Inheritance Chapter 36:

JPOV:

Aidan had just finished speaking to the police who agreed to stop by the house shortly when my phone rang.

"Hello." I answered.

"OH my GOD Jake! They found Rose in the parking lot at work. She was shot. She …iss…..dying…" Rachel sobbed.

I felt like someone had just drop an anvil on top of my head. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"What? When?" I cried out as I grabbed my forehead.

"About an hour ago. They found her ….they said there was blood everywhere. The hospital just called me to inform me they need us to get there right away. She was shot in the back Jake. Who would do that to her?" Rachel shouted in between sobs.

"I don't know Rachel. Which hospital?" I ask.

Rachel told me which one Rose was at and then hung up. I turn to see Paul who was staring at me with a frightened face.

"Paul, man, they found Rose shot in the parking lot at her work." I explained as I grabbed my keys and raced to my truck. I had to get there and fast. I had to be with her in case she did not pull through.

"I'm coming with you." Paul stated as he jump in on the passenger side. I rev up the engine.

"Hey, I will go get Bella." Aidan offered as he walked over to his parked truck.

I waved at him as I back up and raced out of the driveway.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

When we arrived at the hospital Rachel was already there. She was wringing her hands with tears flooding down her face.

"They said that she was lucky it did not snap her spine. But there is some serious internal injury. They are trying to stop the bleeding." Rachel began to explain immediately as we approached her.

"Do they know who did this?" I demanded. I was trying to calm down. My entire body was shaking. I wasn't sure if it was caused by anger or fear. I was so torn up inside I couldn't even think straight.

"They are checking the security cameras." Rachel answered as she shrugs her shoulders.

I wrapped my arms around her holding her securely against me. We had already lost enough people in our lives and losing Rose would be like losing the air we breathe. She was a pain in the ass but she was our pain in the ass.

Paul sat down covering his face with the palms of his hands. I knew that he was going through hell at the moment. He loved my sister.

"Paul, Rachel, Rose is strong. She will fight this and come back to us. I just know it." I hoped I was convincing them to believe in Rose. I wanted to believe it. I wanted to believe if anyone could survive this it was her.

A second later my phone began to ring again.

"Jesus!" I snarled as I answered the phone. Every time the damn phone had rang today it had carried bad news with it.

"Hey I hate to do this to you Jake but Leah just called me screaming and crying. Jayden came to the shop and dragged Bella into her car at gun point." Aidan stated slowly and softly.

I nearly dropped the phone. I looked up at Rachel I felt all the blood drain from my face. The room was starting to spin around me.

"Jake! Jake can you hear me!" Aidan shouted.

I lifted the phone back up and placed it next to my ear.

"Please tell me you're joking. This cannot be happening now! What the hell is wrong with this world?" I shouted loudly. I knew people were staring curiously at me but I just did not give a damn at the moment.

"Call the police Aidan." I ordered.

"Already done. Where should I go to look for them Jake? I can't just sit around and I know you're tied up at the hospital." Aidan cried out.

"Give me a second." I twisted my head around glaring daggers at Paul. I knew it wasn't his fault entirely that Jayden had kidnapped Bella by gun point but if he had never married her crazy ass we would not be here now.

"Jayden kidnapped Bella by gun point. Where would she take her?" I ask him.

Like me his face showed the terror I was feeling.

"Hell I don't know. I fucking don't know." Paul stood up. His nostrils were flaring. He was as furious and frightened as I was.

"Try her Dad's house. He lives at 345 Cyamore. I am going to call him now." I hung up the phone and dialed up the old number I had still kept in my phone by some miracle.

"Hello." The deep familiar voice answered.

"Jack, hey it's Jake Black. I hate to do this to you but I was just informed that Jayden has kidnapped my wife, Bella by gun point. Where would she take her?" I ask him swiftly. Time was of the essence. I knew the cops would start searching all cars that were similar to her make and model but they would have no real leads to where she might take her.

"Shit! I knew she was going to do something crazy. I noticed after she left the other night that one of my guns were missing. She swore it was not her. Damn it! Give me a second to think Jake." Jack snapped with frustration and fear in his tone.

