his chest, holding her tightly. She collapsed in his arms, feeling safe. The ordeal flashed behind her eyes, reminding her of the pain and fear. “You’re safe now. It’s okay.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I’m so glad you were here.”
He pressed his face closer to hers then kissed her on the lips. The touch was gentle but aggressive at the same time. His hand cupped her cheek, deepening the embrace. Alexandra didn’t pull away, enjoying the safety of his touch. His breath filled her mouth, taking her back to all their memories. Tears burned her eyes when she remembered that kiss every morning. He pulled away, burning her lips with his absence.
When she looked at him, she saw the faint line of red around his eyes. A coat of tears was deep underneath, forming below the surface.
“I never would have forgiven myself if something happened to you,” he whispered.
“I’m okay, I’m okay.”
“I love you so fucking much.” He took a deep breath and kissed her again.
“I love you too.”
He pulled her into a hug again. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes.”
Paul took a deep breath then squeezed her.
His bare chest felt strong against her face. It was hot, burning from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. She suddenly realized he was still shirtless. She pulled away.
“Let’s get out of here,” he whispered. He picked her up then held her to his chest.
“I can walk.”
Paul didn’t put her down.
“Wait.”
“What?” he asked.
“What about Gabe?”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
She looked at him. “We have to do something. The cars won’t see him. They might run him over.”
“Good,” he snapped.
“Paul…”
“No. Fuck that.”
“Baby?”
He sighed. “That isn’t fair.”
“I’m not just leaving him there. He probably needs medical treatment.”
He took a deep breath but said nothing for a long time. “I’m only doing this for you.”
“Thank you.”
He put her down then grabbed Gabe from the ground, putting him over his shoulder. They walked back to the car, and Paul put Gabe in the backseat. When he slammed the door, the entire car shook. The door almost fell off. He gave her a long glare before he got into the driver seat.
When they drove to the hospital, Paul held her hand, squeezing it. His thumb moved over her knuckles, warming her with his natural heat. After they stopped at the emergency department, Paul grabbed Gabe and carried him inside. Minutes later, he returned.
“What did you say?” she asked.
“That I found him like that.” He drove from the hospital and back to the house. The way he gripped the steering wheel showed Alexandra how angry he was. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” The explosion was so sudden, it caught her off guard. “You don’t owe him shit, Alexandra.”
“I’m a nurse. By my oath, I have to help anyone and everyone. It doesn’t matter what their crime is.”
He stared at her. “I thought you weren’t a nurse?”
“Uh…”
Paul shook his head. “That fucker should have died. You should have just let me kill him.”
“Let it go,” she said gently.
“No. I would have fucking died if something happened to you.”
“I know…”
“No, you don’t fucking know.”
Alexandra looked at her hands in her lap.
“How can you be so damn calm about this?”
“I know he’ll regret everything in the morning. He was just drunk.”
Paul slammed on the breaks in the middle of the road. The car slid to a stop. The seatbelt dug into her skin as it held her back. “ He was just drunk ? That’s not an excuse. Rape is still rape.” He glared at her like he might rip her throat out.
Alexandra kept her mouth shut.
“How can you forgive him for what he did but you won’t forgive me?”
“I did forgive you.”
“Then take me back. If he’s going to be your friend again, then I should be your boyfriend again.”
“I never said we would be friends again,” she said.
He shook his head. “I
“I know,” she whispered. “I’m so glad you were here.”
He pressed his face closer to hers then kissed her on the lips. The touch was gentle but aggressive at the same time. His hand cupped her cheek, deepening the embrace. Alexandra didn’t pull away, enjoying the safety of his touch. His breath filled her mouth, taking her back to all their memories. Tears burned her eyes when she remembered that kiss every morning. He pulled away, burning her lips with his absence.
When she looked at him, she saw the faint line of red around his eyes. A coat of tears was deep underneath, forming below the surface.
“I never would have forgiven myself if something happened to you,” he whispered.
“I’m okay, I’m okay.”
“I love you so fucking much.” He took a deep breath and kissed her again.
“I love you too.”
He pulled her into a hug again. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes.”
Paul took a deep breath then squeezed her.
His bare chest felt strong against her face. It was hot, burning from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. She suddenly realized he was still shirtless. She pulled away.
“Let’s get out of here,” he whispered. He picked her up then held her to his chest.
“I can walk.”
Paul didn’t put her down.
“Wait.”
“What?” he asked.
“What about Gabe?”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
She looked at him. “We have to do something. The cars won’t see him. They might run him over.”
“Good,” he snapped.
“Paul…”
“No. Fuck that.”
“Baby?”
He sighed. “That isn’t fair.”
“I’m not just leaving him there. He probably needs medical treatment.”
He took a deep breath but said nothing for a long time. “I’m only doing this for you.”
“Thank you.”
He put her down then grabbed Gabe from the ground, putting him over his shoulder. They walked back to the car, and Paul put Gabe in the backseat. When he slammed the door, the entire car shook. The door almost fell off. He gave her a long glare before he got into the driver seat.
When they drove to the hospital, Paul held her hand, squeezing it. His thumb moved over her knuckles, warming her with his natural heat. After they stopped at the emergency department, Paul grabbed Gabe and carried him inside. Minutes later, he returned.
“What did you say?” she asked.
“That I found him like that.” He drove from the hospital and back to the house. The way he gripped the steering wheel showed Alexandra how angry he was. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” The explosion was so sudden, it caught her off guard. “You don’t owe him shit, Alexandra.”
“I’m a nurse. By my oath, I have to help anyone and everyone. It doesn’t matter what their crime is.”
He stared at her. “I thought you weren’t a nurse?”
“Uh…”
Paul shook his head. “That fucker should have died. You should have just let me kill him.”
“Let it go,” she said gently.
“No. I would have fucking died if something happened to you.”
“I know…”
“No, you don’t fucking know.”
Alexandra looked at her hands in her lap.
“How can you be so damn calm about this?”
“I know he’ll regret everything in the morning. He was just drunk.”
Paul slammed on the breaks in the middle of the road. The car slid to a stop. The seatbelt dug into her skin as it held her back. “ He was just drunk ? That’s not an excuse. Rape is still rape.” He glared at her like he might rip her throat out.
Alexandra kept her mouth shut.
“How can you forgive him for what he did but you won’t forgive me?”
“I did forgive you.”
“Then take me back. If he’s going to be your friend again, then I should be your boyfriend again.”
“I never said we would be friends again,” she said.
He shook his head. “I
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