“Fang?” Gypsy whispered my name into the dark room. Outside, I knew that the sun would be beginning to peek over the horizon, but the blackout drapes kept my room dark and cool.
I hesitated for a second, trying to figure out whether I should answer her or not when she spoke again.
“I was a doctor.”
At first, her words didn’t make sense. I couldn't compute what or why she was telling me that, and then it all came back in a rush. I had asked her a question. One she had refused to answer.
She was answering me now but only because she thought I was asleep.
For some reason, she felt safe telling me at that moment.
I frowned. A doctor. I had suspected something like that. The way she had conducted herself around The Judge spoke of some kind of medical training, but I had assumed a nurse or nursing assistant. I couldn't imagine my layered skirt wearing, crystal loving Gypsy as an actual doctor.
Her admission just opened the door for a million more questions. Questions I knew I couldn't ask her. She hadn’t wanted to tell me that one small thing about her past; if I pushed it, she would run for sure.
“I was a doctor in New York,” she whispered again. “In another life.” Her voice was thick with tears. It was like she had been holding on to it for so long that it was causing her pain just to admit it out loud.
I didn’t say a word, but the arm that I had flung over her waist tightened, bringing her back flush to my body. My head dipped down, and I pressed my lips to her shoulder without thinking. I hadn’t wanted her to know I was awake, but I couldn't just lay there with her in my arms and let her cry either.
“You’re awake?” she sniffed loudly, shifting her body against mine. “I think I knew you were awake,” she muttered.
“It’s ok. Thank you for telling me.” I pressed another kiss to her skin. And then another. “For trusting me,” I added.
“I shouldn’t. I don’t know why I do.” She sounded miserable.
Without thinking, I turned her body to face me. Hovering over her, I gazed down at her tear-stained face. She must have been crying silently for a while; her eyes were puffy. She had lain in my arms while I had been having some really filthy thoughts, and the entire time she had been crying.
That made me the biggest kind of asshole.
“You trust me because you know I will look after you. You need someone to protect you, don’t you?”
She nodded mutely, and her arms snaked up to curl around my neck. I let her drag my face down to hers. Her lips were salty from her tears but they lit something on fire inside of me.
This wasn’t her using sex to get her way, it wasn’t angry.
This was Gypsy needing me.
It was a new side of her. One that I hadn’t seen before.
A softer side.
“I...” She pulled away slightly, her face screwed up. “My past isn’t pretty, Fang. There’s so much you don’t know about me, and I don’t even know how to begin to tell you.”
I silenced her with a kiss. “You don’t need to tell me anything more until you are ready. You don't need to leave. I’m retracting my offer. You are safe here, Sunflower. I won’t let anything bad happen to you. I promise.” It was a promise I planned on keeping.
I had been in love only once before in my life, and I had failed Corinne when she needed me the most. What I felt for the woman in my arms was different to what I’d had with my wife. It was more complicated, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t real.
I had watched my club brothers fall in love with amazing women throughout the years. I had even watched them lose those women at times. But it just cemented one thing in my head. If you found someone that meant that much to you, then you held on to them with everything you had.
Havoc and Cyber had got it right.
Hansel hadn’t. And years later, he still hadn’t got over Gretal walking out on him.
I didn’t want to make the same mistakes as Hansel.
I was lucky enough to have found a woman who made me feel anything again after years of being dead inside, so I was sure as hell going to give her my everything. Even if she didn’t want it.
“But I’m not who you think I am.”
