Chapter Twelve #2
She must hear something in my voice, and it’s not anger or an order. It was quiet, almost gentle. Nothing like I’m used to hearing from myself.
Slowly she turns her head and I keep my fingers on her chin, holding it up as I study every bruise, every cut and mark on her beautiful skin.
It takes a hell of a lot not to curse but I don’t want to scare her. She is still hugging herself. The embarrassment is clear, and she’s trembling slightly, but she doesn’t need to feel that way. Not around me.
“What have the police done?”
She shrugs. “The surveillance footage wasn’t clear and I couldn’t describe what they looked like.”
So nothing then. They were right. The footage is clear enough for me to see the tears running down her broken face, but not any way to identify the rider. Blaze won’t stop until he finds him.
“It’s been happening a lot apparently. I’m not the first. I appreciate you coming but… wait how did you know where I live?”
“Not important.”
“It kind of is,” she frowns, a bit of the Taylor I’d seen the first time we met slips out.
“We’ll worry about that later, I want to know everything about what happened.”
“You think you can do more than the cops?”
“I know I can.”
“Noah… I don’t want you to do anything crazy.”
“What makes you think I’ll do something crazy. Cos I’m in a gang?”
She rolls her eyes, then winces.
“Fuck,” I sigh and take a step closer. Taylor watches as I slowly stroke my finger around the bruise under her eye, careful not to touch it. The colors of the bruise are at that horrible purple green stage, and the cut on her lip is healing but still looks sore.
She closes her eyes, and a tear falls from between her lashes. Her chest hitches as she struggles not to let her emotions get the better of her.
I’m going to murder him for even daring to touch her.
Around us, there are reminders of her father everywhere, pictures, an old sweater on the chair, and it dawns on me that she is here alone.
I might have a shitty dad, but Taylor didn’t.
All I can think about is how relieved Oscar was after his nightmare when I held him and soothed him and without thinking, I wrap my arms around her and pull her against my chest.
Taylor resists for a moment, her body tensing but I don’t give her a chance to pull away. It’s selfish and I might be an asshole for doing it because she barely knows me, but something tells me she needs this. After a while, she leans into me and I wrap my arms tighter around her back.
Her little sniffs and the dampness seeping through my shirt tells me she is crying. I can’t fucking stand this but I refuse to let her go. I’ll stand here and hold her as long as she needs it. There is more to this outpour, this is about her dad too.
I’m really fucking confused about how I’ve ended up here and what it means.
When she moves back and wipes at her eyes, I guide her over to the couch. She sits down, keeping her eyes off me. I glance through the dining room to a kitchen and walk through, searching through the cabinets till I find cups.
There is tea on the counter beside a kettle, not something you see often.
I fill it with water and set a tea bag in the mug.
Something I learned from one of the older-timers old lady's a while ago. Taylor doesn’t move except to pull a blanket around her shoulders and she stares at me when I come back with two steaming cups.
I’m not a tea drinker, but what the hell. She needs to know I’m here for now.
“You have anyone who can look after you?” I ask, handing her one of the cups and sitting down beside her.
“I hardly need looking after,” she laughs.
“The wounds might be superficial, Cherry but the trauma isn’t.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Have you turned people away?” I lift a brow.
“I can take care of myself. You’re the only one who hasn’t taken no for an answer.”
“That’s my modus operandi.”
Her lip tilts slightly, but it falls as fast as it came. She looks bone tired, especially after letting out all that emotion.
“Have you been sleeping?” She shrugs. “Nightmares?”
“What are you doing, Noah?”
“Being alone after something like that isn’t good for you.”
“You’re hardly the person I’d expect to help.”
I ignore that. “When did you last sleep, Cherry?”
“Last night,” she says but her eyes dip away, a sure sign she’s lying.
There is a lamp on a side table at the end of the couch which I flick on then get up and turn off the main lights.
Taylor watches as I come back and adjust some of the cushions, then get back on the couch closer to her than before.
She doesn’t know what to say when I put my arm up around behind her.
“Just don’t ask any fucking questions.”
Her brow lifts.
“You’re not sleeping because you’re alone.”
“You don’t need to stay,” she starts to protest.
“I mean this in the nicest possible way, but shut up, lie back and go to sleep.”
“I’m not tired,” she argues.
“Then I’ll give up, but not until you try.”
“Who even are you right now?”
“Let’s say neither one of us are who we normally are right now and leave it at that.”
