Obsession (A Bad Boy's Secret Baby)(100)

I cracked my knuckles and went to grab a water of my own. Filthy or not, I wanted her badly. If I got too close, I wouldn't be able to contain myself. I exhaled deliberately. This wasn't the time for that.

“What happened to my pants?” she asked with some concern.

“They didn't make it, unfortunately.” I pointed to the trashcan on my way to the mini fridge. “Doc had to cut them off to get at your bullet. I picked you up another pair on our way over here.”

“Thanks. Hey, Listen.” Flora took in a deep breath and readied herself. Something weighed heavily on her mind. With only us here, she seemed ready to talk. “Everything you've done. I—I don't really know what to say. I mean, I've lost track of how many times you've saved me” Flora slowly swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I wouldn't be alive right now if not for you.”

“Yeah, but part of this clusterfuck was my fault. Despite my many, many virtues, I do have a few vices. If not for my pride, you'd have found your sister much sooner.”

“Even if you hadn't dragged me out of that brothel... I don't think I'd have made it. I wasn't thinking clearly. Everything was just so fucked up that I had to do something, even if I had no damn clue what that something was!”

“Flora...”

“No! I don't deserve to be let off the hook. All those people back there...” Flora bit her lip, sinking into the sadness. “All the people that died in that mansion. Your brothers, the girls, all those bodies. Part of that was my fault. So much death, I didn't want any of that! I just wanted my sister. I just wanted—”

Flora covered her eyes, finally breaking down. With a soul that heavy, it was admirable that she'd made it that far. “I'm so, so sorry.” She wiped at her eyes, gathering herself.

I walked back over with a cloth for her. When she was finished wiping her nose and mouth, I pulled her head into my stomach. I was going to speak, but held my tongue. I knew she wasn't done. She needed to get it all out. It was the only way back up from something as heavy as what went down today.

When she felt my arms around her, she immediately resumed sobbing. I held her and just let her cry. Flora hugged me tighter and tighter like she was trying to squeeze the guilt out of herself. We stayed like that for as long as she needed.

When she was done, my shirt stained with tears, I squatted down so we were at the same eye level. “A lot of good men and women died today.” I watched her eye's drift low, her face growing even more pained with the hard truth. “Look at me.” She did. “But they didn't die for you, Flora, and they didn't die in vain. All you were was a long, overdue catalyst. Dozens of girls would've been sold into a very short, violent life, if it weren't for you and the suicidal love you have for your sister.

Smiling tenderly, I said, “You helped topple one of the biggest human traffick rings on the east coast. Think of the hundreds or even thousands of Claudines that will never be abducted by scum like the Knights, now.” I lifted her chin carefully, wanting her to look at me straight on. “Maybe you still had some saintly things to do too.”

Flora managed a weak smile. She breathed a little easier, but she was still hurting. I could feel it. It was a pain far deeper than any bullet wound.

“That's very kind, but what I did to you,” she started to say. Her eyes drifted to the floor. I went to speak, but she beat me to it. “Your club, everything, all gone because I dragged you into my craziness.”

Seeing her this distraught made my heart ache. I opened my mouth, but again, she was faster. “And your bike! I'm so sorry for stealing your bike! And your gun, I'm sorry for that too. After seeing those guys at the gas station almost kill you, I just didn't want you to get hurt anymore. I'd always planned to get that back to you, somehow, when this was all over. I really wanted to, at least.” Shaking her head, Flora let her hair fall into her eyes. “How could you possibly forgive me?”

“Forgive? I should thank you.”

“What?” Flora was startled off guard. I didn't know what she expected to hear, but it wasn't that.

“It was only a bike and a gun. You didn't have to save me from those guys at the gas station to steal my bike. Flora, I'm a nomad. People fuck me over all the time and if I'm honest, most times I deserved it.” I chuckled.

I had her attention, and I resisted the urge to taste her red lips. Would they be salty from her tears? I forced myself to keep talking. “Ever since I got back from Afghanistan, there's been this fucking chasm in my soul that couldn't be filled with all the distractions in the world. Then I met you. I thought your singular focus was insane.” I remembered how she'd pleaded with me to go back to the Knights. “But your courage and selflessness reminded me of the man I was when I served. A better man. A man I desperately wanted to be again.”