Amy rolls her eyes. “Maybe.”
My sisters all give me a hug before slipping out of the room, followed by my parents, who kiss the top of my head, promising they’ll be back soon.
“You need anything?” Mae asks as she too stands up.
“I’m good, I?—”
Movement from the corner of my eye catches my attention. I extend my hand, looking up at Matthew. “Not you.”
Mae hums softly. “I guess you have everything you need. Call if that changes or, you know, if you need me to kick somebody’s ass.”
I don’t say anything as she slips out of the room, the door softly closing behind her, leaving us alone.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
MATTHEW
Jessica’s amber eyes are fixed on me. They’re not as vivid as usual, probably because of a mix of pain and whatever medicine the nurses gave her earlier when they were checking in on her. She tried to put on a brave face, but I could see the examination and her family coming in had done a number on her.
Her skin is pale, making the bruises on her face seem even more prominent than they are, and yet there is no avoiding that stubborn look in her eyes as she watches me.
“Jessica…” I give her a warning look, which she chooses to ignore.
“No, you’ll listen to me now, Matthew James Williams. I’m done with your bullshit. Completely and utterly done. You don’t get to tell me what to do. You don’t get to decide what h-happens. There are two people in this relationship, and I get a say. And I say no. You don’t get to run away from me. Not when you’re the one who told me to r-runtoyou. I don’t care what you?—”
Leaning down, I press my mouth against hers, effectively shutting her up. Her eyes widen in surprise, but her lips give in to me as I gently swipe my mouth over hers before pulling back.
“I’m not running away.”
She blinks a few times, clearly surprised by my answer. “Y-you… You’re not?”
The corner of my mouth tips upward as I slide my thumb over her cheek. “I’m not running anywhere. I’m not going to lie and say it didn’t cross my mind, because it did. I keep hurting the people I love, but pushing you away didn’t help anything. It only made things worse. If I hadn’t done that, none of this would have happened. He wouldn’t have gotten his hands on you. He wouldn’t have hurt you like he did.” My jaw clenches just thinking about it. About all the ways I screwed up. All the ways I intentionally, or unintentionally, hurt her.
“This isn’t your fault, Matthew.”
I shake my head. “No, it is. I’m so sorry for driving you away. For saying all those things to you. I’ll never be able to take them back, but I’m going to do everything in my power to make this right, because I love you. I’ve loved you since that day you walked into my life when you were seventeen, like a fucking angel, and I’ve fallen for you all over again since coming back. I didn’t deserve you then, and I sure as hell don’t deserve you now, but I don’t care. I love you. When I realized you were gone, and that I might lose you, I almost lost it. I don’t want to live in a world in which you aren’t mine, but Ican’tlive in a world in which you don’t exist.”
She blinks rapidly, nibbling at her lip. “Say it again.”
“I. Love. You.” I press my forehead against hers. “And if you’ll have me, I’ll keep running to you. You’re my safe harbor, Jessica. You always have been.” A tear slides down her cheek, and I brush it away. “Don’t cry, baby.”
“A-am n-not.”
“You’re still a shit liar, Trouble,” I chuckle softly, tucking a strand of her hair back. “C’mon, you should get some rest.”
I straighten, ready to pull back, but she grabs my hand. “C’mere.”
“Jessica…”
She tugs my wrist, her face twitching in pain.
“You’re hurting, baby.”
“I don’t c-care,” she mutters stubbornly. “I want you with me.”
Sighing, I give in and sit on the bed.
“All the way.”