I knew that Jack had hoped that her last stay at the expensive facility and her medications had helped her function normally. It appeared we had both been wrong. I was starting to think she was not even taking her medicine anymore.

"She mentioned the other day that she had gone by our old house in Westerfield and that it was for sale again. She was furious when I moved us here. It was the house where her mother had died." Jack explained.

I knew Westerfield was a housing development that existed on the outskirts of town. It was away from the businesses and casinos of Vegas.

"Okay give me the exact address I am going to call the police and let them know. Jack, I think she might have shot my sister too. They just found her body shot in the parking lot where she works." I warned him.

"God! I'm so sorry Jake." His voice was sincere and heart broken.

I hung up the phone and dialed the police who agreed to send a dispatch out to check the house. I hugged my sister and told her I would be back as soon as I could. She hugged me so tightly that I nearly passed out.

"Don't get hurt Jake. Let the police handle this. Please. If she did this to Rose she will do this to you too." Rachel pleaded.

I had to go to Bella. There was no way I could just leave it up to chance that if she was there the police would rescue her before Jayden did something horrible to Bella.

"I have to go. She is my wife Rachel. I love her. I am nothing without her." I kissed her on the cheek then turn to Paul.

"Stay with her. Text me WHEN Rose gets out of surgery. She will make it. I just know it." I patted him on the arm as I raced out of the hospital. I just hoped I was in time to save Bella from the same outcome that my sister was dealing with.

If I had too I would kill Jayden myself before I would let her harm even one hair on Bella's head.

BPOV:

Jayden was speeding like a demon. It was obvious she had finally snapped.

"Why are you doing this? They will know you did this." I pointed out the simple detail of Leah seeing Jayden with her own two eyes dragging me into her car.

"Shut up Bella. I hate you. I hate everything about you. You don't deserve Jake. He doesn't really love you. He just pretends to. Trust me I know him better than you. I know what it is like to be fooled by him." She snorted as she push down on the accelerator harder.

I watch as the scenery flash by me. Where were the cops now? She was going eighty in a fifty zone.

I decided to play along with her. Maybe I could convince her that I didn't love Jake and that I was on her side. I couldn't see any other option. I didn't want to die.

"I know Jayden." I sighed loudly. My hands were shaking in my lap as I forced myself to act like I didn't love Jake anymore. I would have to be really convincing. Jayden was nobody's fool as we had all discovered.

"What do you know BELLA?" She snarled as she flew through the red light.

I could hear cars crashing behind us as she ignored the accidents she had just caused.

"I know he doesn't love me. In fact he told me yesterday that he was prepared to give up on the challenge. He could no longer pretend to love me not even for all that money." I hoped my sad eyes were convincing her.

"What?" She looks hesitantly at me before turning her eyes back toward the traffic in front of us.

"Yeah he told me that he tried so hard but he could no longer pretend. Today was my last day at the shop. I was telling Aidan that I was going to move back to Forks this week. I just wanted to go back home. I was tired of pretending, myself. I don't belong here." I sobbed.

"Seriously?" she gave me a doubtful look.

"Yes, you knew it. My friends even knew it. They told me that Jake was just too good to be true and they were right. He lied to me Jayden. He told me he loved me. He just wanted the damn money and the clubs." I snapped angrily.

"Uh. I almost believe you Bella. Cause between us girls I know in my heart that Jake did not ever love you. I could see it in his eyes when he looks at me. He still wants me. He just likes playing these damn games with me." She smiled sadly.

"Really. How can you love him when he treats you so badly?" I tried to sound like a friend who was concerned about another friend.

"I don't know. My doctor says that Jake is bad for me. What does he know? Hell, he had his hands on me the whole time when we had private sessions." Jayden rolled her eyes and made a disgusted face.

"What a jerk." I cried out.

:"I know. Still, even if what you say is true how can I be so sure that you won't try to win him back? I mean let's face it honey a guy like Jake is hard to walk away from." Jayden look suspiciously at me.

