Page 73 of Armor
He lifted a brow, “What?”
“Are you serious?” I asked.
“I think you two need a good fight or a good fuck. See you later, girl,” I heard but paid them no mind.
He lifted a brow, “You really think I’m going to be told shit about fuckers messing with you and not put a fucking stop to it?”
I growled, “I... Are you... I don’t even know what to say to that.”
He smirked, then his face sobered, “Just know, I may not have physically been here, but I’ve been here.”
I felt it starting.
I spun on my heel and raced to my bathroom and closed the door.
Leaning against the counter, I stared into the mirror and tried to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.
I heard the door open, and then I saw him as he stepped in behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and rested his chin on the top of my head. Then, gruffly, he whispered, “I know.”
I inhaled a deep breath and locked my eyes with his, “This is so fucked up.”
He chuckled, “Baby, you’ve known I’m fucked up since you met me.”
I sighed and then leaned my head back into his chest, “So... what now?”
He winked, “Well, you think about giving me a second chance, and I’ll make it worth it.”
“Why should I?” I asked.
He inhaled a deep breath, then he carefully spun me around so I was facing him. Then he looked deep into my eyes and fisted my hips in his hands, “Because I love you. Because the moment you walked into the hospital, I realized you were the light to my dark. Because the connection we have, the love we have for one another, doesn’t come around very often. And we were lucky as fuck to find it. I’ll be damned if I let that slip through my fingers.”
“You were willing before,” I said.
He shook his head, “No, Star Shine. I wasn’t. You think if I got word some fucker was moving in on you, I wouldn’t find a way to put him in the ground?”
“I could still slip through your fingers without another man in my life, Ripper.”
“Alexander, Star Shine. And no. You wouldn’t. Because you love me.”
I dropped my head and stared at my toes.
I felt his fingers underneath my chin. Then, carefully, he applied pressure until my eyes were once again on his.
“I’m going to win all of you back. Okay?”
I didn’t reply.
His eyes searched my own, then he nodded, “You're scared. And that’s okay. I got enough fearlessness stored in me for both of us.”
Just then a phone rang. He sighed, then reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell, then he looked at me, “Storm.”
I nodded.
He answered it, “Yeah?”
His eyes came to mine as he listened, then he asked, “This can’t wait?”
He listened.
