Page 66 of Bully's Darkness
I don’t know how long we stand there, but my tears have dried and I’m exhausted. Bully turns the shower off and grabs a fluffy towel, all while still holding me to him, like he’s afraid I’ll fall if he lets go. Maybe I will.
He wraps me tightly then begins to fight out of his wet jeans and shirt, wrapping a towel around his waist. No words are spoken as he scoops me into his arms and carries me from the bathroom straight into the bedroom. He sits me on the edge of the bed and grabs another towel. Standing beside me, he gently rubs my hair.
“Liv,” he whispers, and I startle at his voice. “You’re safe now.” I exhale, like his words have the ability to make that statementtrue. And suddenly, I feel lighter. My shoulders slump, and Bully places a gentle kiss on my head. “I’m sorry.”
His apology hangs between us as he takes the hairdryer, aiming it at my wet locks. He runs his fingers through the strands, and I close my eyes, picturing all the times I’ve felt close to him. Yet this is the first he’s shown me any kind of tenderness.
I zone out, blinking when the dryer turns off and Bully runs a brush through my hair. He begins to plait it, and I frown in confusion. “Are you plaiting my hair?” I whisper. After everything that’s happened in the last few hours, it’s strange that this sticks out the most.
“I did a few sessions when I was inside.”
A laugh escapes me, sounding foreign amongst the heaviness. “Sessions on hair?” I turn, glancing at him over my shoulder.
He shrugs. “One day I might need this shit.”
“Like?”
He inhales deeply. “If I ever have a daughter.” My breath catches. It’s not the answer I expected.
Bully stands, going to my drawer and digging around for some fresh pyjamas. He brings a short and vest set over. “It’s boring in there, so you find yourself going to anything just to break the day up.” He gathers the top in his hands, scrunching it and holding it above my head. I raise my arms, and he gently tugs it over me, waiting for it to cover my chest before removing the towel. His eyes land on the bite mark again, but just like in the shower, he doesn’t ask. The towel remains around my waist, so he crouches before me, holding the shorts there while I step into them. He’s being so attentive, I want to cry.
“I heard all the guys talking about a course on parenting. I had nothing better to do, so I went along. We had to read stories,” he smiles at the memory. “My personal favourite isThe Gruffalo, in case you wondered,” he says, pulling the sheets back on the bed. He pats the mattress, and I climb in. “That clever little bastardmouse is a hero. The next week, we learned about hair. I can now confidently secure a ponytail and a plait,” he tells me. “I know that speaking to the bump pre-birth is important for bonding between baby and dad. I even know how to change a nappy.” He pulls the sheets over me. “Turns out, it was a good course.” He takes his shirt that I wore last night for bed, and pulls it on, then he pulls his boxers back on, the only thing that somehow managed to stay dry. “Sleep now, Liv.”
I grab his hand, and he stops. “I can’t be on my own,” I whisper.
His eyes fill with pain, then he places a kiss to the back of my hand before placing it beside me on the bed. “I’ll be right outside. I’m not going anywhere.”
Bully
I slip out the room, closing the door and resting against it. My heart aches for Liv. So much has happened in the last few weeks, so much I wanted to protect her from.
Bria appears in my line of sight, so I move off from the door and head into the living room. “Don’t say it,” I warn.
“It’s nothing you don’t already know,” she spits. “If you’d forced her to the clubhouse, this would never have happened.”
“No one could’ve predicted this shitshow,” I hiss, closing the gap between us. I’m angry, lashing out even though she doesn’t deserve it. “If I’d dragged her to the club, she would’ve hated me more.”
“He could’ve killed her.”
I scrub my hands over my face. “I know,” I say, my voice barely a whisper.
Taz joins us, removing his gloves. “It’s like new in there,” he tells us proudly. “Fuck, it’s been a while since I had to sort shit myself.”
“Those men who came,” says Bria, glancing between us, “who were they? Will they tell anyone?”
I shake my head. “They work for the club doing cleanup,” I tell her. “Dagger will be buried tonight where no one can find him.”
“That’s not enough,” she snaps. “How do I know this won’t come back on Liv?”
I clench my jaw. “Do you think I’d let that happen?” I growl. “She’s my old lady. I wouldn’t let it touch her.”
“It already did.”
Taz sighs. “It’s done now. There’s no point bitching about it.”
“She wanted to call the police, hand herself in,” she mutters, turning away and heading for the window. “She said they’d understand it was self-defence.” She peers out, staring down at the ground below. “I can’t lose her, Bully.”
I move behind her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. She sags against me. “You won’t. I’d never let her go down for this. I should’ve protected her better, done more . . .” I trail off, hating how right I am.
