AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He leans against the frame and crosses his arms over his chest. “Want to talk about it?”
“No.” I clench my fists even tighter than they already were.
Simon stiffens in place and his brows furrow. “Let me see your hands, love.”
I pull them toward my body. “What?” Why? No.”
He kicks off the door and stands as close to the inside of my room as possible. “Damn it, June, let me see your hands.”
“Just let me leave, Simon.”
“Fuck it,” he mutters and barges into my bedroom, not giving a shit about the stupid rule that he isn’t allowed in here. Simon kneels next to me and pries one of my fists from me, peeling my fingers away from my palm and revealing the crescent shapes cuts lining my skin. He sighs, his resolve softening. “Give me the other one.” He takes it into his hand, gently pulling back the fingers on that one, too. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” He lifts me off the floor with ease, helping me rise to my feet.
I want to shrivel back down and crawl under my bed, hiding and wasting away into nothing, because that’s how I feel. Like nothing. One minute, I’m confident and on top of the world, and the next, I’m insecure and doubting everything. I’m furious and sad, and I just want something to make sense. I thought I had finally found something stable, a constant in my life, but it’s like once I found solid footing, the rug was pulled out from under me. The only steady part of my life is gripping my arms and helping me down the hallway to the bathroom where he’s not forbidden from entering.
Simon puts his firm hands on my waist and raises me onto the counter. He turns on the faucet and looks under the sink for what I can only assume is a first aid kit.
I study his face while he goes to work, not paying attention to the burn of the water or the sting of the ointment he puts on the tiny cuts. Instead, I focus on his meticulously crafted bone structure, the delicate shape of his lips, the wispiness of his long eyelashes. The same man who brought me my abuser so I could get my revenge, who had a smile on his face when I sliced the guy’s throat, is the same guy who is tender and kind and caring. He pulled a gun on some random stranger last night and here he is, delicate as a flower.
“I didn’t realize you hurt your hand either, love. Why didn’t you tell me?” He turns my wrist and runs his thumb along my swollen knuckles. “I think you should have this looked at.”
“You’re looking at it right now.”
He tilts his head slightly. “You know what I mean.” Simon applies soft pressure to my hand. “Does this hurt?” He moves around, applying more pressure and bending my fingers carefully.
“No,” I lie. But I wouldn’t erase it if I could. It’s a reminder of the first time in a long while that I’ve felt relativelynormaland I welcome the pain with open arms. “I’m fine, really.”
Simon continues to work my hand. “You may be able to fool them, love. But you don’t fool me.”
How is it possible that a man that isn’t even mine knows me better than my own boyfriends? I guess that’s what happens when you spend day after day with someone. Simon isn’t just here to hang out, he’s here to watch my every move and anticipate any threat that may come my way. His job is to pay attention to me, and that is exactly what he does.
“Thanks,” I tell him and hop off the counter. “I’m going to take a nap.” I hold my bandaged hands close to my body.
He follows me down the hall but stops at my door.
“Will you stay?” I ask him.
“You know I can’t do that.” Simon’s jaw tenses.
“Then I’ll sleep on the couch.” I go to leave the room but he raises his hand to stop me.
“No, you’ll sleep in your bed, love.” He points to the floor outside my room. “I’ll stay out here. Okay?”
“That won’t be comfortable.”
“And neither would the couch.” His gaze stares into me. “I’ll be fine.”
I want to protest, to tell him that the rules the guys put in place are stupid, and that if they didn't want Simon in my room, they should be here to prevent it from happening. Maybe they shouldn't have hired him to watch over me because they're too busy to do it themselves. But that would involve more energy than I'm capable of expending right now, and all I really want to do is curl up in a ball and drift off to sleep. I only hope it will be nightmare free and grant me the tiniest bit of rest.
I crawl into bed, bringing the covers up to my neck and smooshing my face against the pillow. I train my attention on the man outside my doorway, his back pressed along the wall, his one knee brought up toward him and the other out flat. He fiddles with the ring on his thumb and he’s the last thing I think about when I finally drift into sleep.
At some point, a person moves me, their body coming under mine.
I settle into them without question, assuming it’s probably Magnus coming to have an apology cuddle. He’s the most snuggly of all my men, and definitely the most affectionate. His love is a warm blanket that soothes my aching soul.
I don’t open my heavy eyes, instead, I keep them closed and welcome the comfort my company brings. I wrap my arm around their chest and listen to the steady but boisterous beat of their heart.Thump-thump…thump-thump.
It lulls me into a restful sleep, keeping the nightmare that was plaguing me moments ago away.
