Nathan ran toward me, a loud gasp escaping him as he took in my appearance before he fell to the floor beside me.
“Lila, baby, are you all right? Oh, God, you’re bleeding…a lot,” Nathan said in a panic, his fingers ghosting over my skin.
I smiled up at him, my head leaning into his touch as the tears fell from my eyes. “You came, you made it.”
“Always. I’ll always protect you.” His voice was wavering. A tear slid down his face and landed on my cheek, making my heart clench for him. “I can’t lose you.”
“I was so scared!” I cried out and began sobbing, my fingers clenching around the fabric of his jacket.
Nathan leaned down and scooped me up into his arms. “I know, Honeybear. I’m here now, I’ve got you. He won’t hurt you again, I promise.”
There was an edge in his voice, and I believed him. Nathan would do anything to protect me. Andrew’s voice rang around the walls as he contacted 911 and then called down to the front desk to inform Mike of their imminent arrival.
I started to shake, the shock of everything settling in.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here earlier.” Nathan kissed my forehead while his fingers stroked my hair.
My eyes closed as I hummed in reaction to the comfort that helped me to forget about the pain I was in. His lips lightly brush mine, and I smiled.
“Move in with me,” he said suddenly, and my eyes fluttered open as I tried to focus on him.
“What?” I was confused by not only the question, but the timing.
“We already spend every night with each other, why have two places? Plus, I would feel better knowing you’re as safe…well, as safe as you can be with me.”
It made sense. He hadn’t been to his place in months, and I had a feeling I wouldn’t want to stay here anymore.
“Okay.”
“Okay? You’re not going to fight with me on this?” Shock of my acceptance was evident on his features.
I shook my head, but stopped when it felt like my brain was jiggling. “You’re right, and I want to live with you Nathan. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” he replied and kissed me again, this time a little deeper. “Now if I can just keep you out of the hospital, we’ll be in good shape.”
“It’s not my fault,” I said in protest, my vision starting to dim as I shook. Tears spilled from my eyes, the pain growing immense.
“I know. It never was yours, baby. It was always his.” Nathan placed a kiss on my forehead again while his fingers stroked down my arm.
My eyes widened in fear at the figure that burst through the door, his forceful entrance made my heart rate spike. I was starting to hyperventilate, the room getting darker when my vision cleared.
The man’s facial expression was not of anger, but horror.
Noah.
Noah was standing in front of me—the boy who’d also had a terrible childhood. The boy I’d once been afraid of after being freed from the nightmare that was my father’s home. The kind boy who helped me learn not all men were monsters and some were even good. He was here, and I was safe.
My eyes rolled back and the world faded away.
My mind became aware before my eyes were willing to open. There was a throbbing – no, slamming – pain in my head. It hurt to breathe a bit, but not in my chest or ribs. Lower, like in my stomach. I began to wonder why when the events rushed back into my mind.
It was all pain from my injuries. Proof I was alive, that Adam didn’t kill me, and Nathan made it in time.
My eyes fluttered open to find Nathan staring down at me. He let out a sigh of relief and squeezed my hand.
“How long have I been out?” I asked, noticing I was in yet another hospital room. Three times in six months had to be a record of some sort.
“We just got here a few minutes ago,” Nathan said. Andrew was also in the room, standing guard over us. “So, not too long.”
I looked around more and gasped before my vision focused on the figure of the cop standing a few feet from me. He hadn’t changed since I last saw him: still tall with brown hair and matching eyes. His nose still crooked from when his father broke it.
“Noah?” I nodded, giving him our customary symbol that he was okay to approach, and he rushed over to my side.
He took my hand in his. “How are you feeling?”
“Been better, been worse.” I gave a gentle shrug, knowing he understood. I tried not to think about what had happened. I was used to hiding the pain after an attack, but it had been so long.
It was surreal chatting with Noah like we were seated on my couch. The whole situation would be frightening if it weren’t for Nathan, Andrew, and Noah’s comforting presence.
I was safe.
Adam would be hauled off like a wild animal to be caged as he should’ve been years ago. Deep down I knew that between Noah, Nathan, and Andrew, justice would be served. I blinked hard and honed in on Noah’s words to keep myself centered and calm. If I was calm, Nathan would be as well.
“I called you a few months ago, but you didn’t call back. I’ve been worried something like this had happened to you.” Noah’s laid back voice was what I needed.
“I’m sorry, so sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. It’s been…hectic this year.” I was kicking myself for not calling him.
“Well, besides the blood and fat lip, you’re looking good, kid.” His smile was good-natured and warmed me.
“You, too. That uniform looks good on you. Your mom would be proud to see her son protecting people and putting the bad ones in jail.” I tried not to cringe; the pain in my back and head was starting to throb. My bones ached, but inside I felt so happy for so many things. Happy that Andrew was my friend and here for me, that Adam was history. But most of all, happy Nathan and I were together. Nothing would come between us.
“Thank you, Lila. That means a lot.” His eyes misted as he smiled at me.
“How’s Camilla?”
“She’s good. Wants you to come out and see the girls. They’ve gotten so big since you saw them at Christmas, you’d be amazed.” He beamed down at me.
“I’m so sorry. I should have kept better contact,” I said, apologizing again.
“It’s okay. I can see something big has happened since I last saw you. You’ll have to come over for dinner soon and bring this guy with the heavy fists with you.” He pointed to Nathan.
