“You don’t perceive. My father…he…” She has to cease for breath, visibly attempting to calm herself down and I can’t assist it, I sluggish my stride and kiss her brow, cheeks, the crown of her head, holding her tighter in my arms to consolation her. “North, my father isn’t individual,” she whispers. “He’s in league with a very harmful man. And h-he threatened to have you ever killed if I didn’t break issues off.” Her chest begins to heave. “Oh God, I could possibly be placing you in peril proper now.”

I’m too overcome with worry that she’s been gravely harm to totally course of this information. However I hear all of it the identical. I hear an important half and my coronary heart begins to beat once more for the primary time in 5 days. “You didn’t…wish to depart me?”

“No!” she cries out. “I’m dying with out you.”

Her phrases wind me, knock my breath proper out of my lungs. “That is actual. That is actual? I do know I’m not having a fantasy, as a result of I’d by no means daydream of you getting hit.”

“It’s actual. I’m right here.” We attain my automobile then and I sit her on the hood whereas I unlock the door, then choose her again up and gently place her within the passenger seat, buckling her seatbelt. Earlier than I can shut the door, she snags my wrist. “I don’t know what to do, North. I’m scared. I can’t keep away from you, however I may get you killed.”

“Hearken to me, Gracie, we’re going to determine this out. Collectively. Figuring out you need me? That’s all I would like. Nobody is maintaining me from you once more. I fucking bleed with love for you,” I say thickly, fingers shaking violently. “Allow them to come for me.”

“I really like you,” she whispers, laying her head again towards the seat, the love on her face slaying me the place I stand. “I’d bleed for you, too.”

“You’re bleeding for me,” I rasp, throat on fireplace. “Please let me be sure you’re all proper, magnificence.”

She nods and I exhale jaggedly, closing the door and operating for the driving force’s aspect.

Grace is okay.

She’s okay.

She’s okay.

I repeat these phrases to myself on a loop whereas leaning towards the hallway wall exterior of her hospital room, nonetheless shirtless, eyes bloodshot. The nurses made me depart Grace’s room within the ER so they might ask her some questions. I do know they’re asking my girlfriend if I’m the one who gave her that knot on her head—and I’m glad. I’m glad there are folks in place to guard her, even when the very suggestion that I’d hit her makes me sick to my abdomen.

They wish to preserve Grace in a single day as a precaution solely and I’m not going to go away her aspect for a goddamn second. I’ve already known as Tulip, who’s secure at house, letting her know the place I’ll be. She cried and apologized once I instructed her Grace obtained in the midst of my struggle, blaming herself, however I wouldn’t permit it. There’s nobody in charge right here. Grace and I had been born on the alternative aspect of the tracks. Cash and standing and public notion are the perpetrator. They’re what stored us aside.

However I’m not permitting that to occur anymore.

Grace may by no means look something lower than stunning, however one have a look at her face and I can see the toll it took. To be separated from me. We share one coronary heart, one soul. Being away from one another isn’t an choice. 5 days with out us has stolen her wholesome glow, surrounded her eyes with purplish shadows. I can’t stand to think about what she’s gone via. If she skilled half of my ache, I don’t know the way she’s even respiratory proper now.

The nurse comes out of the room holding a clipboard and nods at me. “Effectively,” she laughs. “Somebody definitely loves you.” Her eyes skate down my chest, in a sensible, motherly means. “I’m going to examine and see if we’ve scrubs in your measurement. I doubt you’re going to go away your girlfriend—”

“You’ve obtained that proper.”

Once more, she laughs. “And you’ll’t sit right here half-dressed all night time.”

I nod as soon as. “Thanks, that might be nice.”

“Keep right here.”

Pacing, desperate to get again into the room with Grace, I watch the nurse disappear right into a provide closet and step out a second later with a blue garment. It’s a bit tight, however I handle to get it over my head and down my chest, arms and torso. With another nod of gratitude for the nurse, I reenter the darkish room, my coronary heart pounding uncontrolled on the means Grace smiles at me, reaching out her hand.

I cross the ground and take it, holding her palm to my cheek.

Can’t imagine I’m touching her. Can’t imagine she got here again.

“They’re not going to name my dad and mom. I’m eighteen, so I’ve the choice,” she murmurs. “However once I don’t come house tonight…I don’t know what’s going to occur.”

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