet almost died. She didn't need to see it.

"Mm." Juliet managed a slight nod. "They've caught her?"

"No, babe. Not yet. But they are looking for her. Henry knows who she is. She's Big Ron's niece. You know who he is, right?"

"He's right. But I don't want him to deal with this. The police can handle it. I'm tired of always looking over my shoulder, and if Henry sorts this out, it'll only continue."

"You don't need to worry about anything other than getting better. Let everyone else deal with the things going on around you. I need you to heal so you can come home to me, Juliet. I don't care about anything else right now."

Juliet lifted her head only to lower it back to her pillow again. Paige knew she would want to move around, she rarely sat still, but this was going to require patience. Not on Paige's part, she had all the patience in the world, but Juliet was going to struggle. "When can I leave?"

Paige's brows rose. "Not for a while yet. You've had major emergency surgery. You're going to need to rest and recover."

"And Cara is still out there?"

Paige took a breath. She couldn't keep up with the yo-yoing of this conversation. Juliet likely wasn't fully in the room yet, though. "Yeah. But the police are looking for her. You're safe here. They have someone outside, and Henry isn't far away either."

"W-would you do something for me?" Juliet asked as she turned her head to Paige again. Fresh tears sat on her eyelids, her bottom lip trembling. "Please?"

"Anything, babe. You name it, and I'll do it."

"Leave. Go home, pack your things, and leave Liverpool."

Of all the requests in the world, Paige hadn't expected that one. "I'm sorry?"

"I can't risk you being caught up in this. You've been through so much, and I never wanted this to become our life. So, I need you to go to the apartment, get all of your belongings…and go."

If Juliet hadn't sounded so serious, Paige would have burst out laughing. But she was serious. The look in her eyes told Paige just how serious she was. "Yeah, I'm not doing that." Paige sat back in her seat, resting her ankle on her knee. "The police will find Cara soon. She's too stupid to get away with this for much longer."

"You don't understand, Paige. Whether they find her or not is irrelevant. Once Ronnie knows I'm alive, he will send someone else after me. That's how these people work."

"I don't care what he has up his sleeve; I'm not going anywhere." And that was final. Juliet could ask repeatedly, but Paige would still be here. It was as simple as that. "I think maybe you need to rest. You've been on machines for days, and so you should rest and just let your body heal."

Juliet scoffed as she turned her head away from Paige. "And you should stop deflecting from the inevitable, Paige."

"What exactly is the inevitable?" Paige rose to her feet and rounded the foot of Juliet's bed. If she had something to say, she would look Paige in the eye as she said it. "Please don't push me away, Juliet. I've been here waiting for this moment every day since you were attacked. If I wanted to run, I would have done it already."

"Now is your opportunity to do that world tour."

If she heard anything about this world tour once more, Paige was going to lose her mind. The world tour wasn't an option. She didn't want to do it. Paige frowned as she stared down at Juliet. "What is the inevitable?"

"Us. Going our separate ways." Juliet couldn't even look at Paige as she said that, but it felt as though she meant it. "I can't keep you safe. From the moment we met, I promised you I'd keep you safe, and now I can't. No matter how hard I try, it'll never be enough. Someone will always be there, waiting for the right moment. I'm not putting you in a situation that could get you killed, no way."

Paige wasn't having this conversation. It was a waste of time. "I'm going to let your doctor know that you're awake, and then I'm going to give you some time to rest. I'll let Henry know, too." She leaned down and pressed a kiss to Juliet's forehead, refusing to show her emotions. "Get some sleep. I'll be around if you need me." Paige stepped away and moved towards the door. She turned back briefly, smiling when Juliet watched her from across the room. "I love you."

Juliet visibly swallowed. "Do the right thing. Walk away, Paige."

Paige slowly opened the door and slipped out into the corridor. The officer standing close by offered her a slight nod, and then Paige locked eyes with Henry. He sat in the very same seat he'd occupied for the last five days. "Juliet is awake and talking," Paige said, less enthusiastically than she thought she would have been. "I've told her to get some rest. I don't know if she'll listen to that advice, but I guess that's her choice."

Henry got to his feet and pulled Paige into a hug. "That's brilliant news. Now you two can move on."

Paige drew back and lowered her eyes. "I'm not so sure it's going to be as simple as that. But yeah, hopefully." She threw a thumb over her shoulder. "I'm going to grab a coffee. You want anything?"

"No. I'm good." Henry looked toward Juliet's door. "Would you mind if I went in to see her?"

Paige had no say in what was best for Juliet at this point—that was becoming quite clear. "Go for it. Maybe she'll be happier to see you than she is to see me." Without explaining herself, Paige turned and walked down the corridor, her hands shoved in her pockets. Some fresh air would do her the world of good, and maybe it would help to clear her head.

She didn't even say she loves you back.

Juliet stared at the closed door, every inch of her aching. It wasn't from her injuries, though. It was from the difficult conversation she had just had with Paige. Had she become too complacent since they'd met? Absolutely. If Juliet hadn't let her guard slip, if she hadn't spent the last fifteen months of her life living in her happy little bubble, this wouldn't have happened. More importantly, she wouldn't be losing the love of her life in the coming days.

Because it would happen.

Juliet had to make Paige see sense.

A light knock at the door had Juliet flinching ever so slightly. One, because it could be someone coming to finish the job, and two, because it could be Paige trying to reason with Juliet. Only there was no reasoning to be had here. Juliet had made her decision, and Paige would leave the city. It was the only way she could ensure Paige was safe. It was the only way to manage this. It was the only way that Juliet could encourage Paige to walk away. The knowledge of her safety and a better life. And it would mean that Juliet didn't live with that fear any longer. The fear of the woman she loves being hurt because of Juliet's past.

