Luke

I’m so thankful she’s okay. When I heard her yelling, it took ten years off my life. Then I saw that asshole on top of her, all I saw was red. I wanted to kill him for putting his hands on what’s mine and scaring her. I brought her to my truck and next thing I know we are kissing, and it was hands down the best kiss of my life.

She goes to wrap her arms around my neck, winces, and whimpers like she’s in pain. I pull away from the kiss.

“Baby, what’s wrong? I thought you said you were okay,” I ask while starting to look her body over. I pull her hands down, and that’s when I notice the huge bruise on her right wrist. “What the hell happened? I’m gonna kill him,” I angrily say as I start to walk back to where I left the guy.

“Please don’t leave me, Luke, I’m scared,” she says on a sob.

I look at her and she’s holding herself, shivering. I’m an asshole.

After everything that she’s been through, and I can only think about hurting some douche. I need to be taking care of her.

“I promise, princess, I’m not going anywhere. Why don’t I take you home, you need to get some sleep,” I say to her, helping her all the way into the truck.

I run around the front and hop in. I start her up and start driving. I take her tiny hand in mine as I drive. I’ve never been so thankful that I have an automatic truck. I look over at her and she’s fallen asleep against the passenger window.

When I told her I was taking her home, I was telling the truth, but she’s never going back to that apartment again. She’s coming home with me and she’s never leaving. I won’t let her. I pull into my driveway and I cut the engine.

As much as I don’t want to, I let go of her hand and get out of the truck. I walk around the front and carefully open the door. I carry her into my house and into her old bedroom. I lay her in bed and walk to my room to get her something comfortable to sleep in. I grab some boxers and one of my APD t-shirts. I walk back into her room and carefully undress her. I try not to look at her body, but it’s extremely hard not to. I see a small circular scar on her collarbone and I can tell it’s from a bullet. I have a few of them myself, so I know what they look like. I slide my shirt and boxers on her body and walk back to my room.

I’ve been in bed for about an hour, and I can’t sleep knowing she’s in the next room. She’s finally where she belongs. I look up when I hear my door open. I look up and she’s standing in my doorway.

“What’s the matter, baby,” I ask as I look at her. She’s looking damn good in my clothes.

“Nothing, I woke up and couldn’t remember where I was. Then I saw the old posters you bought me and immediately knew. Why didn’t you just take me home,” she asks as she walks over to my bed.

“I did take you home baby. This will always be your home, it always has been,” I tell her.

“Luke, can I lay in bed with you? I hate sleeping on my own, and with everything that happened today,” she trails off.

I lift the blankets and try not to smile. She climbs in and comes straight to my chest and lays her head on it. I tuck the blankets back down and wrap my arm around her to hold her close while running my fingers up and down her back.

“Whisper, how did you get the scar on your collarbone,” I ask her, hoping she’ll tell me.

She tenses for a moment, but I keep rubbing her back. She finally relaxes into my touch.

“I don’t want to talk about it, Luke. I’m here now, isn’t that all that matters? It’s part of my past that I’d like to forget,” she says.

I roll over to where she’s on her back and I’m on top of her. I hold her face in my hands and lean down to lightly kiss her.

“Whisper, I love you. I want to take care of you. Please let me do that. I know that scar is from a bullet. I’ve had more than my share in my line of work so I know what they look like. What happened baby,” I say as I lean down to kiss her again. I internally do a fist bump when she kisses me back.

“Are you sure you want to know? You can’t un-hear it once it’s out,” she says to me.

“Of course, I want to know everything about you. The good, the bad, and the ugly. That’s what loving someone means,” I tell her.

Tears start to well up in her eyes, and I can already tell that I’m not going to like what is going to come out of her beautiful mouth. I lean down and kiss her again so she knows that whatever she says won’t change how I feel about her.

“It’s okay baby. Just tell me when you’re ready,” I tell her as I roll back over and just hold her.

“My dad shot me,” she whispers.

What the fuck?!