Page 61 of Guarding Glenda

“I don’t want anyone else.” A tear finally rolled down her cheek. “I never hated you, Leigh. I wished it was you for so long but I wasn’t supposed to. I hated myself for wanting what I couldn’t have, what I shouldn’t have.”

I crushed my lips to hers. Those words both made my heart swell and break at the same time. I hated that we wasted so much time. I hated I didn’t stand up to Reggie and take her from him. I hated I didn’t just tell her what really happened all this time.

As the kiss intensified, her hands went over my chest, then around my shoulders. When her fingers squeezed at the welts, I flinched.

She jerked away. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. Are you okay?”

With furrowed brows, she tried to move the collar of my shirt but couldn’t see down my back. “Turn around.”

“Baby, I’m fine. We got all this stuff to put away and I still need to get your boxes from the truck.”

She pushed me, then slid off the counter and flew around me, lifting my cut and my shirt. She gasped. “What the fuck is this? What the fuck were you doing when I was packing?”

After everything she just grilled me about, I realized her tone was because she thought something totally off base.

“Listen.” I turned. “Hammer told me–”

“Hammer? Did you get in trouble?”

Shrugging, I said, “It happens.”

“Why? I thought he was fine with you taking care of me.” She paused. “Wait. You two fought when I left.”

“It’s done. Let's get this put up. You need to eat and my stomach is growling.”

“Leigh, fucking tell me what happened. Why does your back look like that?”

Scratching at my scruff, I told her, “We did fight when you left. And he told me if I went to the clubhouse before he gave me the thumbs up, I’d be fined and flogged.”

“So he beat you because of me? Because I asked you to come get me? But why didn’t you just-”

Tears rolled down her cheeks, so I grabbed her. “Baby, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I knew what would happen and I didn’t care. I went today willingly to let him. What matters is you’re safe, you’re here, and that’s all behind us. And it’s not your fault. It was mine.”

She fell to my chest, gentle sobs shaking her body. “Even when I don’t try, I hurt you.”

“Glenda, you didn’t do this. Hammer did this. And I did this. Okay?”

She nodded, pressing her face against me harder.

“Please don’t cry. I’m fine. I can take the lashings, but I can’t take you upset.”

She blew out a heavy breath, then nodded. “I’m still really sorry.”

“Don’t be. Now let's get this shit put away and get you moved in.”

Chapter 23

Glenda

After an emotionally charged and full day, we ended up cooking frozen chicken nuggets, getting my boxes inside, then calling it a day.

I woke up refreshed and calm. No nightmares. A tad hot, since Leigh was velcroed to me, but I liked it. I liked him wanting to be near me even when I was dressed. Although it was strange. He was very over the top. At least it felt that way. Maybe he was normal? Maybe he really did like me.

He loved me, and I believed him, but he seemed to genuinely enjoy my company. Even when we sat outside with our oven-baked chicken nuggets and a couple of beers, he sat close, watched me, and would occasionally tuck stray hairs behind my ear.

And last night when I went to bed with my jammies on, he didn’t try to peel them off or push me away. He pulled me into his little nook and we watched TV until we both passed out.