"C-come in." She tried to sit up in the bed, failing when she realised she had very little energy.

The door opened, and Henry stepped inside. It was good to see him.

"Well, you've seen better days." He closed the door quietly and approached Juliet's bed. "And I know I'm only getting away with that because you can't chase me out the door."

"You're right. But when I'm up and about, you'd better run."

He pulled a seat closer and sat down. "How are you doing, Jules?"

"As you say, I've been better." Juliet managed a smile, but inside, she was slowly crumbling away. How the hell was she supposed to go on without Paige? Whether it was the right thing to do or not, it didn't hurt any less. "Is Paige outside?"

"No. She's gone to get coffee. She said it was okay for me to come in and see you."

Juliet nodded. "So, what have you found so far?"

"Oh, I don't think so. You almost died. You've just spent most of this week in a medically-induced coma. We're not having this conversation. No way. Paige will throttle me."

"Paige doesn't need to know that we've had any sort of conversation."

Henry's brows drew together. "That's…not something I thought you'd ever say. You and Paige are usually very honest with one another." He eyed Juliet. "What's going on?"

"Paige will be leaving in a couple of days. It's for the best." Juliet's voice almost betrayed her, but she knew Henry would understand. He would probably suggest the same thing. "Wherever she decides to go, I want you to make sure she gets there safely. If you have to travel on a plane with her and help her out, then you'll do that."

Henry held up his hand. "Hang on. What are you talking about?"

"Paige. She's leaving. We're…parting, shall we say?"

"Nah. You're talking shit. Why would Paige leave you?"

Juliet really didn't have the strength for this. But Henry was well within his rights to ask. "Because I won't risk this going further and have something happen to her. She knows why we're breaking up, and while she's not happy about it, she will come to realise that it's for the best."

"I'm sorry, but I won't be a part of this, Jules. I can't."

"I just need you to convince her to leave, H. That's all I'm asking."

Henry stood up and started pacing the room. "How can you be okay with this? And if you're so sure she's going to understand, then why can't you convince her yourself?"

Juliet tugged her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyes closing. She just needed to calm her thoughts, and then she would make it through this conversation. Just breathe… "Because she deserves more than this, H. She deserves to be with someone who doesn't run the risk of having her killed. I can't deal with that. I don't care if they come back for me, but they lay a single finger on Paige, and I don't know what I'll do. If they hurt her, I'll never forgive myself."

"And when they don't come back for more? When you recover and life goes on…what then?"

Juliet had briefly entertained that as Paige left her room before. "Then it's something I'll have to live with. But at least I'll know she's safer and happier with someone else."

"Then you should tell her that yourself. I can't be the one who demands that she leaves, and I can't force her out of this city. Quite frankly, I don't want to. She loves you, Juliet. If you do this, if you push her away, you'll never be able to live with yourself."

"I can't do it, H." Juliet's voice broke. "I can't tell her to be happy with someone else when she's all I'll ever want. But I also can't be selfish and expect her to stay when she's in danger." The thought of Paige waking up in another woman's arms physically hurt Juliet. The pain she felt when she imagined that life… It was far worse than any pain Cara had inflicted. "It's for the best."

Henry gripped the end of Juliet's hospital bed and bent forward a little. He nodded slowly, rolling his lips inward. "Do you have any idea what that woman has gone through since she found you at the bar? Do you have any idea how hard it's been for me to recall that moment I arrived to find you dying in Paige's arms? The pain in her eyes, the sobbing as she held you against her. I haven't slept since that day, Juliet. Every time I close my eyes, I see Paige covered in your blood, begging you to live. And now you just want her to pack her shit up and leave you?" Henry scoffed. "I was there when she was on her hands and knees scrubbing your blood from the floor of the bar. I watched her crying as she did it."

Juliet lowered her eyes and shook her head. She couldn't face Henry as he said these things to her. It only made everything she knew was coming worse.

"You and I go back a long time. You know I'd do anything to help you. But this? If you do this, if you break up with Paige because of something out of everyone's control, then I'm not sure where we would go from there. That woman fucking adores you, Juliet. She doesn't see anything other than you. You may think I'm just some burly bloke who sits in his car most of the time, but I see everything. I watch the two of you together, and you know…I don't think I've ever seen you that happy before. Even when we were in our twenties, you were never that happy. But the last year or so? You've found the woman you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with. Don't do this to her. Don't think you know what's best when Paige has a mind of her own. She can make that decision for herself."

Juliet sniffled. "It would have been easier for everyone if I'd died in the bar."

Henry squared his shoulders. "You need to think long and hard about what you're doing, Juliet. There's only so much Paige can take, and I think losing you could be the final straw."

"They'll come for her, H."

Henry laughed as he fixed his suit jacket. "You think I'm going to let that happen? I've had enough of Big Ron thinking he runs this city. You focus on getting yourself right and leave the bastard to me."

"Henry, no." She looked pointedly at him, aware of the connections he had. "I don't want you involved in this. I can't have that on my conscience, too."

"The less you know, the better." Henry nodded as he approached the door. "Now get that rest Paige mentioned. I don't want her kicking my arse because I kept you talking."

He left the room, winking at Juliet as he did so.

She lay her head back, focusing on the ceiling as she narrowed her eyes. Of course it was too soon to be considering anything in terms of her future, but in that moment, as Paige stared back at her lovingly, Juliet couldn't face the possibility of losing her at the hands of a criminal organisation.

Sleep. They can't hurt her when she won't leave your side.