“Shooter,” she said softly.
I started to clean her up around there, but she grabbed my wrists and I almost thought I was hurting her. I pulled my eyes to her. I shivered, only to remember that I put her first and I was on the verge of developing pneumonia. I held up a finger, telling her to wait, because something told me she was ready to reveal everything and finally let me in.
After changing into sweatpants and a tank top, her face looked back at me and flushed again.
“What’s wrong?”
“Really? Sweatpants?” she groaned.
I looked down… gray sweatpants. Oops.
I pulled a chair to the bedside, and sat down, waiting for her.
With a deep sigh, she could barely look at me, was she feeling ashamed, guilty? I tilted her face back to me. Her big brown beautiful eyes were enough to melt anyone else’s heart.
“I’ve been hiding something from you. And I need you to hear me out.” I was going to hear her anyway, but I played along. I nodded. With a deep breath and a shiver from her body aches, she continued, “I said that you shouldn’t want me, it’s more than you think or about me stalling for something. My life is a fucking mess. And in short, I’ve been in the process of getting divorced. Unfortunately, I still live with him or rather am trapped with him due to the crippling debt that he put in both our names with his gambling.” I took her hand in mine, softly rubbing her knuckles.
She was unraveling, possibly waiting for me to react or walk away, but that would never happen. She went on, “I’ve been paying down the debt, because once I’m done he’ll finally sign the papers. But… fuck… the next part, you can’t overreact. Promise me.”
I knew the next part, but she admitted it was another thing. I promised, though it would easily be taken back.
Amelia hung her head. “Over the years, when I said I was trapped, I am, to a monster that doesn’t know when to stop. Every chance I have to be away, it feels like I can breathe. But when he’s near he… umm…” she started stumbling over the words, trying to put it in less harsh terms.
“He hurts you,” I finished for her.
“Yeah, and tonight was a lot different.”
“He did this to you.” My voice stayed stern. But should I have told her that I knew? I knew everything about her when I pretended that I didn’t? I just got her in my arms, and I was about to risk losing her. It wasn’t the right time. My gut told me to wait. I was good with secrets. Though with her, everything would go out the window.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
It was a smack to the face. Why the fuck was she apologizing for a man that could barely be called a man?
In a moment of possessiveness, I pulled her into my lap, she was still half dressed and my cock knew that. I needed her to hear me.
“I don’t want to hear you say those words. Ever. Again. Do you understand?” She whimpered. She tried to speak, but I covered her mouth with my hand. “Nope. Since when do you apologize for this? A man is not a man when he puts hands on a woman. Especially a woman that he made a vow to love and cherish and build a life with. I have half a mind to take care of him myself.” She tensed up, almost scrambling off my lap. I held her tighter.
“You’re not going anywhere. You’re right where you belong.” I didn’t think before I spoke, I have no regrets. I wasn’t sugarcoating it anymore. I was a man obsessed. “You came to me. You found me. And I’m going to take care of you.”
She searched in my eyes for a lie, she wasn’t going to find one. She placed her hands on my chest. She started to recount what happened at the house and my blood began to boil. I wasn’t there for her.
When she finished, I had her stand up for me to check for additional bruising and checked on her mobility now that adrenaline had settled down. Through my normal exams, she would be sore in the morning but she was just roughed up more than usual. Her throat was still bruised, still showing the imprints of fingers around her neck.
With all the good I was seeing, there was something soul crushing that kept trying to break through. Maybe it was the guilt.
“Thank you for telling me. But there’s something I think you need to know.” I said, as I stood behind her, my hand trailing from the tops of her thighs up her bare back. “I already knew about him, Chris, and the debt.”
Her body prickled, creating goosebumps. “I had some information pulled and I was given a treasure trove of stuff.” Her head turned to the side, getting a better view peripherally. “I know a lot of things. But only you could tell me in your own words about your life.”
I left out that her ex-husband was at the underground match. I spilled enough of the truth for the moment.
“You knew my life was already a mess and yet you still tried to insert yourself in my life. I don’t need a savior. I’ve been surviving this long without you,” she hissed out, trying to be angry. Like a cute little kitten hissing at you for just looking at them.
“It’s very cute you trying to be angry at me.” I couldn’t help but smile as I kissed her back softly, “We both know you’ll survive with me.”
She tensed up.
“Did you really think that whatever was going on with your life would turn me away?” My arms encircled her, pulling her flushed against me.
