Page 22 of Fighter
Before my eyes could even widen, she quickly continued. “I just . . . the first time Talmage hit me, it was at night and I didn't see it coming and really could have been an accident. So darkness has been a bit weird. Today was . . . not that . . . and the thought of trying to sleep is a little overwhelming. It's stupid but—” Her gaze dropped and she sighed. “It just feels like I'm not safe. Tomorrow, when I have a clearer head, I'm sure it will be fine. But tonight it's all a little fresh.”
“Yes.”
The reply came before I knew it was there, but I didn't regret it. For several moments, she just stared at me. Relief spread through her entire body then.
“Thank you. You don't have to stay all night, just . . . until I fall asleep?”
There were so many questions that surfaced right then. Why me? Why did I make a difference? Sure, the whole professional-MMA-fighter thing likely played a part, but I had a feeling it went deeper than that. Serafina had been taking care of herself for years if all the travel stories Maverick had relayed to me meant anything. If I hadn't stopped by, she would have figured it out and been fine.
So why did she ask?
“I'll stay, Sera.”
Something passed through her face then that I couldn't read. “Thank you.”
Before things could get awkward, she slipped off the bed, turned off the TV, and flicked the lights off. I pulled my jacket off, feeling more comfortable in the dark. Before I could tackle the issue of the single queen bed, she slipped to the other side of the room, tossed half of the duvet my way, and climbed underneath the rest of the blankets. Any random fear I might have harbored that all of this was an elaborate hoax faded. She didn't want me in her bed.
That had certainly happened before.
While she settled in, I toed off my shoes and pulled my phone from my pocket. Serafina settled onto her side with her back to me, her wild curls spilling across her pillow in kinky lines. I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling, my thoughts a jumbled mess. Whatever I thought would happen tonight, this wasn't it.
But this might be better.
“Benjamin?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for being my friend.”
I swallowed and searched for a response, but she didn't seem to need one. Instead, she snuggled deeper into the covers and, with a careful breath, yawned. A little mewl escaped her at the end of the yawn, then quieted.
She hadn't gone into any details, but her brother must have cracked her pretty good—probably with a solid kick—to leave an injury like that. Not to mention the bruise on her face. What would that be like, to be a woman and hit around by your brother? A lover was one thing. A family member, another. How long had this been happening? Why didn’t her parents do something about it sooner?
When my entire body tensed, I had to push those thoughts away. Thinking about what Sera endured wasn't going to help me sleep.
Even though I could reach out and touch her back, she still felt miles away. Twice I opened my mouth to say something, and twice I closed it again. What was there to say? Not much longer after she settled in, her breathing softened into the steady, even cadence of sleep.
I stayed awake, my thoughts spinning.
7
Serafina
When my eyes opened the next morning, an immediate groan followed. I lay on my back and tried to roll over, but a sharp protest stopped me. Lightning-hot pain spread through my body and ended on my spine. Several seconds passed before it came back under control and I could breathe again.
Breathe, Serafina,I murmured.Breathe . . . slowly.
My eyes popped back open when several thoughts crashed into me at once.
Talmage.
Hotel.
Benjamin.
With heavy morning breath, my head spun over to see an empty bed and ruffled covers next to me. Not sure whether I was relieved, or annoyed, to find him gone, I sank further into the bed. Then I pulled my hair over my face to hide from the world and groaned. Benjamin Mercedy had stayed the night.
What was I thinking?