"I will do whatever you ask of me. Hell, you can take me to the airport right now and I will get on a flight to leave town." I hoped she believed me and if I was really lucky she would take me to the airport.

"I don't know Bella. I don't know what to believe anymore. I already shot Rose. I am going to go to jail. I don't know what to do now." She slams her hand against the steering wheel furiously.

I was shocked. She had shot Rose. Dear God I was going to die. The woman was off of her rocker. She was lethal. What else could I say or do to convince her I would leave Jake's life permanently, without having to die in the process.

"I will consider your suggestion. In the meantime you better put your seat belt on." Jayden warned me as she pushed harder on the gas pedal.

"Why?" I ask terrified.

"Because the cops are on our tail." Jayden look up in the rear view mirror and grimaced.

I turn to see she was correct. There were about three cars chasing us. I prayed they were able to make her stop the car before we ended up in a serious car accident. If I didn't die from Jayden shooting me then this was the other possible way.

Jayden was swerving in and out between other cars. My heart was thrashing against my chest. I said a silent prayer just in case I didn't make it.

Holding onto the door I watched as Jayden ran up on top of a car causing us to fly straight up in the air. Seconds that felt like minutes went by as we flew through the air until the car crashed on its side. I could hear the metal screeching against the pavement as Jayden shouted and cried with her head pressed against the metal. Sparks. Smoke. Fire. I couldn't tell what was what. The car flipped at least two more times before I closed my eyes and felt my breath knock straight out of me. Everything was spiraling around me. I could feel my blood dripping down my face, covering my entire body. Blood. I knew that I was going to die and all I could think about was Jake. Jake's face went through my mind. All the precious moments we had shared. My mother, my father, my friends. All of the people who matter the most to me I saw them in one brief moment before darkness consumed me.

PPOV:

I felt as if I was living in some sort of horrible nightmare that I could not wake up from. I had finally made up my mind to end this challenge and now the only woman I would ever love was possibly dying down the hall. This was all my fault.

My stupid pride and ego got in the way. I just wanted to prove myself worthy of Rose and her family. Now sitting here in the lobby all I could think about was how stupid I had been. Rose didn't care whether or not I was financially well off. She never cared about money and power.

The day we received that letter from Marque, I had been given an opportunity to end the challenge right then and there but I had not. If Rose died I might as well have shot her myself. My stupidity put me here in this lobby.

Tears poured out of my eyes soaking my shirt. I didn't care who saw me. I just wanted more than anything to take back all the horrible things I had said and done in my life. I would give up every penny I own just to make Rose safe and well.

"Paul! It's the doctor." Rachel called out to be from across the room as tall man with a head full of gray hair approached her.

I jump up wiping away the tears as I took long, fast strides across the room.

"Good news we got the bleeding to stop. Like I said before she was extremely lucky the bullet nearly graze her spinal cord. It was a miracle. She will need some time to recover. We need to keep her here for a few days to keep an eye on her. She lost a lot of blood. We have to keep a close eye on it. Give the nurses a few minutes to get her set up in her room and you both can go see her." The Dr. shook Rachel's hand. Rachel threw her arms around the man. The doctor simply nodded his head and smiled with relief back and forth between us before he left.

"Thank you. Thank you." Rachel cried out happily.

"Jake was right. She did pull through." Rachel threw her arms around me hugging me next.

I felt so humble to have her even touch me after knowing that my wife was the one who shot her sister. Not to mention that I had been a part of this stupid ass challenge that brought us all here today.

JPOV:

"Tell me you have some news." I begged as I answered the phone.

"I do but it's not good as usual. Leah just called me and said that there was live news coverage on television that showed the police chasing Jayden's car. There are on highway 45 heading toward the airport." Aidan explained.

I knew he hated being the bearer of bad news.

"Shit! I swear if the cops don't stop her I will kill her with my own bare hands." I shouted angrily as I threw the phone down in the seat and put my foot on the accelerator.

I was going crazy. My heart was beating so hard I knew I was at risk of having a heart attack. My day went from bad to worse in a matter of hours.

