Crew
As soon as we arrived at our home behind Blue, I plucked Nova from the back of the truck and carried her in my arms up the front steps, boots leaving muddy streaks.
Blue opened the door with his usual silent efficiency, scanning the area before shutting it behind us, while Black remained outside checking on the men he stationed on the grounds and around the perimeter.
Inside, the lights were low making me think everyone was either sleeping or in their rooms until I saw Tyra barreling towards us, eyes going wide at the sight of Nova’s bloodied face.
“Oh my God Nova!” She cried.
Nova turned toward her trying to speak to her but got choked up. Her lip was split, her face and left eye darkening with a bruise.
“Get the first aid kit, some towels and water. Now.” I roared a little too harshly, my voice low, vibrating with rage I hadn’t burned off yet making Nova and Tyra both jump. “I’m sorry Tyra. Please.”
She just nodded and ran off to get what I needed.
Hot on her heels Janelle appeared from the hall, lips pressed tight, her motherly instincts clicking in.
“Crew, put her right here.” She said, gesturing to the big couch.
I didn’t hesitate, laying Nova down like she might break. Nova hissed in pain, trying to push herself up.
“Lay your ass down until we check you out,” Janelle snapped, not unkindly. “You need to let us check you out, Nova.” she said more gently this time.
Nova glared, lip trembling. So unused to people caring for her or ordering her around like she always did for anyone else.
“I’m fine. Just tired.” She whispered.
“You’re not fucking fine. Look what they did to your face.” I snarled, not meaning to yell at her. But we could have lost her. It may have been too soon to feel this was for Nova, but I don’t know if I could live in a world without her.
Nova’s eyes snapped to mine and for a moment silence fell. Then she broke, her sobs ripping out of her chest as she cried. I sank to my knees in front of her, rubbing my knuckles across her cheek.
“I’m here. I’m here, baby. It’s okay.” I told her.
She clutched the front of my shirt, dragging me closer like I might leave her. But she never had to worry about that in this life or the next. Nova was it for me.
“He…he said he’d take me away. I thought you wouldn’t find me. I thought…” She softly cried into my chest.
“Never Princess. Don’t you ever think that,” I said.
Tyra arrived with towels, water, and a box of medical supplies. Then she and Janelle got to work, starting with cleaning Nova’s face with clinical precision, ignoring the curses Nova spat when the antiseptic burned. I didn’t move. I kept one big hand on her knee, grounding her and myself.
“Where’s Timberly?” Nova rasped, voice hoarse.
“Asleep,” Tyra said gently. “We didn’t tell her anything except that Crew was out looking for you again. We didn’t want to get her hopes up if something happened.” She said lip trembling.
Nova’s eyes filled again. “She can’t see me like this.”
“You’ll see her tomorrow. Clean and safe I promise.” I said, leaning in kissing her on the forehead.
“I don’t want her to be scared of me.” She cried more.
My jaw flexed as I drug a hand down my face, leaving a smear of Nova’s blood on my cheek.
“She won’t be. You’re her mama. Her safe place. She loves you,” I said.
“I don’t feel safe.” Nova said, closing her eyes.
“You are now.” I exhaled slowly.
“She’ll have a scar.” Janelle said quietly, once they finished bandaging her cuts and cleaning Nova’s lip and eyebrow.
“Good. I want him to remember it when I look at him before he dies.” Nova said, giving a hollow laugh.
“I’ll make sure he does.” I said calmly.
I looked up and noticed Blue and Black were both standing by the door.
They didn’t say a word, just watched, guns in hand, eyes scanning the windows.
We had gone to battle together and come out on the other side unharmed.
These were my brothers now. Their loyalty was unmatched.
I see why August put his trust in them when it came to his family. Nova’s eyes drifted to them.
“Thank you,” she croaked.
Blue just nodded once.
“Welcome home.” Black grunted.
That was all they said. Before they went back to the shadows. I leaned down pressing my forehead to her’s.
“I’m sorry, Princess.” I whispered.
“Don’t. Not now.” She said, shaking her head weakly, fingers threading into my shirt.
“I’ll never let anyone take you again. You hear me? Never.”
Nova let out a breath and relaxed into me.
“I’m gon take her up to bed so she can get cleaned up and get some rest. Could you guys make her something to eat?
” I said to Tyra and Janelle. They nodded, picking up the supplies and leaving the room.
“Come on Princess.” I said lifting Nova from the couch and taking her up to our room.
I placed her on our bed and went to run her a bath.
Once I was done, I came back to the room and undressed her, taking in every bruise, cut and scrape on her body.
I was going to make sure Kyle's bitch ass paid for each one.
“He’s not done. He’ll come back.” She said quietly.
“Let him.” I said, kissing her hair, blood and sweat be damned. “I want him to.”
Nova didn’t answer. She was too busy crying quietly on my shoulder. Outside, the wind howled around the house, as my wife shivered in my arms.
“He said—he’d take Timberly. That he’d make me watch.” She cried.
I closed my eyes; my hands trembled on her shoulders. “That won’t fucking happen. I’ll put him in the ground before he touches her. You’re safe. She’s safe.”
“I just want to forget. I want you to make me forget just for tonight. I need to feel something other than fear.” She pleaded, holding me tighter.
“Whatever you need, baby.” I said, holding her face in my hands. “But tomorrow you won’t hide. You’ll face this thing head on with me because if I let you fall apart, he wins, and I’ll never let that happen. Do you hear me?
“Yes Sir.”
“Come on,” I said, helping her to the bathroom where I stripped her out of her soiled clothes and into the tub.
I slid in behind her pulling her between my legs, resting her back against my chest where she was comfortable.
I felt the moment when she relaxed her body into mine.
I wrapped my arm around her small frame and ran my hands over the skin of her soft stomach as I placed kisses on her neck and face.
She wanted me to make her forget so that’s what I would do.
I brushed my fingers over her nipples, pinching them, hearing her hiss and arch into me.
Using my other hand trailing it down between her legs, I strummed my fingers over her clit with just enough pressure to make her moan.
When she started to rock against my fingers, I knew I had her.
I wet them in the juices that were seeping from her body before pushing two into her, slowly pumping in and out.
She started moaning and writhing in my lap, hand gripping my bicep for balance as she rode the wave of ecstasy that I was providing her.
“More,” she moaned.
I would love nothing more than to sink into her and listen as she fell apart for me, but this wasn’t about me, this was about Nova and what she needed.
So, I continued to massage her breast and adding another finger to her warm pussy as I fucked her faster.
She dropped her head back on my shoulder and rocked into my hand chasing her orgasm until she was clenching down on my fingers and trembling in my grip.
Her voice was harsh but still sweet as she moaned for me.
“Umm, so good baby.” She sang, coming down from high.
I kissed her tenderly on her flushed cheek, removing my fingers from her and grabbing a washcloth to clean her from head to toe.
Once I was finished, I washed her hair and helped her step out of the tub so I could rinse her off in the shower.
Finally, after helping her get dried off, teeth brushed and hair up in a bonnet.
I covered her body in lotion and carried her to bed.
I forced her to eat a little of the sandwich Janell made for her and drink her tea before she laid down to rest.
“I missed you Princess, so much. We all did.”
“I missed you too. Thank you for coming for me.” She said sleepily.
“Go to sleep baby. Rest. You’re safe.” I said, getting in behind her and pulling her tight against me. And before long she fell asleep in my arms. It would be a while before sleep found me but no matter I would hold Nova all night.