Chapter Twelve #2
“There’s nothing to talk about.” I stood carefully, needing to be on my feet.
“And you’re the one who brought this public.
I was content to fade into the background if you’d just left me alone.
I don’t want anything from you, Eric. I don’t even wish you ill.
I just want you to leave me and Mia alone. ”
The woman recording nearest to us spoke up. “Do you need help? Should I call the police?”
Eric’s mask slipped completely. Rage twisted his features into something ugly and unfamiliar.
For three years, I’d lived in terror of that expression.
Now I just saw a pathetic little man trying to compensate for all his failures with complete control over his surroundings.
“You think this changes anything?” He stepped back, bumping into a chair.
“You think anyone actually cares about you?”
Rip had reached the edge of the patio now, Inferno right behind him. Eric saw them, and his eyes widened in surprise. He knew he was cornered by multiple predators.
He turned to leave but swung his arm out in a wide, violent arc, knocking over an elaborate vase of flowers.
The heavy ceramic smashed onto the wooden table.
Glass shards from the piece fragmented, exploding outward in all directions.
Several patrons cried out in surprise as everyone cleared the immediate area around us.
Something sharp sliced across the back of my hand. I looked down to see blood welling up in a thin line across my skin, dripping onto the concrete below. Oddly, I felt no pain. Just a distant awareness that I should probably be applying pressure.
Eric stalked away, shoulders hunched, his practiced, condescending image completely shattered.
People kept recording as he crossed the street and disappeared around the corner.
I remained standing, ignoring the blood now trickling down my fingers.
A strange, almost peaceful clarity filled me.
For the first time since I’d escaped him, I’d faced Eric on my terms. And I’d won.
Rip reached me in three long strides, his gaze taking in everything, scanning me from head to toe before focusing on my bleeding hand. “Jesus, Jade.” He grabbed a clean napkin from the table and pressed it against the cut. “How bad is it?”
“Not bad,” I said, though truthfully, I couldn’t feel much of anything yet. The adrenaline coursing through me had numbed everything except a strange, detached sense of triumph.
Inferno moved to stand on my other side, his body positioned to block anyone who might approach. “You OK?” he asked gruffly.
I nodded. “I am.” Though I knew I’d probably crash soon and probably be terrified all over again, I truly believed I really would be all right.
“Knight’s on his way,” he said to Rip. “Already called Ethan too. We’ve got at least a dozen witnesses and videos. Bastard’s going to jail this time.”
Rip kept pressure on my hand, his touch gentle despite the tension radiating from his body.
“We need to get this looked at,” he said, carefully lifting the napkin to examine the cut.
“Might need stitches and will definitely need some antibiotics or cream or maybe a fucking kiss better. Whatever it needs, you will get.” He sounded almost frantic but so determined I wanted to cry happy tears.
I probably looked like a crazy person, kind of felt like a crazy person, but I had never felt so at peace with a decision in my life.
When he lifted the napkin to look at the wound, blood immediately oozed from the cut, bright red against my pale skin.
The sight could have made me dizzy or triggered a panic attack.
Instead, I watched with detached fascination.
This blood was different from all the times Eric had hurt me before. This time, I’d bled fighting back.
“Jade.” Rip’s voice pulled my focus. His dark eyes searched mine, concern evident in the tight lines around his mouth. “You with me, honey?”
“I am,” I said, and meant it in ways I couldn’t fully express. “I really am.”
“Let’s get you patched up.”
I let him guide me toward his bike, Inferno following close behind.
The other patrons watched us go, phones still recording.
I didn’t care. Let them record. Let them be witnesses to my fight to reclaim my life.
I didn’t care how uncomfortable it made me or anyone else.
I would not hide my head in the sand anymore.
I’d stood my ground. I’d faced my monster. And I hadn’t broken.
We rode down the two-lane road into the labyrinth of warehouses that signaled the Kiss of Death compound.
They had most of the vast area of buildings fenced off to outsiders.
I had no idea how they’d managed to cut off public access to the areas nearest Haven and the compound.
But no one got in who wasn’t supposed to and, even stranger, no one seemed to question the club about it.
Rip took me straight to Haven and into the small first-aid room.
He moved to the sink and washed his hands thoroughly, his back to me, shoulders still tight with barely contained anger.
But when he turned and approached me, his expression had softened to pained concern and caring, and the change made my chest ache.
Rip’s expressions were so genuine, even his anger or displeasure didn’t bother me because I could see clearly how he never directed his anger toward me.
“Let me see,” he said, his voice low as he pulled a rolling stool close to the table where I sat.
I extended my injured hand. The cut ran diagonally across the back, from the base of my index finger toward my wrist. Blood had dried in places but still seeped from the deeper parts.
Rip took my hand in both of his, turning it gently to examine the wound.
“Doesn’t look deep enough for stitches,” he said.
“Pain’s coming to look at it. He’ll make sure there isn’t any glass in the wound.
Or whatever doctors do for shit like this.
” He waved his hand helplessly. “Don’t want you hurt. ”
I had to smile at his obvious discomfort.
I knew he feared he’d come on too strong and would scare me or trigger me.
