Until I Met You(98)

“You better run, pal, before I finish off what she started.”

It was then I felt that the tight grip Seth had around me wasn’t to try and keep me in check. It was to keep himself in check.

Brandon did what he was told and found his feet quickly after that. It was one thing having me set upon him, but another thing entirely to have Seth beating the living shit out of him. After seeing him with Jaden, I knew full well what he was capable of. Brandon had a lucky escape with just me.

Once we knew he was gone, Seth inspected my hands and I winced when he touched them. I had never beaten someone like that before, so it was a strange pain for me. My hands hurt like hell. I didn’t feel it at the time, but now they were throbbing like a bugger.

“I think I need to take you to hospital. You may have broken your hand,” he said, caressing it as gently as possible.

“Thank you,” I said, gazing lovingly into his eyes.

“What for?” he asked.

“For holding me back, and for you holding back for me. I know it took a lot for you to not charge at him.”

He squeezed me in tighter to him and smiled. “It was hard—really hard. But I didn’t want you to lose something of me I hope you have.”

“What’s that?” I asked, searching his beautiful face.

“Your respect. I knew that if I did start on him, I wouldn’t have been able to stop. If I had killed him—which I truly wanted to—I would be no good a husband to you locked behind bars now, would I?”

“What you say is true, Seth, but I could never lose respect for you. Not in a million years.”

I don’t know why, but I suddenly started laughing. The euphoria was back because Seth was here, but this time it was added by the fact I had just kicked the living shit out of Brandon. Something I had replayed over and over again in the past. Something I always wished I could have done.

Seth’s worried, angry baby blues were replaced quickly with a glint of humour at my sudden outburst. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m more than okay, Seth. You made sure of that last night. I can’t wait to be your wife and no one, not even that scumbag, can take that away from me. I’m not going to let him. I kicked his butt!” I shouted, laughing again.

“You sure did, Angel. You sure did. You never cease to amaze me. Have I ever told you that before?” he asked, cupping my face in his hands.

“I think you may have once or twice,” I said, giggling this time.

He kissed me gently and all thoughts of Brandon were quickly erased from my mind. I tried grabbing at his t-shirt, completely forgetting about what just happened. I was quickly reminded when my hand cried out in protest. “Oh my fucking God, this hurts!”

“Come on, Angelina. We have to go now and see to that hand.”

We got back to the house where my mum and dad could tell straight away that something was up. I told them about the whole story and my dad nearly hit the roof. It looked like he was about to go running after Brandon, until I told him I was fine and just needed to get my hand fixed. As soon as I told him this, he relaxed a bit and took a look at it. He confirmed too what Seth already thought, so we quickly climbed into my dad’s Jag and headed off to hospital.

I didn’t really want to go, but I knew it was fruitless. The only times I have ever been in a hospital was because of those arseholes. It was starting to become a regular pattern.

Once at the hospital, my hand was x-rayed, after waiting for nearly two hours to be seen. It was once we were outside waiting for the results that a couple of policemen walked by. I thought they were here for something else, but then they walked up to me and asked me if I was Angelina Bradshaw.

“That’s me,” I said, confused.

“We’ve just interviewed a very shaken Brandon Thorpes. He was found by a passerby who saw him unconscious on the floor of Tregye Road. He has slight concussion, but other than that he’s fine. You’re lucky he doesn’t want to press charges.”

“You what?” Seth said, standing to attention.

The two police officers immediately stood guard, ready to pounce if Seth kicked off.

“Seth, please. It’s okay,” I said, trying to calm him.

“No, it’s not okay, Angelina. It’s very far from okay. You listen here officers, you’re lucky he didn’t get more than just a bit of concussion. Do you have any idea what he did to her when she was only fifteen? A child for fucks sake! And you have the gall to come over here and say that Angelina is lucky she’s not being charged. He was following her, did you know that? He was waiting in the shadows so he could corner her. Surely he’s the one that should be locked up. Surely he’s the one who is in the wrong.”