“Lila, baby, are you all right? Oh, God, you’re bleeding…a lot,” Nathan said in a panic, his fingers ghosting over my skin.
I smiled up at him, my head leaning into his touch as the tears fell from my eyes. “You came, you made it.”
“Always. I’ll always protect you.” His voice was wavering. A tear slid down his face and landed on my cheek, making my heart clench for him. “I can’t lose you.”
“I was so scared!” I cried out and began sobbing, my fingers clenching around the fabric of his jacket.
Nathan leaned down and scooped me up into his arms. “I know, Honeybear. I’m here now, I’ve got you. He won’t hurt you again, I promise.”
There was an edge in his voice, and I believed him. Nathan would do anything to protect me. Andrew’s voice rang around the walls as he contacted 911 and then called down to the front desk to inform Mike of their imminent arrival.
I started to shake, the shock of everything settling in.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here earlier.” Nathan kissed my forehead while his fingers stroked my hair.
My eyes closed as I hummed in reaction to the comfort that helped me to forget about the pain I was in. His lips lightly brush mine, and I smiled.
“Move in with me,” he said suddenly, and my eyes fluttered open as I tried to focus on him.
“What?” I was confused by not only the question, but the timing.
“We already spend every night with each other, why have two places? Plus, I would feel better knowing you’re as safe…well, as safe as you can be with me.”
It made sense. He hadn’t been to his place in months, and I had a feeling I wouldn’t want to stay here anymore.
“Okay.”
“Okay? You’re not going to fight with me on this?” Shock of my acceptance was evident on his features.
I shook my head, but stopped when it felt like my brain was jiggling. “You’re right, and I want to live with you Nathan. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” he replied and kissed me again, this time a little deeper. “Now if I can just keep you out of the hospital, we’ll be in good shape.”
“It’s not my fault,” I said in protest, my vision starting to dim as I shook. Tears spilled from my eyes, the pain growing immense.
“I know. It never was yours, baby. It was always his.” Nathan placed a kiss on my forehead again while his fingers stroked down my arm.
My eyes widened in fear at the figure that burst through the door, his forceful entrance made my heart rate spike. I was starting to hyperventilate, the room getting darker when my vision cleared.
The man’s facial expression was not of anger, but horror.
Noah.
Noah was standing in front of me—the boy who’d also had a terrible childhood. The boy I’d once been afraid of after being freed from the nightmare that was my father’s home. The kind boy who helped me learn not all men were monsters and some were even good. He was here, and I was safe.
My eyes rolled back and the world faded away.
My mind became aware before my eyes were willing to open. There was a throbbing – no, slamming – pain in my head. It hurt to breathe a bit, but not in my chest or ribs. Lower, like in my stomach. I began to wonder why when the events rushed back into my mind.
It was all pain from my injuries. Proof I was alive, that Adam didn’t kill me, and Nathan made it in time.
My eyes fluttered open to find Nathan staring down at me. He let out a sigh of relief and squeezed my hand.
“How long have I been out?” I asked, noticing I was in yet another hospital room. Three times in six months had to be a record of some sort.
“We just got here a few minutes ago,” Nathan said. Andrew was also in the room, standing guard over us. “So, not too long.”
I looked around more and gasped before my vision focused on the figure of the cop standing a few feet from me. He hadn’t changed since I last saw him: still tall with brown hair and matching eyes. His nose still crooked from when his father broke it.
“Noah?” I nodded, giving him our customary symbol that he was okay to approach, and he rushed over to my side.
He took my hand in his. “How are you feeling?”
“Been better, been worse.” I gave a gentle shrug, knowing he understood. I tried not to think about what had happened. I was used to hiding the pain after an attack, but it had been so long.
It was surreal chatting with Noah like we were seated on my couch. The whole situation would be frightening if it weren’t for Nathan, Andrew, and Noah’s comforting presence.
I was safe.
Adam would be hauled off like a wild animal to be caged as he should’ve been years ago. Deep down I knew that between Noah, Nathan, and Andrew, justice would be served. I blinked hard and honed in on Noah’s words to keep myself centered and calm. If I was calm, Nathan would be as well.
“I called you a few months ago, but you didn’t call back. I’ve been worried something like this had happened to you.” Noah’s laid back voice was what I needed.
“I’m sorry, so sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. It’s been…hectic this year.” I was kicking myself for not calling him.
“Well, besides the blood and fat lip, you’re looking good, kid.” His smile was good-natured and warmed me.
“You, too. That uniform looks good on you. Your mom would be proud to see her son protecting people and putting the bad ones in jail.” I tried not to cringe; the pain in my back and head was starting to throb. My bones ached, but inside I felt so happy for so many things. Happy that Andrew was my friend and here for me, that Adam was history. But most of all, happy Nathan and I were together. Nothing would come between us.
“Thank you, Lila. That means a lot.” His eyes misted as he smiled at me.
“How’s Camilla?”
“She’s good. Wants you to come out and see the girls. They’ve gotten so big since you saw them at Christmas, you’d be amazed.” He beamed down at me.
“I’m so sorry. I should have kept better contact,” I said, apologizing again.
“It’s okay. I can see something big has happened since I last saw you. You’ll have to come over for dinner soon and bring this guy with the heavy fists with you.” He pointed to Nathan.
