�Yeah I did,� Jenai said. �Who knew I�d marry a cop though?�
�I did,� Jakob said. �For as much as you hated them I knew you�d fall in love with one.�
�Whatever,� Jenai said.
�I�m serious. Look at me and Janie. I couldn�t stand her and she couldn�t stand me in our school years and now we�re getting married. You hated cops, but you ended up marrying one.� She smiled and looked at Nickolas.
�I�ve realized not all cops are the same. There are cops like you who actually care and cops like Kendra Morgan who doesn�t.�
�And Nick�s a cop like me.�
�Exactly.�
�I�m happy for you.�
�Thank you.� He kissed her forehead.
�Have you talked to Justin yet?�
�He�s been keeping his distance since I told him Nick and I were getting married. I was really hoping he�d show up today, but he didn�t.�
�Maybe he did.� She looked at him and he pointed. She looked and saw Justin standing on the porch step. �Go talk to him.�
�What if he doesn�t want to?�
�If he didn�t he wouldn�t be here.�
�Right.� Jakob pushed her along and she walked towards Justin, as he walked towards her. They stopped in front of each other and Jenai smiled. �Hey.�
�Hey,� Justin said returning the smile. �You look great�beautiful.�
�Thank you. You look great too.�
�Thanks.�
�I didn�t think you were going to show up.�
�I wasn�t going to.�
�Oh.� He sighed. �Why not?� He just looked at her. �Justin.�
�I didn�t want to watch you marry someone else.�
�Right.�
�To be honest with you, Josie, I was hoping you wouldn�t go through with it.� She only looked at him and sighed. �I was sitting at the hotel and a huge part of me wanted to come and stop the wedding, but I couldn�t. You knew how I felt about you and I figured that if you felt the same way I did you�d stop the wedding yourself. I�ve realized that wasn�t going to happen and I accept that you want to be with Nick.� Jenai continued looking at him. �I love you and if I love you as much as I claim to then the only thing I can do for the both of us is to let you go. I love you enough to let you go so you can be happy again. I broke your heart and hurt you once and I don�t want to do it again by continuing to pursue you now that you�re married. I can�t do it and I won�t.�
�Justin, that�s��
�I�ve seen how happy Nick makes you and I don�t want to stand in the way of your future together. I had my chance and screwed it up. I�ve lost the best thing I�ve ever had, but I�m just glad you�re happy again.�
�I am happy and Nick makes me very happy.�
�I�m glad.�
�I still want you and I to be friends though�if it�s possible.�
�Of course it is.�
�Good.� She hugged him. �I think you just did the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.�
�I doubt it.�
She smiled and said, �You�re still a great guy, Justin.�
�I doubt that too.� She chuckled.
�It means a lot to me that you came today.�
�Well I didn�t want you to think that I�m a weak man. I had to keep that strong appearance about me.� They laughed and looked at each other. �It�s my duty as your ex to come and see how happy you are. And make sure it stays that way.�
�Well I think between my three brothers, my dad, Jakob, Alex, Howie, Uncle Howard, Brian, and cousin Harold it�ll stay that way.�
�Did they tell him no one will miss him?�
�Oh yeah.� They laughed.
�I think I�ll tell him for good measure.� She gave a little grin and he sighed. �I might�ve lost the only love I�ll probably ever know, but I gained the bestest friend anyone could ever want.� She smiled and hugged him again.
�We�ll just see about that.�
�Of course we will.� She kissed his cheek and left him go. �So�is there any food left? I am famished. I haven�t eaten since breakfast.�
�Mom and Aunt Jackie took it inside.�
�Alright. I�m going to go eat and you go do what brides do.�
�Ok.� She watched Justin go inside and went to go find Nickolas, as there were gunshots in the woods. Everyone stopped and looked and Jenai shook her head. �Damn hunters.� She started walking again and saw Kevin. �Kevin.�
Kevin looked and said, �Hey.�
�Tell me someone went to check out that gunshot.�
�I sent some security.�
�Thank you.� There was another shot. �I thought we left Los Angeles in California.�
�We did.�
�Could�ve fooled me. Did you see Nick?�
�Kris wanted to steal a dance quick.� Jenai nodded and walked away.
