She let me go, staring at her hands as if they were strangers. She had yet to look me in the face. Good, she might feel worse when she sees the huge black and blue bruise I sported. I didn’t hold it against her. I wasn’t angry.
I only wanted her to be safe.
And she was here. With me.
I turned on the tub and poured way too much lavender scented bubble bath in with the water. Like way too much. Shit, like half the bottle.
Whatever. Women liked bubbles.
“Do you like bubbles?” I asked just to make sure, if not, well…
“I don’t know.” Her voice broke from emotion. She spoke with a slight slur, kind of like when someone was buzzed when they had a bit too much to drink.
“That’s alright. We are about to find out.” My heart hurt for her, to not know anything, to feel that empty without knowing yourself completely after living for so long, I couldn’t imagine. “You aren’t alone anymore,” I comforted.
“I was chased today,” she said in a distant tone.
I screwed the cap on the bubble bath and set it on the counter. “What are you talking about?”
“A man. In a car,” she spoke in broken sentences. “He told me to get in. I didn’t want to.”
I cupped her face, her jaw fitting perfectly in my palm. I rubbed my thumb over her wet cheek, doing my best not to look angry, but rage boiled my blood. “Good. You should never do that,” I reassured. “What happened next, baby?” She swallowed, still not looking at me, and another tear dropped from her soaked lashes.
“I ran. He chased me. I hid in the water.”
“What did he want?”
She shivered, teeth chattering, and the tension in the room darkened. “Me.” Her voice was small and timid.
I pulled her to my chest, burying my hand in her tangled hair. “Do you know why?” Why anyone would want to hurt her, confused the hell out of me. I swore right then and there that I’d protect her, that nothing would ever harm her again.
She shook her head, clutching my shirt again. “Said he looked.”
“Looked?”
“For me.” Her hot breaths sank through my shirt and warmed my skin.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you, okay? Look at me,” I said.
She brought her watery brown eyes to mine and gasped when she saw the nasty bruise on my face. With a shaking hand, she reached up and trickled her fingers down my abused cheek. “I hurt you,” she said, brushing my skin lightly. I leaned into it, unable to help myself. Her fingers were softer than I expected, gentle, timid. She was afraid to touch me but brave enough to try, and my heart leaped at that courage.
She was strong, stronger than she gave herself credit for, and Abigail had no idea of the amount of strength she had. I would show her. I didn’t care if it took my last breath; she deserved to know.
“I am sorry,” she said. “I hurt you bad.”
“It looks worse than it feels, I promise.” I took her hand in mine and clutched it, wanting to kiss the slim fingers, but I held back, not wanting to move too fast. The tub still filled behind me, and I needed to check on it before it overflowed. I gave it a quick glance and saw the bubbles had formed a massive tower. “Shit,” I said, running over to the faucet to shut it off. I broke the bubble tower in half with my hand and yelled, “Timber!” as it fell in a soft foamy hiss, and a light chuckle came from behind me.
Too much bubble bath was worth it to hear that.
“Okay, I’ll leave you be. I’ll be right outside if you need me, okay?”
“No!” She scampered off the counter and wrapped her arms around me. “Don’t.”
“I just wanted to give you privacy,” I said, laying my chin on the top of her head while I rubbed my hands up and down her back.
Her head shook against me in disagreement.
“Okay,” I pulled away and lifted her chin with my hand. “I’ll turn around. Tell me when you’re in the tub, okay?” I wouldn’t be able to see her body due to the bubbles, and I wanted her to know she could trust me while she was naked, right in front of me, without me chasing her like that man did earlier.