LAYLA ABRAHAM

"You're leaving already?" Alejandro frowned; the sadness evident in his voice despite how much he tried to cover it up and stay strong for her.

Layla shook her head gently and bent down to give him another kiss. "I just want to go see Jerome for a bit. I'll be back soon." She promised, unable to hold back her smile.

Her answer seemed to have sated him but she knew that it was only temporary and if she was away for too long, he would come find her himself. Being a patient at the hospital had made him really needy, which was usually unlike him, but she couldn't bring herself to complain. She liked taking care of him, even if it was just keeping him company and sneaking in food. Knowing that there was something, anything that she could do for him, made her feel needed.

With his brothers, his parents and even her family visited him daily at hospital, there wasn't much that Alejandro Serrano needed except peace and quiet. Yet he still wanted her to stay.

"Well, I won't be going anywhere." He joked and gestured to his bedridden self.

Ever since his stunt of sneaking out of bed the first day, the nurse that had walked in on them in such a compromising position made it her life mission to make sure he didn't step a foot out of bed unless he needed the toilet, his daily walk around the ward or a life or death emergency.

It also didn't help that when asked about how much pain he was in, he had joked and said that he couldn't feel his arm. To say that was a mistake would be an understatement. Once he noted the panic and worry on both the doctor's and nurse's face, he was quick to retract his statement but they didn't quite believe him.

Frankly, Layla and the rest of his family found it hilarious, but Alejandro failed to see the humour in it. Although, he was biased so his opinion didn't matter.

"I'll see you soon, baby." She pressed another kiss to his awaiting mouth and pulled away quickly before he deepened it and persuaded her to stay. Even when he was in hospital, he was dangerously difficult to resist.

She felt his eyes on her retreating form as she walked out of the room.

When she had walked into the hospital earlier that day, she had made a point of asking for Jerome Bowary at the reception. She logged the room and floor number in her phone before she hastened towards Alejandro, not wanting his food to get cold. The initial plan was to drop off his food, go see Jerome while her boyfriend ate and return to spend the rest of the evening with him, but the man had a magical way with words. What was supposed to last no more than 5 minutes, had her perched on the side of his bed for over an hour.

Similar to today, she had spent nearly the entire day with Alejandro at the hospital despite being discharged herself. When she got home, she had called him before she fell asleep and when he complained about how disgusting hospital food was, she set a plan in motion to pick him up some pizza the next day.

It took less than 5 minutes for Layla to find Jerome's room, only a floor above Alejandro's. When she located his private room – similar to Alejandro, the NYPD had forked out to get them both private rooms – she knocked on the door. When she heard a faint voice calling her in, she pressed down on the handle and let herself in.

Her lips stretched into a large grin as her eyes landed on him. "Jerome, I'm glad to see you."

He shot her a wide grin and sat up in bed. "I was hoping you would stop by."

Layla closed the door behind her and stepped into the room, smiling widely at Jerome's wife, Marley, and his two kids who were sat on a chair by their dad's bed, their eyes glued to whatever they were watching on the iPad they shared.

"Don't mind them, kids these days!" Marley smiled widely and shuffled on the bed to make room for her to sit.

"It's fine." She smiled and placed the flowers she brought him on the bedside table where a few other bouquets stood tall and proud. She was glad to note that hers looked the prettiest of them all.

"They're lovely flowers, thank you!" Marley gushed happily.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop by earlier. I was only discharged yesterday." She sat down on the bed, wary of his leg which she knew was still healing.

"I'm jealous. I won't be discharged until later this evening." He grinned warmly. "How's Alejandro? Has he been discharged yet?"

She grinned and shook her head before indulging them on the long-winded story, which by the end of it, had both of them howling with laughter while their kids gave them weird looks, clearly not impressed.

"He deserves it." Layla chuckled. "If he hadn't made that joke about his arm, they wouldn't be monitoring him this closely."

"They must think he's suffered some sort of brain damage." Marley noted between giggles.

Layla threw her head back and laughed. "I'm starting to wonder that myself. Now that he's in hospital, it's like I'm seeing a whole new side of him. I never knew he could be such an attention seeker."

Marley waved a hand in the air, shushing her husband who looked like he wanted to protest. "Having a boyfriend or husband is like having a child. They need constant care and attention after the slightest thing happens to them." She joked.

Jerome playfully rolled his eyes. "Honey, I think getting stabbed earns me the right to use the attention card."

A soft looked washed over her face as she gazed down at her husband, so thankful and blessed that he was alright. "I know, sweetie. I love you." She leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on his lips, aware that they had an audience so kept themselves in check. "I'll give you all the attention you want."

"You guys are so cute together." She noted with a small smile, watching as they beamed at her in thanks. "I wanted to stop by to thank you for all that you've done for me.

"Layla, you don't have to thank me. It's my job." He attempted to deny but she wasn't finished.

"It isn't your job to put your life on the line for me."

"It actually is." He grinned, but understood what she was trying to say.

"I still want to thank you, Jerome. You did so much for me. If it wasn't for you, I might not be here today." Her heart felt heavy at the thought and when he held out a hand, she clasped it in both of hers happily, sniffling slight as she tried to hold back the tears. "I owe you my life."