I wouldn't blame Bella one bit if she wanted to leave me after this. Ever since she had married me she had been hurt nonstop by Jayden. God, if I could take back the day that I met Jayden I would. If I had any sense back then I would have seen what a ticking time bomb she would be.

I just had to save Bella and worry about the rest later. I loved her. I wanted to grow old with her. I wanted to have tons of kids and grandkids. I wanted to sit on the front porch rocking together with both of our heads full of gray hair. That was what I saw when I looked into her eyes. I saw a long future filled with bliss.

Speeding through traffic with ease I saw tons of bright lights ahead. Traffic stopped. I put the truck in park snagging my keys. I began to run through the parked cars that were filled with curious people.

Once I got up closer I saw several police officers outside of their cars.

I was confused why were they blocking off the road? Where was Bella? Where was Jayden's car?

I saw several police officers as they made their way down into a bank about three hundred yards away. There was smoke and fire coming from that area.

"Excuse me was there a Red Jag in the accident?" I ask a police officer who looked annoyed by my questioning.

"Go back to your car sir. We will have this cleared up soon and you will be causing an even longer delay." The man gave me a bored look.

"I need to know if it was a Red Jag. My wife was in a car with a woman who kidnapped her at gun point driving a Red Jag." I shouted. I really didn't care if I pissed this man off. I had a right to know.

"Really?" He looked amazed.

"Yes. Please I have to know." I pleaded with him.

"Yeah, it was a Red Jaguar. Not much of a car now unfortunately. It was totaled. It flipped in the air and then flipped a few times before it landed over there." He pointed in the direction where the flames began to rise.

I felt completely numb.

I finally felt some sensations coursing through my nerve endings as my legs began to move forward. I was running as fast as I could. I heard people shouting at me to stop but I couldn't. I had to see if it was Bella in that blazing car. I had to rescue her. These pompous asses didn't seem to be as alarmed as I was that she was in that car possibly dead or dying.

Just as I came up on the scene. I saw one officer pulling out a limp body. I couldn't tell if it was Bella or Jayden. The victim was completely covered in blood. I felt the ground beneath my feet rumble just as the car exploded right before my eyes.

I felt hands gripping around my arms as I was thrown backward. I hit the ground hard. One. Two. Three loud explosive sounds rang around me.

Sitting up I began to scream at the top of my lungs as I watch the fire totally engulf the car. If Bella was still in that car she was dead. I wouldn't be able to rescue her this time. I would never hold her in my arms again.

I would never be able to make love to her. I would never be able to listen to her sing off cue in the shower. I would never eat the delicious food she cooked. I would never grow old with her. Kneeling on my knees I dropped my head back as I began to roar toward the sky.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Bellllllaaaa! Oh God NOOOOO!"

I refused to believe it was over. I wasn't ready to let her go.

Several police officers grabbed me pulling me away from the scene.

"Sir, you're in danger. Come on." They were shouting as I went limp in their arms.

My sexy pole dancer, gourmet cook, risk taker, Bella was gone forever.

My life ended today. I was dead. I no longer existed. Jake Black was gone forever.

RPOV:

I was too weak to open my eyes. I was so drugged up. But I could hear. I could hear voices all around me.

One in particular stood out from all the others.

"I love you Rose Black. I swear to you that I will never let you go. I was a fool to walk away from you even back when Marque fooled us both. I should have been more persistent. I should have made love to you that day in your apartment after we read the letter. I should have called off the challenge right then. I had so many opportunities but I didn't do it. I was a fool Rose. I am so sorry. I swear if Jake doesn't kill Jayden I will." Paul's speech began tenderly, guilty, and then his tone turns into pure venom.

I knew he felt responsible for what Jayden had done to me. In some ways I was just as responsible as he was. I could have been just as persistent too. I was the one who kept pushing Jake to fight harder for the challenge. I had just as much guilt in what had happen as Paul had. If I was ever able to open my eyes and find my voice I would tell him that.

I am going to tell him how much he means to me and how I never plan on letting him go again.