Page 47 of Purgatory
And she does. Watching him guide her, I can visibly see the tension leave his body. The rigidity of his movements from even just yesterday has diminished significantly. Even the way he’s acting around Aly has changed. He’s more open. More vocal. Less distant. There’s even a rare smile on his face. The ability to protect her, to teach her how to protect herself is helping him just as much as it’s helping her.
“Alright, that’s enough. Let’s pack it up. Good job, Aly. You seemed to really get the hang of it at the end there,” Jax says as Aly goes to hand him back the weapon. He holds up a hand. “Wait up, what do we have to do before we hand over a live weapon?”
She looks down at it, pausing a second before understanding dawns. She presses the button to release the magazine on the AR-15, checking and clearing the chamber before setting it down to clean. “You clear it… make it safe.”
Jax nods his approval, pride noticeably beaming out ofhim. “Good girl. Exactly.”
It’s been a couple of hours and dinner prep and chores were calling. Everything’s been neglected today while we chose to, instead, have a day of fun. It was worth it though.
Once the guns are packed, Aly and I make a turn to head for the gardens but Jax doesn’t make any move to join us. It’s like déjà vu from earlier. And just like earlier, we both turn, meet his eyes and ask the question without needing to speak. He answers without hesitation.
“I’m just, uh, I’m gonna hang out here for a little longer, if that’s ok?” He’s still smiling, so that's a good sign.
“No worries. We’ve got some work to do in the gardens today, anyways. Take your time.” I take Aly by the hand and nod toward Jax. Jax nods back to me silently, then takes a seat in the grass, admiring the beauty around him. It makes me happy to see him like this. To see that my suggestion worked. To see a long-lost side of my friend I haven’t seen in a very long time.
Chapter 31
Hawk
“Ah, just another day in paradise,” I frustratingly sigh to myself. I just finished my last round of the night. Three fences. THREE. And they all need to be mended a.s.a.p. Fuck my life. If Jax or I had found them earlier we would have been on the job already. Unfortunately, these fences are on the furthest edges of the estates border by the lake-where I fish and check the snares. They were fine this morning, but now they are straight up FUBARed. Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition. I’m not even sure what the hell caused them to be so jacked up but there they are, all twisted and shit.
I let the others know as soon as I got back. They weren’t happy about it either but the sun is setting and it’s not safe for anyone to be out this late at night. Zombies aren’t the only thing we need to worry about. There are other things that go bump in the night.
On a good note, Jax, God bless his awesome ass, had dinner all prepped and ready for us to eat. He looks like a man on a mission but strangely lighter than usual. The outing with Cole and Aly must have done the trick cause he’s looking down right chipper. It’s a weird look on a guy who epitomizes the definition of a scowl but it’s good to see him happy again.
I take a few minutes to run upstairs, take a quick shower and get into some comfy clothes. When I get back downstairs, Cole and Aly walk in through the patio doors and move for the kitchen sink. They look like they just got done working in the garden for a good chunk of the day. Even after they finishwashing their hands for dinner they’re still a mess. Aly has a bit of dirt across her forehead and on her nose making her look even more adorable than usual. Our little Cinderella.
After we finish with dinner, Aly clears the plates and excuses herself, telling us all that she’s tired of being covered inworm poop.Her words not mine. Jax goes to cleaning up his prep area while Cole and I work in tandem on the dishes. Him drying while I wash. I finish quickly, anxious to get upstairs and hang out with Aly, since those fuckers got her all day, but when I get up to the landing, I stop dead in my tracks.
She’s standing there in the middle of the hallway between the bathroom and her bedroom, hair still damp, her hands clinging to a towel that’s barely covering her. It could be a hand towel for all I know considering how terrible a job it’s doing. Must be my lucky day after all.
She makes a little squeak of surprise and walks a little quicker towards her room. I smile at her coyness as I stalk behind her.
That’s ok, little mouse. I’ll chase you to the ends of the Earth. Ten feet isn’t going to stop me.
I walk up to her doorway, pushing the door open with two fingers so slowly you can hear the hauntingly, low creak from its hinges. Staying in the doorway, I see her standing there in the middle of the room, absolutely stark naked and beautiful beyond comparison. She gasps and tries to hide herself behind her hands, angling her body away from my view.
You can’t hide from me, sweetheart. I’ll always find you.
I cock my eyebrow at her shyness, bite my lip and look her up and down. She is beauty personified. She has nothing she needs to hide from me and I don’t like that she feels the need to. I stalk towards her slowly, shaking my head, the wordnofalling from my lips. I notice she’s in front of the vanity.Perfect.
She smiles but is still confused as I approach. That’s understandable. She’s probably never had anyone do what I’m about to do before. Honestly, neither have I, but it needs to be done.
I stop in front of her, wrapping a hand around her waist and pulling her into my arms. She’s shivering, but not from being cold. Her skin is burning at my touch. Nervousness, anxiousness, fear? “Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ve got you.”
I turn her in my arms. Her back to my chest. When she notices her position in front of the mirror she clams up again, eyes wide open but focusing everywhere but directly at her reflection, while struggling to cover herself. That won’t do at all.
Slowly, I take her wrists in my hands and pull them away from how she’s shielding her body. She's reluctant but eventually gives in, opening herself for not only me, but for herself as well. I’m proud of her for trusting me and allowing her vulnerability to show. I lean in to whisper close to her ear. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She shakes her head, still looking away from the mirror and me.
“You know you’re beautiful, don’t you?” I look at her through the mirror’s reflection and, despite the way she’s angled herself, can see her lower lip quivering.Thatdefinitelywon’t do...
A sound comes from the doorway and we both turn to see Cole standing there shirtless, wearing just some sleep pants, his arms hanging onto the top of the doorframe. He must have just showered also.
“Answer the question, Aly,” Cole says, cocking his eyebrow like I would imagine I just did. Do I look like that whenI do it? Fuck, that’s effective. Makes me want to answerforher. Holy shit.
She stutters out an incoherent response which makes Cole drop his arms and walk closer to us. He comes to a stop in front of her, our bodies essentially sandwiching her between our bigger frames. Her back still to my chest, while she faces Cole’s.