"Let's agree to disagree."

She bowed her head over his hand and chuckled. He might have downplayed all that he had done for her, but she would never allow herself to forget. He kept her sane while they were in the safe house. It was because of her that he had been pulled into such a dangerous situation and his life had been put on the line. He had been stabbed because of her, and then kidnapped too.

Albeit, it was his job to protect and he knew what possible dangers he could face when he signed up for the job, but it still mattered to her.

Layla sat and spoke to Jerome and Marley for a little while longer before she deemed it was necessary to return to Alejandro, genuinely worried that he would be roaming the halls for her in his hospital gown and drip, looking for her.

Her man was never one to break promises, especially when they involved her.

She leaned over to give Jerome a light hug before doing the same to Marley. "Once you feel up to it, we should arrange a double date."

They both smiled and agreed, looking forward to it.

Walking out, she felt free. Light. Like a burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

All the criminals associated with the robbery had been put into prison and awaited trials. The FBI had jumped in and taken over the case which Hardy had said usually wasn't great but, in this situation, worked out perfectly because they wanted nothing more than to see these men put behind bars for life. She was free to live her life however she wanted and whomever she wanted to with, and she couldn't wait to get started on the last part.

"I was starting to think you forgot about me." He pouted when she stepped into the room, his pale orbs instantly watching her.

She scoffed and sat down on the chair by his bed. He frowned at the distance between them and shifted over on the bed to make room for her. Happy to oblige, she got onto the bed and snuggled into his side – his good shoulder – and grabbed his hand in both of hers.

"I could never forget about you."

He grinned at her response, clearly chuffed with her response.

"How's Jerome?"

"He's healing. Apparently, he's going to be discharged this evening."

Alejandro huffed at that and then cursed quietly, clearly envious. "How come he gets discharged and I don't?" He whined like an insolent child. "They're being prejudiced."

When he went as far as to cross his arms over his chest and look away, Layla couldn't help but grin at the sight of her big, brooding man pouting over a petty issue. There would never be a boring day with him, and she couldn't help but look forward to spending the rest of her life by his side and in his arms.

"How are they being prejudiced?" She asked, curious to hear his reasoning. She just knew it would be absurd.

"They're treating me differently because I'm a person of colour." His lip twitched but his eyes remained determined.

"Jerome is black." She replied dryly. "That makes him a person of colour too. What's your next argument?"

He pursed his lips, seemingly stumped.

"I'm sorry." She cooed, pressing a kiss onto his shoulder and rubbing a soothing hand down his arm. "Did you miss me?"

He perked up at that. "I always miss you."

"There was something I wanted to talk to you about."

He nodded and turned his head to give her his complete, undivided attention.

"What do you think about moving in with me?"

"Are you asking me or are you just generally curious?"

She held back a smile. "I'm just asking for your opinion."

"Well," he looped his arm around her shoulder and brought her face into his chest, dipping his head to place a kiss against her hair, needing her close. "It depends."

"On what?" She asked and glanced up at him from under her lashes.

"On whether this question is completely hypothetical or not."

"Let's say it is."

"Then I would have to pass up on the offer."

"What? Why?" She asked, alarmed.

Did he not want to move in with her?

"Well, you see. I have this girlfriend who I'm very devoted to. I wouldn't want to ruin things with her by moving in with some other woman."

A second passed before his lips curled up at the edges and she scowled at him, just teasing. If he wasn't already badly injured, she would have punched him.

"You can be so annoying sometimes." She rolled her eyes. "I want you to move in with me."

"If you didn't ask, then I would have started doing it anyway."

"Without asking me?" She pulled back to smile up at him, quirking a questioning brow.

"Just little things to start but before you knew it, half my stuff would be at your place and you wouldn't be able to kick me out." He shrugged and she knew he was right. "How do you feel about moving into my place?"

Before she could protest, he was quick to cut in. "My apartment is bigger, it's still in the city and not far from both our places of work. And maybe it'll give us a fresh start, you know?"

All were valid reasons.

Layla pursed her lips and allowed herself to dwell on the matter for a few moments. She liked the idea of a fresh start. With him.

"Let's do it."

He grinned and crushed her to him despite his injuries.

She buried her face in his chest and giggled at his antics. "I can't wait for you to get out of the hospital." She sighed and placed a kiss over his heart. Her heart.

"Me neither." He placed a hand under her chin and tilted her face up before he swooped down to place his mouth over hers.

Before things could get heated between them, the door opened and they both glanced up at the sound of it.

When Alejandro's eyes landed on the strict nurse who was looking between both of them with her hands on her lips. Unbelieving of what she had walked into for a second time, a loud, frustrated groan passed his lips.

"Visiting hours ended an hour ago, so I don't know what you're still doing here."

Layla grinned and pressed one more kiss to his lips before she jumped off the bed and scurried out of the room, all while avoiding the hard gaze of the nurse.

Before she left, she promised to call him as soon as she got home.

-

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Layla Knight

12.06.2020