The thought he took such care with my emotions made me lose a little piece of my heart to him.
And he already had several pieces. I had a feeling it was only a matter of time before he had my whole heart.
He reached for the first-aid kit just as Pain stepped into the room. “Hi, Jade. What happened?” Pain gave me a gentle smile.
“A piece of flying glass caught the back of my hand. It doesn’t hurt. Just stings. My tetanus is up to date.”
“I’d like to clean it, if you don’t mind. Maybe some antibiotic ointment and a Band-Aid?”
I nodded with a small smile. “OK.” I glanced up at Rip. “Thank you for helping me, Rip.”
Rip grunted but looked down. “I’ll always help you, girl.” His voice sounded deliciously rough. Despite the recent events, I found a new thrill skitter through my insides as a deep rumble rolled through me like a sweet caress.
“This will sting a bit,” Pain warned, dampening a cotton pad with antiseptic. I hissed in a breath when he gently cleaned the area.
“You did good today.” Rip held my uninjured hand, his thumb rubbing gently over the back. “Real good.”
“He scared me,” I admitted.
“Brave is when you do something despite being scared.” His gaze shifted to my other wrist, where Eric’s fingerprints were already darkening into bruises.
His jaw tightened, a muscle working beneath the skin.
He touched the marks gently with his thumb while Pain put a thick ointment over the scratch and covered it with a large Band-Aid.
His eyes met mine. “I shouldn’t have left you alone. ”
“I’m glad you did.” My words surprised us both. “If you hadn’t, I might not have faced him on my own. I think I needed to stand up to him on my own. Knowing you and Inferno had my back meant everything to me, Rip.”
Rip nodded slowly, understanding filling his expression. “OK. I can understand that.”
I thought about how far I’d come since arriving at Haven. How the woman who’d stumbled through those doors broken, terrified, convinced she deserved what had happened to her, wouldn’t recognize the person sitting here now. I’d found pieces of my soul I thought I’d lost forever.
“Keep this covered until tomorrow. Then try to keep it clean and dry until the skin heals. It’s not really much more than a scratch, so you should be fine.
Just watch for signs of infection and let me know immediately if something doesn’t feel right.
” Pain gave me a reassuring smile. “If it worries you, you ask. Asking is the only way to reassure your mind.”
“Thank you. Everyone here has been so kind.” I looked from Pain to Rip. “Can we talk, Rip? It’s important.” I gripped his hand where he held mine, clinging as tightly as I could.
“Take as much time as you need,” Pain said as he stepped into the hallway and quietly shut the door, leaving us in the small room alone.
“I want to take my life back,” I said quietly. “All of it.”
He looked up at me, his dark eyes intent on my face. “You’re already doing that. Doin’ a Goddamned good job of it, too.” His expression grew intense, his brows drawing together in concentration.
“Not completely.” I took a deep breath. “You told me once that when I was ready, when I was actually ready and not just emotionally fragile, you’d be there. You said we could find happiness.”
His expression didn’t change, but I saw hope and maybe even longing he probably didn’t intend to show me.
“I meant it,” he said.
“I know you did.” I tightened my grip on his hand. “I don’t know where we’ll end up. I don’t know if I can be what you need. But I want to find out if we can have that happiness you talked about.”
Rip went completely still. “You sure about this, Jade? Because I don’t want you doing this for any reason except it’s what you truly want.”
“I’ve spent three years having my choices taken away,” I said. “This one is mine. Completely mine.” I leaned forward slightly. “I choose you, Rip. Not because you saved me or protected me. But because of who you are. Because of who I am when I’m with you.”
His free hand came up to cup my face, thumb brushing across my cheekbone. Rip touched me with such deliberate gentleness, my breath hitched and warmth spread through my insides.
“I’m still learning who I am,” I continued. “Still figuring out who I want to be. But I know I want you to be part of that journey.”
Rip leaned forward slowly, deliberately, giving me every opportunity to pull away. His eyes held mine, watching for any sign of hesitation or doubt. I didn’t move away. Instead, I closed the distance between us.
His lips touched mine, gentle at first, testing. I pressed forward, my uninjured hand moving to the back of his neck. The kiss deepened, weeks of tension and restraint dissolving between us. His hand slid from my face to cradle the back of my head, fingers threading through my hair.
I felt the controlled power in him, the careful way he held himself back. And for the first time in years, I didn’t fear that power. I welcomed it.
When we finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, I kept my forehead pressed against his.
His hand remained at the nape of my neck, warm and steady.
“I meant what I said before,” he murmured.
“We take this at your pace. No matter what. Even if we have to stop, I’ll never be upset with you.
I’ll figure out what I did to trigger you and fix it. ”
“I know.” I smiled against his lips. “But I’m done letting fear decide what I can and can’t have.” I pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. “Eric took enough from me. He doesn’t get to take my future too.”
Rip’s answering smile transformed his entire face, softening the hard edges, lighting his eyes. “No,” he agreed. “He doesn’t.”
I kissed him again because I wanted to. Because I could. Because every choice I made now was mine alone. And this choice felt exactly right.