Page 130 of No Saint

“I know.” He rests his brow on mine, “I know.”

“How long have I been here?”

“Four days.”

My eyes widen, “What!?”

“You were hurt, Amelia, badly.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…” I trail off.

“You’re what!? Why the fuck are you apologizing?”

“Well,” I shrug, wincing when I feel muscles twinge.

“No Amelia,” He sighs, “No. Jesus, I thought I lost you. Again!”

I sift through the memories, the hits I’d taken, the slice from a knife on my arm and… between my legs. My ankle.

I swallow hard.

I wiggle a little and suck in a sharp breath, feeling how tender and sore my sex was.

He’d hit me. I felt it split.

I grit my teeth as the swarm of memories push in. The pain and the blood.

“You’re okay,” Gabriel soothes, “You’re okay. I’m here.”

“What did he do?”

“You’ve got a broken ankle,” Gabriel swallows, “In two places, and a fractured cheekbone. Your arm needed stitches.” He pulls back, distancing himself as he looks me over, “Bruises, cuts but um…”

I squeeze my eyes closed.

“He hit you and the impact, because of the rings he was wearing cut you quite deeply. They’ve repaired the damage and don’t think there will be nerve damage, but you lost a lot of blood.”

He’s completely pulled away now, his face twisted, “Gabriel?”

I’ve never seen the man unsure.

“He wanted to make me suffer,” Gabriel murmurs as he nods, “He used you. Hurt you.”

“Please don’t…” I breathe, knowing where his mind was going, what he was prepared to do.

His eyes snap to mine, “Amelia, this happened because of me. It could happen again except next time, they might kill you. Rape you.”

I shake my head, “That could happen anyway, Gabriel.”

“No. No it wouldn’t have if I didn’t take you in the first place.”

“Is Lincoln safe?”

“My mother took him out the city for a few days, they’re in Disney at the moment with my mother’s bodyguard.”

“Good. That’s good.”

Silence falls between us and I could feel my heart breaking inside my chest. I let it come, let myself feel the pain. “Gabriel,” I cry, “Please.”

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