He stares at me and frowns. “Aren’t you?” he suddenly snaps. “Aren’t you in shock? I’ve just watched one of my friends get shot. Fucking shot, Lucy. FUCK!” he bellows, his hands running through his hair and gripping it, tugging at the roots. “This is my fault.” He shakes his head and shifts.
I crawl towards him as the spray continues to hit me, my dress clinging to my body.
“This was an attack, Owen. This wasn’t your fault.”
“Jesus, she has kids, Lucy. What have I done?” His voice cracks and he buries his face in his arms, his body shaking.
I do the only thing I can.
I climb further into the shower and sit next to him, tucking my hand behind his back as I hold him.
I hold him as he blames himself for causing tonight. I sit in silence, letting the sounds of the shower’s water drown out his tears.
My mind busy trying to figure out what the fuck I’ve walked into with this assignment and who would be bold enough to blow up a charity event…twice.
His breathing comes back under control, and he looks up into the shower spray, the water washing away the tears and dirt from his face.
I don’t say anything.
There’re no words that can placate him or stop him from blaming himself. I’ve seen how these things affect people. I don’t ask him the barrage of questions I have in my head, that will have to wait.
Right now, I need to do damage control. And that starts with Owen.
Goosebumps pepper my skin as the dress clings to me and makes me colder. I stand up and turn the shower handle, making it warmer.
I reach down and put my hand out to Owen, who is watching my movements, and he takes it. I pull with all my strength to get him into a standing position.
He’s dead on his feet.
Slowly, I reach up to his collar and pop it up, undoing his bow tie, then undo each button. I refuse to look up, because his stare is intense, watching my every move.
Undoing the last button, I open it, pull it down over his shoulders, and let it fall to the floor with a wet slap, it’s only then that I glance up into his eyes.
And wish I didn’t.
Dull, mossy green awash with hurt and confusion looks back, but there’s something else in how he looks at me. His hands run up my body and into my hair, slicking it back in the water.
He can feel the pins in the back of my head, holding what’s left of my hair in place, and he slowly removes them.
Water cascades through his hair, over his cheekbones, nose and lips, onto his body which is toned. Defined muscles were hiding under his shirt, and dark hair peppers his chest.
Jesus Christ.
Owen has grown the fuck up, and my insides are cartwheeling.
This man is sexy. And this man means so fucking much to Lucy.
To me.
Because regardless of how many times I try to bury her, she’s still there, hiding behind Kara.
Scared and broken.
Each pin is thrown to the floor. All the while, we stare into each other’s eyes. It’s an intense moment, but when we have been through so much already in our lives together, it feels right.
I can bring him the comfort he desperately needs.
Lucy can.
