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"You are all that I fuckin' need," I snarl, pissed that she's even saying this shit. "You don't ever fuckin' apologize for what other's cause. Trust me, Es, there's nowhere in this world I'd rather be than here, with you."
She rests her head against mine. "I'm falling so hard for you, Gray. I never meant to. I never thought I'd ever feel safe with anyone. Then you came into my life and changed everything."
I can't help but grin at her words. I'm not afraid to admit to myself that I'm half in love with her. "Trust me, honey, the feelin' is entirely mutual."
"Will you stay here tonight?" she asks, her gaze searching mine.
"You don't even have to ask. My ass is here every fuckin' night, Es. I ain't sleepin' anywhere but with you. But we gotta talk. You need to know what went down today."
She bites her lip. "You did see Harry today?"
"Don't say that fucker's name," I snarl, pissed that he was close to her today.
"Okay," she says softly. "What happened?"
I explain to her without going into all the details. That's club business, and what goes on with the club isn't told anywhere. I give her as much information as I can without giving her anything that could get her hurt. "I warned that cunt to leave you alone. He didn't heed my warning."
"He doesn't like being told what to do. I'm just so happy that Mr. Routledge was there today. I don't think he would have left otherwise."
Yeah, I have no doubt that had the principal of the school not stumbled upon what was happening in his damn parking lot, that asshole Jacobson would have taken her into his car, and I wouldn't have seen her again.
"Ace is on his way. Seri will stay with you while we're gone, but I'll be back once I'm done."
I watch as the color drains from her face. "No," she whispers. "Please, Gray, please don't go to him. I can't see you being hurt or getting into trouble. Not for me."
"He's not goin' to get away with hurtin' you, Es. Christ, have you seen your face? There's a fuckin' bruise. One that he put there." My words are harsh, I know, but I can't hide my anger any longer. It's consuming me, and I need a fucking release for it.
She grabs my face, her hands framing it. "Please," she weeps. "I can't lose you, Gray. He's an asshole and he'll call the cops."
My gaze moves to her right wrist, and I bite back a curse when I see his fingermarks. She told me how he grabbed her, how he dug his fucking fingers into her flesh. She never told me he'd left marks on her from it. "Where else did he hurt you?" I ask, my voice coming out as a rumble.
She pulls in a sharp breath, her gaze assessing me.
"Esme, please," I say hoarsely. "Where else did he hurt you?"
She shifts her weight on my lap, then reaches for the hem of her t-shirt and lifts it up. My heart stutters when I see the red mark on her ribs. I trace the bruise, noting that she keeps her jaw locked and her eyes on me. I see the pain shining in them. She doesn't want me to see how much that cunt has hurt her, so she won't let me in.
"Okay, Es," I say. "Why didn't you tell me that you had bruises other than on your head?"
"I've been around the club long enough to know what happens when someone they care about gets hurt, and I know how much you care about me, Gray. I can feel it," she says with tears in her eyes. "You've been to prison. You've served time for a crime you didn't commit. I can't be the reason you go back. I care about you too much to have you do something that'll make you end up back inside."
It's my turn to frame her face. "Esme, I'd fuckin' go to war for you. Don't you understand that? You're mine, honey, and some motherfucker hurt you. That's not somethin' I'll ever let slide. This is who I am. You know what the men in the club are like. You knew what I'd be like. You knew from the moment we met. I'm never goin' to change."
She nods. "I know," she whispers. "But I can't lose you. I just can't."
Before I'm able to answer her, the front door opens and Serenity storms into the house, her eyes wild and filled with tears. She's followed by Shadow, Ace, Eda, Rush, Cage, and Preacher. "Christ," she cries. "Oh, Es, what happened?"
I lift Es off my lap and sit her on the sofa. "You're goin' to stay here with her," I tell Seri and Eda. "You're lockin' the door and you're not to open it 'til we're back. You understand?"
"Wait," Eda says, her gaze searching between me and her man, Ace. "What's goin' on?"
"If Es is feelin' up to it, she'll tell you. Right now, we've got somewhere to be."
Esme jumps to her feet. "Please, Gray, don't?—"
"That cunt hit you, Es," I say, cutting her off. "I told you, honey, I'm not lettin' that slide."
She crosses her arms over her chest, tears filling her eyes. "Please," she cries. "Be careful."