Taylor stares at me and I do my best not to get mad at the bruises. I’m not sure I hide it but Taylor doesn’t comment, instead she leans back against my arm and I shift to cup her shoulder, then pull the blanket up over her chest.
At first she sits still and I keep tilting my head to see what she’s doing.
It takes about ten minutes for her eyes to start to droop.
I’ve been around people who’ve taken a beating too many times not to know what they need.
Eventually, she falls asleep and I stay still for a good half hour until I’m sure she is in a deep sleep.
The whole time I’m re-playing that video in my head, thinking about how I intend to kill that fucker.
It takes some finesse but I manage to get my phone out and send messages to Rebel, Blaze and Jesse. Giving my men orders and asking Jesse to take care of Oscar for me.
He’s still pissed at me, but where Oscar is concerned, he’ll do what needs to be done. Rebel replies saying he will make the arrangements for going to Cannon’s club tomorrow and let me know what time.
I’m not planning on leaving her alone. Whatever this pull she has on me I’ll question some other time. I’m pissed she’s told her friends she is okay when clearly she isn’t, and they haven’t pushed to stay with her.
It’s quiet here and after a while, my eyes start to drift too. It feels like it’s been an age since I’ve sat, not having to go anywhere, not having to deal with a multitude of problems, or people expecting something of me.
My phone buzzes, startling me out of a doze, and I grab it quick so it doesn’t wake her.
Taylor shifts, turns toward me and cuddles against my chest, the crown of her head under my chin.
The blanket slips a little and I have a perfect view straight down her top.
Fuck me. I pull the blanket back up and look at my phone.
Blaze:
I’ve tracked the bike to an address in Mid Town and Mount Vernon. I’ve sent Daze and Vicious to check it out
Nero:
Make sure they know I want to deal with him myself
Blaze:
Okay. I’ll find more info on the owner and who he hangs out with
I put the phone down and look through the front window.
Then shift carefully to make sure I don’t wake Taylor as I get up.
Once I’m sure she’s still out, I make my way around her house, checking everything out, including the security measures.
The outdated security system and flimsy locks on her window don’t fill me with confidence.
What is clearly her dad’s room is full of boxes, some full, some waiting to be made. A few doors along I come to Taylor’s room. It’s feminine but not overly so, and has been decorated since she was a kid, it’s not a childhood bedroom.
Before things get too creepy, I pull back the covers then go downstairs. Taylor is still asleep. I’m not sure this will work without waking her but the couch isn’t that comfortable. With great care, I slip my arms underneath her and lift her up.
She wakes, disorientated as I cradle her in my arms.
“Noah?”
“Relax, I’m taking you to bed.”
“You haven’t even bought me dinner yet,” she mumbles, making me laugh. “You can put me down,” she says sleepily.
“No thanks.”
She moans and leans into me again. Fucking hell she is going to be the death of me.
“I’ll be okay now I’ve had some sleep.”
“It wasn’t enough,” I walk around the top of the stairs and into her bedroom, carefully setting her down in the bed. “You need more.”
“It’s okay,” she starts to get up. “I’ll be alright,” she looks around the room then back at me, as if she isn’t sure how she got here. “Um, you can go.”
I stand back and look at her as she sits up, like she is about to get out of bed. Before she can get to her feet, I walk over and stand right beside her so she can’t get up. Her head tips so she can look at me.
“You’re worried about nightmares.”
She shakes her head and turns away.
“Cherry,” I take her chin and pull her face back. “Do you want me to stay so you can sleep?”
She shakes her head, but it’s because I’m practically a stranger. Even though I have somewhere I need to be, I don’t like the idea of her suffering alone. While she watches I take off my cut and kick my boots into the corner.
“What are you doing?”
“Shush, Cherry.”
Her mouth opens and closes but she doesn’t know what to say and watches me get into the bed on the other side.
“This is… Am I dreaming?”
“You will be soon, lay down and come here,” I lift my arm. I don’t even recognize myself right now but that is okay. I’ll worry about that tomorrow.
After a few moments of hesitation, Taylor moves into the center of the bed but out of reach of me putting my arm around her. Whatever works for her. She lies on her side and watches me. I turn away and stare at the ceiling.
“You’re not like I thought you would be.”
I don’t answer and we lay in silence. I shut off my mind and close my eyes, thinking she will do the same but before I can check on her, I fall asleep.