Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card

PART 5- CHAPTER 182

JESS

The door creaked open, and my heart skipped a beat as Josh stepped into the room, followed closely by my dad. Relief washed over me, so intense it brought tears to my eyes. My dad's face looked weary, his hair disheveled, and Josh looked like he hadn't slept in days. I

here. They were okay. I

pushed myself up, the sudden movement sending a sharp jolt of pain through my leg, but I ignored it.

"Jess!" Josh's voice cracked as he rushed forward, and before! knew it, he and my dad had their arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace. I held on, feeling the steady thud of their hearts against my own, the familiar scent of aftershave and * sweat. They were warm, solid, real. It was enough to make me forget, for just a second, about the nightmare I had woken up from.

When they finally pulled back, I couldn't hold back the smile tugging at my lips. "I remember," said, the words tumbling out before I had the chance to think them through.

Josh's brow furrowed, and he nodded slowly. "Yeah... I wish this night you would forget, though."

"No," I insisted, shaking my head. "You don't understand. I remember all of it." My voice was firm, the realization still making my heart race.

Josh and my dad froze, staring at me like I'd just told them I

PART & - CHAPTER 182

288 Wouchers

the air, and I could

said, his voice barely above a whisper, "you mean... you

welling in my eyes.

the doctor stepped in, clipboard in hand. My father turned to her, his voice tight with disbelief. "My daughter says she remembers-she remembers all her memories. How is that... is that

spread across her face. "Sometimes, a traumatic event can act

shock is enough to reconnect pathways that were once blocked. It's a good sign, Jess. It means your brain is

felt just out of reach for so long were now flashing vividly behind my eyes. Faces, names,

doctor said, adjusting her glasses and glancing down at her clipboard, "let's take a

the-memories flooding back, the

PART 5 CHAPTER 182

thick bandages wrapped around it, tinged with faint blood spots. A wave of nausea hit me, and

to shift without causing

said quietly, his hands still gripping the railing of the hospital bed like he was afraid I'd vanish if he let go. "Bryan... he didn't just-" His voice broke, and he looked away, his knuckles turni "It's okay," I said softly, even though it wasn't. Nothing about any of this was okay. But I was alive. I was here.

like the first step toward being

she said, calm and clinical. "The damage wasn't as severe as it

on the searing pain that flared up every time she touched the

you think..." my dad began hesitantly, glancing between me and the

"It's too early to say for sure, but Jess is young, and she's clearly

optimistic."