�Can�t dance with his bride, but he�ll dance with her brother�s wife,� Jenai said to no one and spied Kristin and Nickolas. She walked over and tapped them both on the shoulder. �May I cut in?�
�He�s all yours,� Kristin said. �He dances great so he�s a keeper.�
�I was going to keep him anyway,� Jenai stated smiling and Kristin walked away. �Ain�t I good enough for ya now?�
�You were dancing with Jakob,� Nickolas reminded her. �And then I saw you talking to Justin.�
�Right,� Jenai said. �You just find your boss� wife hot.� Nickolas just looked at her and smiled. �Now I know why you really married me.�
�Kristin may be hot, but you, my darling wife, are extremely sexy.� He kissed her. �You could put ten hot girls in front of me and I�d still pick you.�
�You�re hoping to get lucky tonight, aren�t ya?�
�Well yeah; we did just get married after all and we have to consummate are union.�
�Of course we do.� She kissed him and he hugged her. �I love you.�
�I love you.� Jenai�s hug got tighter. �JJ, is everything all right?�
�Yeah, why?�
�There�s something different about your hug. It feels like the one we shared when you got that bad feeling about everything not being over.� Jenai didn�t say anything. �Are you getting a bad feeling about something?� Jenai still didn�t say anything and Nickolas looked at her. �JJ, what is it?�
�Something bad is going to happen.�
�What are you talking about? This is our wedding day and nothing�s going to happen. Everything�s going as planned.� She just looked at him. �There�s nothing to worry about.� He gave her a long sweet kiss and hugged her. �We have the next 80 years together.�
�Yeah.�
�Not a thing to worry about.� She closed her eyes, as Nickolas got them swaying to �I Swear� by All-4-One and a few seconds later there were gunshots. The guests started screaming and Jenai and Nickolas fell to the ground. �Stay down.� Nickolas covered Jenai�s body with his own and about a minute later the shooting stopped.
�Jakob! Justin!� Kevin yelled.
�Are you all right?� Nickolas asked.
�Yeah,� Jenai said putting her arms around his back in a hug. Nickolas left out a loud painful moan and rolled off his wife. Jenai looked at her blood covered arms and sat up. �Nick.� She looked down at her dress and saw the blood and then looked at Nickolas. �Nick.�
�JJ.�
�Nick.� She just looked at him, as her tears started going down her face, not knowing what to do. �Nick, no.�
�JJ, don�t�� He jerked in pain and grabbed Jenai�s hand.
�Someone call an ambulance!� Jenai yelled. �Kevin!� She looked at Nickolas. �You�re not leaving me. I won�t let you.�
�Don�t worry, Baby, I�ll always be with you.�
�Nick, don�t do this. Not now.�
�I�m dying, JJ, I can feel it.�
�No you�re not. You�re not leaving me damn it.�
�I love you.�
�Nick, please don�t do this.�
�I love you, Mrs. Carter.� He gave a weak smile.
�I love you too, but you�re not dying.�
�JJ, please don�t cry. Its better this way and you know it.�
�How is it better, Detective? We just got married and you promised me the next 80 years. You�re not breaking that promise.� He just looked at her. �Please, Nick, I need you. I can�t do it without you.�
�You won�t be without me, Baby, because I�ll always be here.� He lifted his hand to her chest. �I�ll be in your heart.�
�I want you in my life.� He gave another weak smile and touched her face.
�I�m happy with this short time we got together, because it�s better than not having your love ever.� Jenai just looked at him. �It�s getting so cold.�
�Nick��
�Come closer, Baby.� Jenai obeyed Nickolas� request and they looked at each other. �Do you remember how you asked me if I would die for you?� She nodded while continuing to look at him through crying eyes. �The answer�s yes.�
�Nick, please��
�I love you so much, Jenai, and I�m always going to be by your side. I�m always going to be with you.� He kissed her and she kissed him in return just as his grip on her hand loosened.
She looked at it then at his face to see his closed eyes. �Nick, no. Don�t do this to me.� She kissed him to try to wake him, but it didn�t work. �Please, Nick.� She dropped her head on his chest and just cried.
CHAPTER 38
HOME