Chapter 25 #2
“I’m right here,” I say and Love glues her body to mine as she shudders sobbing against my chest, my arms around her. She doesn’t seem to want to move so I sit on the floor and keep her enveloped in my arms.
What was supposed to be minutes turned into hours, and the next thing I remember Love is asleep on my arms, I slowly, steadily and silently move us to the bed, she rolls to my left side and stays hugged to my arm.
I’m grateful she reached out, the state she was in when she received the news, the way she disconnected from reality, from me, not letting anyone touch her.
She only allowed one quick hug to each of our friends and then went into gone mode for the rest of the evening, and morning.
Love is strong, she needed time to adjust to what happened in her head. I look down at her, mouth slightly open, a crease between her eyebrows, her arms around my waist and left arm. I could stay in here forever if my phone wasn’t blowing up.
I reach for it with my right arm and struggle not to wake Love up, but she stays sound asleep.
Josh: We’re turning off the machines, get your ass here and bring Love.
Can’t catch a break, I scoop Love back into my arms and shush her back to sleep. I carry her to the front door, and see Josh standing outside the building. Good, no chance to get her some needed rest.
“I’m sore,” Love says when I get her back on her feet waking her up slowly.
“I know, honey, I’m sorry,” I respond knowing she doesn’t remember what happened, I hold her hand and feel the hold on mine strengthen when she sees Josh.
“It wasn’t a nightmare, Dom?” she asks, I shake my head. “God, I wish it was. Let’s get this over with,” Love says and I hate her tone, her broken raspy voice from all the crying and sobbing.
I open the front door and hold it open for Love to pass yet she doesn’t move. I keep holding her hand, but she seems gone. Sorry, but not again!
“Give us one second, Josh,” I say closing the door again, Love looks at me numb and I clap my hands in front of her face once, it’s all it takes for her to regain some conscience, hopefully enough.
“Why did we stop walking?” she asks and crosses her arms over her chest. Cold.
She’s cold. I hand her my jacket and when she doesn’t take it becoming absent yet again I put it around her shoulders and get ready for her to hate me forever, which also means Josh will kill me.
But oh well, a man has to do what he has to do.
And for my girl? That includes making her possibly hate me for some time, if that means I save her.
“You were detaching from reality again. And I can not let you do that. I can’t see someone I love, slowly slipping away, until they’ve had enough and decide to end it.
Your father wouldn’t want you like this, Love.
He did everything, and when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING, he could to keep you safe, to make this world livable so you could be happy.
All he wanted was for you to be happy. He talked to me a couple of days ago, he told me and I quote, ‘If something happens take care of my girl, and solve Liot’s situation, keep Josh in a leash he can be self-destructive.
This is not a request, if you don’t keep your part of the deal I will get out of my fucking grave and drag you to hell myself.
’ He wanted you and Josh to be safe. Safe and happy,” I end and she laughs.
“I can feel him in the words,” she says, “I’m surprised he didn’t make you sign the agreement with your own blood,” she jokes, but she could be right. Vance is someone who would do it, if he thought he had to.
“Who says he didn’t?” I joke back and she reaches for my hand, I let her take it, it, me, my soul, everything.
“I’m not detaching from you,” she promises kissing my cheek.
“Good, because that’s the best speech my apathetic ass could manage,” I say and Josh opens the door.
“You said one second it’s been almost eight minutes,” Josh calls me out, but seeing Love smile at me and walk towards Josh for a hug, is everything I needed. I needed to see she was still here. And she still wanted to be.
“I’m sorry, Josh-”
“It’s ok,” Josh says and kisses the top of her head, starting to walk with her, I walk behind them and Love keeps checking on me while talking to Josh on the way to the infirmary.
When we enter it, Love has my black jacket closed and after hugging everyone.
She pulls Rian with her towards me, she holds Rian’s arm and my hand.
While silently screaming. The whole time the small ceremony Marcus prepared, with prayers, stories and the final goodbye, screams sadness but also screams love.
Vance Kane created a real loving, caring family, and I know Josh and I are ready to keep this chaotic reign in restraints and make this a safe place.
Not today, not tomorrow, but someday, all of us standing in this room will find happiness.
I’ll keep an eye on them. Not just Love and Josh.
I owe my life to Vance, and I owe my happiness to him too.
So I will not only keep my part of the deal.
I’ll extend it to Marcus, Rian, Sammy, Maya, Damian and Aiden.
Even the prick Aiden will stay alive. I’ll make sure of it.
Chaos will not overthrow what Vance and all of us started to build.
Liot doesn’t stand a chance, and he’ll pay for all of this! I’ll make sure of it, even if it costs me my legacy.