Page 59 of Crash and Burn

“Vinny! Your hand!”

“You should see tha otha guy! This is nothin’.” He winked at me.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry you guys, but thank you so much for coming. I’m so glad Sheila called you. Thank you, Vinny.” I looked up at Hudson who lowered his forehead to mine. “Thank you, Huuud.” I half smiled.

“I fucking knew when you said that shit twice…that was it. Something was wrong. Don’t ever call me that again.” We all laughed.

“I won’t. Thank you, Hudson. I mean it. Your lip…” I started to cry.

“Ssshh. It’s ok. I’m here now. That asshole headbutt me but it’s nothin’. After you talk to the cops, I want you to pack a bag. You’re coming to my place.”

I was shocked and wondered if it was a good idea after what had happened the last time I came over. We had so much to talk about. “Oh Hudson. I don’t know. We don’t need…”

He put a finger to my lips to silence me.Oh.“I want you to pack a bag. Everything is fine. Everything isgoing to befine. I’m not leaving you here, though.” My eyes were already stinging from crying, and I wanted to cry again.

We stood at the door and watched the police put Kevin in the back of the patrol car.

“Ok, let me talk to the police, and then I’ll pack a bag.”

He kissed my forehead, which felt completely insane after not talking to him for a couple weeks. My emotions were all over the place. I shook my head and turned to Vinny, hugging him.

“We always got your back girl.” He wrapped his arms around me for a tight hug.

“Thank you, Vinny. I’m so grateful you were here, too.” I pulled away and looked back up at Hudson and then walked over to the officer.What a mess.

*

The police left and Vinny left shortly after that. Hudson was in the living room waiting for me. I couldn’t believe Hudson was sitting in my living room again. He kissed me on the forehead. I was battling internally with everything that had happened and the fact that he wanted me to stay at his place. I was still reeling.

I finished packing but didn’t know how long I should pack for. I had no idea what I was doing. The candle was still burning from when Kevin lit it while he lurked around in there, waiting for me to come home. Disgusted, I blew it out.Fucking Creep.I turned off the bedroom light and pulled my bedroom door closed. Suddenly, I never wanted to come back.

When I looked up, I saw Hudson standing there looking at me. He didn’t say anything, and he didn’t move toward me. He looked down at his hands and around at my place. It was a disaster. The kitchen was the worst because that’s where they were fighting. My table was broken.

Hudson cleared his throat and finally spoke up. “Amelia, I…I’m sorry this happened to you tonight. I will help you get this place cleaned up, but not tonight. I just want to take you away from here.”

Tears were welling up in my eyes again. I was one more nice gesture away from losing it again. I nodded, but I had such a lump in my throat that I couldn’t speak.

Hudson went on. “I’m also incredibly sorry for the past few weeks. I was an asshole, and I meant every word I said when I was knocking at your door tonight. I miss you. I miss us. I just needed to work through my shit. That’s over now.”

I nodded again. My voice was practically a whisper when I say, “I get it, Hudson. I do. You’ve experienced something I can’t even begin to imagine, and I know it’s not easy for you. We don’t need…we don’t need to be a ‘we.’And I still don’t think it’s a good idea for me to go to your house again. It was a mistake last time.” I shook my head. That was all I could handle. The last time had been a mistake, and he knew it.

This time he came to me, he closed the gap between us with just a few long strides. He reached for my face, cradling it with both hands, staring at me. It felt like he was looking into my soul. His eyes were fire and his hands so warm.

“Amelia. Look at me.” I looked up at him. “The only mistake was when I let you leave that night. I wanted you to stay. I should’ve told you to stay. I didn’t want you to leave. That was the mistake.” Tears fell down my cheek. I closed my eyes, and his hands were still on my face. “Amelia, please forgive me. I need you, but more than that, I want you. I want us. I just needed to sort my things out. When I thought you left for the last time that night, I freaked the fuck out. When you left, I was sure I blew everything up. I’m sorry I put us through that. Will you please come home with me?”

Home.I wanted that. “Yes.” I nodded as he leaned in and kissed me. A deep kiss. I had missed his kiss so much. I brought my hands up to his arms, then wrapped my arms around him. He pulled away and stared at me.

“Yes? Really?,” he asked, sounding so happy.

“Yes, ok.” I rolled my eyes and we laughed.

He gave me a quick peck on the lips. “Come on. Let’s go.” He grabbed my hand and my bag and led us to the door. I stopped for a minute to lock my door and look back at the place. I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to come back to it.

“Don’t think about it right now, Am. Let’s go. It’s gonna be alright. I promise.”

He promised. He promised that he would protect me, and he kept it.I smiled at him and said, “Yeah, ok, let’s go.”

Chapter 24

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