Indigo [Try Pink Act Two] by Max Ellendale Page B

kissed her neck and shoulder.
    "I love you, baby. You're safe now. We're safe." She
seemed to like hearing this the best because her tears calmed and her sobs
quieted. We held on to each other until she reached between us and cupped my
core in an almost possessive grab.
    "I love you," she whispered, though her crying kicked up
again.
    "I know you do, Jilly. I know." I shifted positions and
lifted her onto my lap. She wrapped herself around me and I pulled the blanket
over her shoulders. Finally, as if I'd been somehow waiting for it, she clung
to me, fully accepting me as something safe for her. And, in time, she began to
relax.
    Sleep caught her after but I stayed awake. Occasionally I'd catch
her waking up to check and see if I was still alert. I stood guard, like she
did when I slept. It took me awhile to notice but I knew. I rubbed her back and
ran my fingers through her hair. I fought the images that flooded my mind's eye
when I thought for too long. I'd come to terms with what had happened to
Jillian before we were together but after, I couldn't tolerate it. Just knowing
what he did, seeing him do it. It haunted me more than the images of Graydon's
death.
    If I hadn't already killed Nate, I'd hunt him and kill him with my
father's Winchester.
     

Graydon
     
    Jilly slept well into the next day and she was still in bed with
me when I came to. She stroked my hair and smiled at me when I peeked up at
her. I grabbed her hand and kissed her palm half a dozen times. She snuggled
into me and her body, warm against mine, was less reserved than it had been
previously.
    "How do you feel?" I asked her.
    "Better. A little scared," she said rather honestly.
    "What happened to you, baby?" I asked when she rested
her chin on my chest. The question alone brought tears to her eyes. Silent ones
that spilled on their own accord and salted her lips.
    "I didn't think it would happen again. After I left him and
found you. I wasn't ready. I wasn't prepared. It took him five minutes to
control me again. To find my weakness and use it against me. This time it just
happened to be you," she said, deliberately and calm. She hadn't spoken a
word about any of it in all this time since it happened. "I'm glad you
killed him." Her tone shifted from sad to angry. "I'm so glad. I
never thought I'd be happy to say I watched someone die. I'm glad. Sometimes I
feel bad that I'm glad but then I remind myself."
    "Me too. I've never killed anyone. A decade as a cop, no kill
shots. I'm glad he was my first."
    "I thought of you every day, all day and night. When he hurt
me, I closed my eyes and thought about your painting of the girl looking at the
sky. It was like I was there and you could see me because we were there
together," she continued and I let her. I just let her while I held her
and stroked her hair. "This time, he hit me more than anything else. Made
me dance more. I could handle that. He wasn't as strong. Pam was helpful. She
was mean to him like he deserved and it made him hide away a lot."
    "Pam was a bitch, but I'm glad of it."
    "Me too. Dancing didn't bother me. I wasn't ever naked. The
men like the stupid costumes more now than they used to," she said. I had
to admit I was surprised at the amount of story she told. In all the time I
knew her, she revealed information slowly over time. It seemed to burn for
release today.
    "I noticed that, too. How long were you with him the last
time? Before you spilled my coffee."
    Jilly laughed softly and nipped at my collarbone.  "Not
long. We dated for about two months before it got bad. Six months before I ran.
But back then, I had nothing to lose. This time, he'd come for you." Her
fingers tightened on my hip. "I'd kill him if he ever touched you."
    "I killed him because he touched you." I pressed
my lips to her forehead while I fought to stay emotionally sound for her.
"You don't have to be afraid anymore, baby."
    "You keep me safe," she said, settling down again and
squeezing me