She cried for what felt like forever, long minutes during which she released the shit Trell’s ass had put us through. When her sobs finally quieted, she was curled against me, boneless and exhausted.
“I thought I was gon’ die, Khi,” she whispered against my chest.
I hugged her tighter. “Don’t say that.”
“I did,” she said, voice faint. “And I kept thinking… I hadn’t told you…”
She stopped.
“Told me what?” I asked, brushing my thumb along her cheek.
She swallowed, eyes searching mine.
“That I?—”
“Farrah.”
She blinked up at me. Her lashes were wet, cheeks flushed, lips trembling. I leaned in slowly, giving her every chance to pull back. She didn’t. Our foreheads touched before our mouths did, just a soft press of our lips. “You ain’t gotta say nothing tonight,” I murmured. “Not a damn thing. You been through enough.”
She shook her head, gripping my shirt tighter. “I want to.”
“I want you to know. You’re the reason I held on. I kept thinking, ‘He’s coming. He’s coming for me.’ I didn’t let myself break because I knew you were out there somewhere calculating and losing your mind at the same time.”
“I was,” I admitted. “I ain’t never been that scared in my life.”
She closed her eyes, pressing her cheek to my chest. “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”
“You won’t be,” I said.
She let out a shaky breath.
The next minutes were quiet. I ran a bath for her, let her soak while I showered, then I took care of her. She cried again. I lifted her out, dried her, and held her. Eventually, we made our way to the bed. I eased her back onto the mattress, slid in beside her, and pulled the covers over us. She curled into me instantly, her hand gripping my shirt like she still needed proof I was real. I held her with both arms, kissed her hair, her forehead, the top of her cheek where Trell had touched her.
“You safe. I got you. Always.”
Her breathing finally slowed. Her body softened. Farrah fell asleep in my arms. Right where she belonged. She woke up a few hours later. I knew because I felt her move, the slow, careful movement of somebody trying not to disturb the person holding them.
“You good?” I asked, eyes still closed.
She startled a little, then let out a breath. “Yeah.”
I opened my eyes and looked down at her. Her hair was a soft halo against the pillow, ginger curls messy from sleep. There wasa faint bruise at her temple, another along her jaw. Every mark made something twist in my chest, but I didn’t touch them yet. Not until she showed me she wanted that.
“You hurt?” I asked quietly.
She shook her head. “Not… physically.”
I raised my hand slowly and brushed a strand of hair from her face. She sighed, eyes closing for a second.
“Sure you don’t want me to call a doctor?” I asked.
She shook her head again. “No. I just want you.”
Her voice dipped a little on the last word, and she put her face in my chest, like she was embarrassed. I wrapped both arms around her and pulled her close.
“I mean…” she whispered, looking up, cheeks flushed, “I want to be near you. That’s all.”
“That’s enough. It’s more than enough.”
