Page 9 of Cuts Like an Angel: Part 2

Chapter Five

William

They'd be needing to go home soon. Home ... to William's house and out of the safety net of the hotel room. Would they cope? Would they work when it was life they had to deal with? William stared at himself in the mirror, hands gripping the edge of the sink. Tired eyes watched him right back. Could he even dare to believe? He ran the water and filled the sink so he could wash his face, and let all that shit fade away so they could have this day, and the next and the one after that. But right now, he would focus on the moment. This moment. Standing here with the scent of his sweet Rosie all over him. She was his intoxicating perfume.

He scooped the warm water up and splashed it across his face, freshening himself and washing away the thoughts of doubts that had no home in his mind. One of his phones buzzed in the pocket of his jeans. "Shit," he muttered, fumbling to dry his hands quickly and then yank the infernal thing from the tight space. His heart sank the moment he saw the screen. Maria ... he stared at the phone, finger hovering to answer, but at the last second, he moved his thumb and clicked decline. His heart tugged in his chest as the image of her dealing with that rejection hit his mind, but he didn't have it in him in that moment to speak to her.

"Seeing that little slut, are you?" she'd chimed up the moment he told her he would be out of town for the day, sending his blood boiling and wanting to defend Rosie. She didn't know Rosie—knew nothing about her. "I'm always right," she said, wagging a gnarled, twisted finger at him. "You know I am. I always know what is right for you."

It was luck, that was all. She had predicted every girl that came along wouldn't last. How they would leave him, find someone else or it would end. Lizzy and Debbie ... He'd ended those first. Lizzy had been a little like Rosie ... no, that was a lie. No one was like Rosie, but she had been sweet and loving. He'd thought maybe she stood a chance, but like them all, Maria had been too much and he'd left before Lizzy had time to leave. Debbie ... she thought she had loved him. She even cried when he had told her it was over, but he could see the truth in her eyes and way she sighed at him. She'd told him she loved him and that was his cue. He'd ended it the very next day, before his heart heard those words and fell into that trap and reciprocated.

William shoved his phone back into his pocket and turned to leave, knocking Rosie's bag from the back of the door. He scrambled to catch it, slamming his hand against the bag, and sending the contents skidding across the bathroom floor. "Shit ... bollocks." He fought to grab it all.

"Is everything okay?" came the knock on the door a moment later.

"Yep. Just clumsy shit here knocking everything over. Be a sec."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He listened to her moving as his eyes stared at the envelope on the floor. Sticking out of it was a picture. He threw a glance over his shoulder at the door, feeling like Rosie could see what he was about to do and know what he was thinking. These were her things—her private things. He plucked up the picture and his chest tightened, his heart almost freezing in his chest as he held his breath and stared at the image of a young Rosie in a hospital bed, holding a baby that clearly was hers. A girl ... the pink blanket wrapped around it, a small pink bonnet on a tiny head. Little cheeks clear. Eyes closed. William stared, his heart stopping. Rosie had a baby?

He couldn't even ask her. What was he going to say? How could he say it without telling her he'd looked at her stuff even if it was a damn accident? Shit. And was she ever going to say? Maybe she would hide it from him?

She's just like all the rest.

Maria's words burned his mind. No. She would tell him. In her own time. She would ...

But he hardly knew her. It had been what? Seven weeks since she had answered his desperate call that night? It felt like so much longer. His stupid fucking heart had fallen, hadn't it? It had come along, rolled over and said, where do you want me to lie so you can stamp on me more efficiently?

Fuck ...

He closed his eyes and inhaled slowly, pulling Josh to the forefront of his mind ... the calming, in control and logical side of him. Give it time. This is just the first day. She probably didn't want to spoil things.

Maybe she wanted him to find it, that’s why she had left her bag in the bathroom, where he could rifle through it and then she wouldn’t have to tell him herself. Maybe she put it there so he would leave, William’s voice pushed, throwing Josh’s logic out.

Rosie knocked on the door again, making him jump. "Are you sure you're okay? You're really quiet." She tried the handle and his eyes widened.

"I'm fine. Just a second."

He placed the photo on the counter and took a picture of it on his phone. He wanted to look at it properly in his own time… to see it before it got hidden. Shoving it back in her bag, he gathered up everything else and put the bag back where she had left it.

Putting the lid down on the toilet, he pressed the flusher for sound, and then he washed his hands, turned out the light and opened the door. Rosie was standing back on the other side, eyes on him, studying him. The weight of her stare almost slicing through him. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yes ..."

He let a grin form and then went to her, scooping his arm around her back and pulling her close. He kissed her gently on the mouth. "Good."

"Did you cut?" she asked.

"Cut?"

Her eyes searched his as if whatever she wanted to say was there, just in her mouth, but not ready to come out yet. "Yes. In the bathroom. Did you hurt yourself?"

"No. I was just using the bathroom."

"You were a long time."

"I didn't cut."

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