Page 84 of Relentless

“I know, and I appreciate everything you’ve done more than I could ever express. But—”

Releasing her throat, I press my fingers to her lips, stopping whatever was about to fall from them.

I can’t hear her say what I think she’s going to say. I just can’t. Not right now.

Letting the breath I was holding escape, I cringe at how rank it must smell rushing over her face. But she doesn’t cower. All she does is stare into my eyes, silently begging me to understand.

“Fuck, Doll. Don’t do that to me,” I whisper, letting my hand fall from her throat as my brow gently rests against hers.

With one forearm resting against the wall beside her head, I grip her waist with the other. I know at first look that she’s lost weight, but feeling how much her waist dips in is more evidence I didn’t need that she hasn’t been treated right.

“They hurt you,” I state. There’s no question. It’s not needed.

“Yes and no. The important thing is what happens next,” she says, sounding almost hopeful.

I close my eyes for a beat, sucking in a deep breath full of her scent and try to tell myself that she’s right.

But what if she’s not? What if she’s wrong and we’re not suddenly all on the same team here?

“You sent JD to check on me, didn’t you?” I ask, latching onto something that doesn’t make me want to vomit or punch someone.

She nods, her head bobbing against mine.

“Reid showed me a video of your fight,” she confesses, making my stomach knot.

“Not my finest moment,” I mutter, ashamed that I even got in the ring that night, let alone my shitty performance. “I was so fucking lost without you.”

“Same.”

The emotion in her voice makes my eyes crack open.

“Babe.”

Her hands slide up my chest before she cups my shaggy jaw, her thumb running over my bottom lip.

“I was so worried. He cut the video as you went down and I d-didn’t k-know—”

“I’m glad you sent him.”

Her eyes widen. “You are?”

“Well, I wasn’t at the time. He turned up, invited himself in, and tried to convince me to let him be my replacement nurse. I should have known there and then that he had you. But it wasn’t until later that realization hit.

“If you didn’t then I might never have figured it out.”

“You broke into Reid’s house to get me.” One of her hands drops to the bandage on my shoulder. “You got shot because of me.”

I shrug the other shoulder. “Worth it.”

Her eyes narrow, searching mine. I know what she’s thinking.

“My head is fucked-up right now, Doll. I’m sorry.”

“Trust me, I get it. I’ll tell you everything, I promise. It’s not all bad. I killed someone.”

I rear back, shocked by her words. Or more so the proud smile playing on her lips.

“You what?”

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