Page 40 of Stiletto's Savior

Her red hair tumbles over her shoulders, but it’s the bruises that catch my eye—dark green and yellow patches decorating her skin like a twisted canvas.

The cuts on her arms are still angry-looking, healing but raw.

My gut twists at the sight of it all.

“Hey,” she says, her voice laced with sarcasm.

“Hey.” I try to meet her gaze, but it feels impossible.

I want to say something that doesn’t sound stupid, especially given how our conversation just went.

She crosses her arms, the movement drawing attention to the bruises. “Still here, huh?”

“Yeah.” I shove my hands into my pockets, trying to hide how much I care. “I’m not going anywhere, Song.”

“Right.” She rolls her eyes, the defiance in her stance making my heart race. “I should’ve figured you’d stick around for the drama.”

“That’s not why I’m here and you damn well know it,” I insist, stepping closer. “Fuck, I already told you why I want to stay. But if you want, we can talk about it in more detail.”

She scoffs, shaking her head. “What’s there to talk about? You have a life back home.”

“Not anymore.” My voice is firmer than I expected. “I left all that behind to find you.”

“Please.” Her laugh is sharp, cutting through the tension. “You think I believe that?”

“Believe what you want,” I reply, frustration bubbling up. “But I didn’t come here for the scenery. I came because you matter to me.”

“Yeah, right.” She waves her hand dismissively, turning away as if my words were nothing.

“Song,” I step forward, urgency clawing at my chest. “For one second, imagine that I want this. Imagine I want you and me, and I want us together. Give me the benefit of the doubt. Surely you can do that?”

She freezes, her back stiffening.

A moment hangs between us, heavy and charged.

Then she laughs again, but this time it’s bitter. “Yeah, good luck with that. I hope you know the only reason I was being so clingy to you the other day was because I thought I was going to die in there. I haven’t forgotten what happened between us.”

“Dammit, I’m serious!” I take another step, desperately searching her hazel eyes for any sign of hope. “I want to fight for us. For what we could be.”

“Fight for what?” She finally turns back, her expression unreadable. “You’re just gonna run away when things get tough, or when I open up to you, right?”

“No, not this time.” I can feel the heat in my cheeks, the fear of losing her. “I messed up before, okay? I pushed you away when you needed me. I won’t do it again.”

“It’s hard for me to believe that you changed your mind all of a sudden,” she grumbles.

“It wasn’t all of a sudden, but, in case you need me to spell it out you’re worth me blowing up my whole life for.” I take a breath, letting the weight of my words linger between us. “And I’m not afraid of being with you anymore. For fuck’s sake, you could’ve died, Song.”

I pause, the weight of my confession heavy in my chest.

Words tangle on the tip of my tongue.

“Look,” I say instead, searching her face for any sign of understanding. “I came here because I care about you. I wanted to make sure you’re okay, to get you out of that damn place.”

She snaps back, her voice sharper than glass. “Yeah? And what if I’m not?”

“Then I’ll be here.” I step closer again, feeling the warmth radiate off her skin. “I want to fight for you, for us. But I can’t do that if you’re pushing me away.”

Her eyes dart away, the vulnerability hidden behind layers of bravado.

---